A View From The Sycamore Tree: HIStory

Monday, January 26, 2009

HIStory - Isaiah 13

“I have commanded My consecrated ones,

I have even called My mighty warriors,
my proudly exulting ones,

to execute My anger.” (vs 3)

This chapter may not be as outwardly devotional as many of the others, yet several things are particularly striking to me this morning. Chapter 13 is a prophecy about Babylon – a wicked and pagan nation. The Sovereign God had used Babylon in the discipline of His people. (10:23). Here, in chapter 13, we have God sovereignly directing another pagan land to bring just vengeance upon Babylon. Truly "the king's heart is like channels of water in the hand of the LORD; He turns it wherever He wishes." (Pr 21:1)

Matthew Henry says:“The persons brought together to lay Babylon waste are here called God’s sanctified ones designed for this service and set apart to it by the purpose and providence of God. It intimates that in God’s intention, though not in theirs, it was a holy war; they designed the enlargement of their own empire, but God designed the release of His people.”

Over the past few months I’ve been studying Babylon, Media, and Persia with Joshua in Ancient History. The names of Belshazzar, Darius, and Cyrus are fresh in my mind. These are real people, real places and real events. These things actually happened. “The testimony of the LORD is sure” (Ps 19:7). This particular prophecy was fulfilled approximately 200 years after it was announced and it was fulfilled exactly as God declared it would be. God's Word is glorious!

The reality that these pagan kingdoms “designed the enlargement of their own empire, but God designed the release of His people”, makes my heart leap. History is His story and “His sovereignty rules over all.”

Our current history is His story as well. He remains the King of Kings and the LORD of Lords in 2009 AD just as He was in 732 BC. His sovereignty still rules and His design is still for His glory and for the good of His people. That encompasses things internationally, nationally, statewide, locally and personally. We have a firm foundation and we have a good foundation. How I pray He will increase our faith in His rule over us and how I trust that He is once again designing the release of His people in His perfect time. I need not fear the events of history I need to rest in the God of history!

Resting this day,

Lori

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Here We Go!

This is a blog about the goodness and grace of God, even amidst the angst of autism.

So ... how did this whole thing start?

Well, I said I'd never do this but obviously here I am. After being challenged, encouraged, goaded and double dog dared, several years ago I began to blog.

Near the end of 2008, I found myself with renewed passion for God's Word, Kingdom, and people and I was stirred, through nothing other than the simple means of grace, to a hunger and thirsting for righteousness unlike any other time in my 20+ years as a Christian.

During that period, I began typing out the things that were striking me the most in my quiet time each morning. Honestly, I started because I wanted to have a written record that I could pass along to my children one day - lettered Ebenezers reminding them of how much their Mom loves God and His Word.

While doing that I found myself so excited on certain days that I began to email my musings to some of my girl friends, hoping to encourage them even as Christ was encouraging me. Many of those gals challenged me to put these things online in a blog form so others could have access to them. That's how this site started.

Now, to shoot really straight with you, that personal "revival" of mine has pendumatically ebbed and flowed over the course of the days, months and years since 2008. For a prolonged period after that initial renewing surge I actually found myself in an utterly antithetical place. God, in His wisdom, was pleased to grant me a substantial season in the dark dungeon of "doubting castle" - those days were some of the hardest of my life post-Jesus but were providentially ordained days ultimately used for my good and for my God's glory.

"Through many dangers, toils, and snares I have already come" by nothing but the amazing grace of an amazing God.

I've learned that even in the midst of the darkest of days there's just something about the light of God's Word that is powerful. The Scripture has been an anchor for me in the storm surge of life. Even when my eyes have seemed to be rather veiled and my vision somewhat dimmed, there has still been a re-focusing force that has risen when I have gazed long and hard upon the Word of God. Thus, even as a saint who struggles, I continue to write of my God, my Redeemer, His promises, and His truth.

I'm not always very regular at posting here because there are many more important duties in my life right now than blog uploads - ie. being wife, mom, housekeeper, cook, taxi service, chief bottle washer, and laundry lady - along with that music thing I do as a side gig! But, as time allows I'll be cutting and pasting from Joshua and Elizabeth's future journal gift and sharing some of it with you as well.

Thanks for stopping by!

Who's Doing This?

Lori Sealy is daily amazed at the grace of God in her life. Adopted as an infant and raised in an evangelical church, she rebelled against the things of Christ during high school and considered herself an atheist. Upon entering college, the God who ordains our steps ordained that her path would cross with several students who loved Christ and loved His Word. During that first year of college, she set out to destroy the faith of these young Christians. They set out to pray for her salvation.

Knowing that "faith comes through hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ," six college students daily confronted her sin and challenged her with the truths of God's glorious Word. Their obedience in proclaiming the good news of the gospel of Christ bore fruit in August of 1988 when by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone, she was adopted for the second time in her life - this time into the family of God.

Lori is now the wife of Phillip Sealy. They live in Sylva, North Carolina where Phillip has been called to plant a new church for the Presbyterian Church of America (PCA) - Redeemer Church Sylva. The Sealys have two children Joshua (14) and Elizabeth (12). Lori and Joshua both live with autism.

In her spare time (what little there is) Lori masquerades as a part-time songwriter/singer and performs on a limited monthly basis. Lori's newest CD, "The Strife is Over," has recently released. Hard copies of it, along with her last release "Begone Unbelief", are available through CD Baby and Lori's own website. Digital downloads are available through iTunes, Google Play, and Amazon mp3!

Be sure to visit http://www.lorisealy.com/ to learn more!

Why the Sycamore Tree?

Zaccheus, the wee little man, wanted to see Jesus and so he climbed into the sycamore tree in order to get a good look. Lori, the wee little wife and mom, longs to see Jesus as well. I realize that the place where I will catch a true glimpse of Him is in the pages of His Word.

The Bible is my sycamore tree and I find myself longing more and more to climb up into its branches that I might see Christ more clearly. This blog is simply a record of what God is teaching me as I spend time in "the tree" of His glorious Word. If anyone reads it I'll be amazed; if anyone profits from it I'll be humbled; and if anything good is found in it Soli Deo Gloria!

Monday, January 26, 2009

HIStory - Isaiah 13

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