Today, December 22, 2020, is another “Good News Day,” as we celebrate the 93rd birthday of a wonderful woman, my mother-in-law, Rosa Lee Williams, affectionately called, “Grandma Rosa.” Here is a special tribute to this special lady, our West Virginia Rose:
For Rosa Lee Williams in celebration of her ninety-third birthday December 22, 2020
A Rose for All Seasons
The wilderness and the solitary place shall be glad for them, and the desert shall rejoice, and blossom as the rose.
Isaiah 35:1
We glorify the Lord for all He has done And express our gratitude for countless reasons. We praise God for the flowers, for each one, For a Rose that grows in beauty, a Rose for all seasons.
When blossoms first open and birds begin to sing And the voice of the turtledove is heard once more, As the Rose of Sharon heralds the coming of Spring, So, we glimpse our future to see what God has in store.
The hot, hazy summer days all too swiftly pass, As our minds try to recall each beautiful scene. Fleeting times of this season revolve and encompass The last Rose of summer with leaves of deepest green.
A Rose in autumn offers a lesson we can learn: We see that the budding Rose never stays the same. Life is ever-changing, as leaves begin to turn. At all times, we bless the Lord and praise His name.
Though slowly, a Rose still grows, even in winter. As a new day is dawning, we look ahead And seek to do God’s will, to abide in the center, To follow the Lord wherever our paths have led.
We want to be enlightened, and everyone wants to know The secret to longevity; we desire to know this: In our garden a precious Rose still blossoms and grows: Our Rose for all seasons, reminds us once more—“God is!”
This morning, I awoke and opened the blinds to see the residual effect of the first snow since we moved to Northern Virginia more than a year ago. A snowstorm swept through much of the area, depositing more than a foot of snow in some parts of the state. Even though it may accumulate in seeming excess, the silent splendor of falling snow is a glorious sight that reminds us that God has made everything beautiful in its time. As I looked upon the crystal beauty of the landscape, I thought of Isaiah 1:18, a verse that mentions a series of similes, or comparisons using “like” or “as” that describe contrasting views of sin and allude to the purifying process of repentance:
Isaiah 1:18 (NLT)
“Come now, let’s settle this,” says the Lord. “Though your sins are like scarlet, I will make them as white as snow. Though they are red like crimson, I will make them as white as wool.
According to notes from Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible,
The rabbis say that when the lot was taken to select a scapegoat as a sacrifice a scarlet thread was bound on the scapegoat’s head, and after the high priest had confessed his and the people’s sins over it, the fillet [A narrow strip of ribbon or similar material] became white: the miracle ceased, according to them, forty years before the destruction of Jerusalem, that is, exactly when Jesus Christ was crucified. . . . Hebrew for “scarlet” radically means double-dyed. . . .
We recognize that without repentance there is no remission of sin. With repentance, however, sins can become “white as snow,” and “white as wool,” that is, restored to an original un-dyed state of whiteness.
There is a grand wonder in winter, as such scenes unfold in breath-taking splendor, to remind us of the soul-cleansing power of the blood of Jesus Christ which came to mind and inspired this poetic description:
Frosted Wood Scene
“Come now, and let us reason together, says the LORD, though your sins are as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall be as wool. Isaiah 1:18
The stark nakedness of the dark bark blooms with crystal leaves. Where death once reigned, blossoms now flourish, even as grace did much more abound and flower as graceful almond trees.
I stand enraptured, surrounded by the fragile beauty of the landscape etched in a fuller white than any angel’s bright raiment.
The frosted wood scene shows God’s design to cleanse and make whole the soul of man that he might surely know the pure love that cleanses, covers whiter than snow, Lord, whiter than snow.
We close with another contemporary song of praise: “Whiter than the Snow”
This morning as I began my time of meditation and prayer, I thought of words of encouragement spoken to those age 50 and older in our church, Grace Covenant Church, Chantilly, VA. Minister Michelle Jones exhorted the believers present on a Zoom call to go deeper in our relationship with the Lord and with His Word. We are living in tumultuous times, as we all are facing blinding rain and Hurricane-force winds that seek to toss us about and overwhelm our souls. In the midst of it all, God is calling believers to a deeper relationship with Him.
During this period of unprecedented upheaval where everything that can be shaken is being shaken, Psalm 42:7 (NIV) comes to mind:
Deep calls to deep in the roar of your waterfalls; all your waves and breakers have swept over me.
Timothy Jemly, comments on this verse in his book, God’s Submarines: Go below the waves of stress, anxiety, and heartbreak using these simple tools to deepen your relationship with God.
“God dwells in the depths, and He has put within us a deep longing that cries out for Him; under all of our busyness is a longing for stillness of the deep.”
He goes on to explain:
“The last part of the verse says, “Your waves and breakers have passed over me.” That carries a different connotation than being tossed by the waves. If they sweep over you, then you are below them
The United States Navy tells its submarine captains that in the event of approaching hurricanes, they are to head for the nearest spot where they can dive into the depths. Why? Because even in the biggest hurricanes, things are calm down in the depths.”
I express my heart’s desire for even greater intimacy, for a relationship that is
Even Deeper More intimate than friend or kin or wife Is close-knit love God weaves within my life.
Lonnell E. Johnson
I have learned to value the foremost relationship That transcends the deep affections of a loving wife, Beyond Hebron, the place of our closest kinship, Even above the heights of our most cherished friendship, For, this relationship impacts all facets of life. Above all else, this I know: God loves me–I love Him. I vow to honor and obey as long as I live. I will admonish and encourage and be strengthened. All the borders of my heart I promise to lengthen. I will not harbor resentment but willingly forgive. My faith in the true and living God may it increase. Even in the midst of strife, I sow seeds of peace. Striving to maintain this primary relationship Builds even deeper levels of intimate worship.
As we are blessed to close out another year, our hearts overflow with gratitude to God whose loving-kindness and tender mercy have brought us thus far along the way. We look ahead with even greater vision, knowing that the New Year holds blessings beyond anything we could ever ask or think, as we strengthen our relationship with the Lord who calls us to go even deeper.
We close with a moving song of worship: “Deep Calls unto Deep”:
This morning during my time of prayer, I noticed the verse sent to those praying for Carolina College of Biblical Studies this week, one of my favorite verses related to abiding in the peace of God as we trust in the Lord, Isaiah 26:3 in the Amplified Bible. However, to appreciate more fully what the verse reveals about trust, we need to examine the following verse as well, a familiar reference that also speaks about the individual who trusts in God:
Isaiah 26:3-4 (NLT):
3 You will guard him and keep him in perfect and constant peace whose mind [both its inclination and its character] is stayed on You, because he commits himself to You, leans on You, and hopes confidently in You. 4 So trust in the Lord (commit yourself to Him, lean on Him, hope confidently in Him) forever; for the Lord God is an everlasting Rock [the Rock of Ages].
Psalm 56:1-4: in the New Living Translation also speaks of trusting in the Lord. This particular passage offers great comfort, as a reservoir of strength and encouragement:
1 O God, have mercy on me, for people are hounding me. My foes attack me all day long. 2 I am constantly hounded by those who slander me, and many are boldly attacking me. 3 But when I am afraid, I will put my trust in you. 4 I praise God for what he has promised. I trust in God, so why should I be afraid? What can mere mortals do to me?
Verses 9-11 also reiterate the Psalmist’s determination to trust God:
9 My enemies will retreat when I call to you for help. This I know: God is on my side! 10 I praise God for what he has promised; yes, I praise the LORD for what he has promised. 11 I trust in God, so why should I be afraid? What can mere mortals do to me?
The Word of God speaks to each believer to learn to trust in the Lord, as you renew your mind and
Hold Your Peace
So, shall they fear the name of the LORD from the west, and his glory from the rising of the sun. When the enemy shall come in like a flood, the Spirit of the LORD shall lift up a standard against him.
Isaiah 59:19
The LORD will fight for you, and you shall hold your peace.
Exodus 14:14
These days when the enemy enters as a flood With distress and intense pressure on every side, Despite signs of defeat, the Lord God is still good. In the thick of battle, in peace, we will abide. The Spirit of the Lord raises a bold standard: Lord of Hosts bears His arm, as Jehovah Nissi Covers us with His love; though foes may have slandered, His royal banner is displayed for us to see: Faithful Adonai has never slept nor slumbered. He is not slack but hastens to perform His Word. Despite outward signs, we are never outnumbered, For we know that the battle belongs to the Lord. On the battlefield, fierce attacks seem only to increase, But as God told Moses, “Stand still and hold your peace!”
As we walk by faith and learn to trust God more than ever before, we recall two acronyms to remind us of the meaning of T-R-U-S-T:
We proclaim that we will maintain a
“Triumphant attitude” with “Rugged determination” and “Unswerving commitment,” as we further develop “Strengthened believing” and “Tremendous confidence”
We are also learning to T-R-U-S-T:
Taking Risks Under Stressful Times.
Even as David encouraged himself in the Lord in Psalm 56 and throughout the Psalms, so we too encourage ourselves, as we trust God with all our heart and do not lean to our own understanding but acknowledge Him in all our ways, knowing that He will direct our paths.
We close with a song of trust written and performed by Gary Oliver: “I will trust in you.” The lyrics refer to Isaiah 26:4 which reinforces the comforting and reassuring message God will keep us in a state of perfect peace as we trust Him. As a result, we should trust in the Lord God forever, for He is the everlasting Rock of Ages:
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