Dreaming

Very early this morning I awoke to the thoughts of a passage from Isaiah. It's a passage focused on God and his glory. The passage has a wonderful message, but I will get to that in a moment. As I read the word a few hours later I came to these words in Ecclesiastes 5, "...a dream comes when there are many cares." It struck me that my mind, even as I slept and worried, drifted to a passage that addressed my anxious thoughts. The Holy Spirit works like that. Amazing, isn't He?

Here's the passage that came to me in the middle of the night, as I worried about things I cannot change,

Isaiah 6:³ And they were calling to one another:

“Holy, holy, holy is the LORD Almighty;
the whole earth is full of his glory.”

⁴ At the sound of their voices the doorposts and thresholds shook and the temple was filled with smoke.

⁵ “Woe to me!” I cried. “I am ruined! For I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips, and my eyes have seen the King, the LORD Almighty.”

⁶ Then one of the seraphim flew to me with a live coal in his hand, which he had taken with tongs from the altar. ⁷ With it he touched my mouth and said, “See, this has touched your lips; your guilt is taken away and your sin atoned for.”

⁸ Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?”

And I said, “Here am I. Send me!”

A great help in fearful chaotic times is a focus on the one thing that never changes- God himself! In the middle of a struggling economy, people out of work, friends in Africa who have no food for their children, families and kids struggling, work problems all around, people in crisis in their marriages, the one thing I can know is that the God of the universe is still on the throne, fully in charge of my life and circumstances. He is constantly being worshiped by those around him. That upward look, that glance to the God of glory is often needed for me as I lose my way in the chaos of the days.

The words that came to my mind this morning were these,

“Holy, holy, holy is the LORD Almighty;
the whole earth is full of his glory.”

The one thing I most need to see is that the God of the universe is holy, wonderfully and gloriously worshiped by all who are around him. And all around us is a world full of his glory. It created a response in Isaiah that is mine as well....he said, "I'm undone!" He was humbled, undone, broken in God's presence. All that had his attention in life was suddenly washed away in God's presence and he stood undone, broken, humbled.

It's a proper response for those who see God.

As these words came to me in the early hours of the day it brought joy to me for the worship it initiated, but it brought sadness as well that I would continue to doubt him, to not trust him after so many years of seeing his love, care and provision. How could I ever doubt his love and care for me when all of heaven rejoices every moment at his wonderful holiness? I'm most grateful that even as I dream and worry God is working to bring my weary mind into his presence to witness with Isaiah his glory and the worship of those around him.

If they are worshiping all the time, if they trust him to care for them and simply enjoy his presence and celebrate who he is then why can't I? Why don't I?

Holy is the Lord, most wonderful to help us in our time of need! Glorious in every way, thank you, Lord, for your care and love that meets our needs even while we sleep.