Holy To The Lord:Part I

In Memoriam in Days of Grief

There is much to love about this life.

In winter, little flowers called Snowdrops push their way through the snow to the surface, a reminder that the winter will not last forever.

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A tree fell on an old farmhouse on my street, a house reminiscent of earlier times in my town.

The branches of the tree broke through the porch and the roof of the house; the grandmother who lived there had died long ago and the house had sat empty, the family undecided what to do with this empty piece of history.

One day I drove by and it was gone; the house was irredeemable and so had been destroyed, though the land on which it sat valuable.

After that, every time I drove by the empty lot, I thought of what had been.

But one day I stopped, noticing that something had changed.

In the grass was a pattern: the new grass--greener and thicker--had sprung up where the old house had stood.

These were not weeds; in fact, the grass was stronger.

Now, much later, a new and beautiful house sits on that lot, carefully maintained and loved.

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My little dog hates thunder; she does not know what to do when thunder rocks the sky, especially at night when the house is preternaturally brightened by bolts of lightning.

Early one morning around that strange witching hour of 3:00 a.m., a storm moved in over our roof.

She leaped from the bed (of course she sleeps with her humans) and paced wildly, whimpering.

Her male human (who often rises early with her) tried to bring her back but she would not.

Finally he sat in his recliner, enfolding her trembling little body in his loving arms until they both fell asleep under a warm blanket, he comforting her fear and she sleeping next to the steady beat of his generous heart.

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The Revelation of Jesus Christ to the Apostle John reveals the future city where those who love Christ will dwell:

“The wall of the city had twelve foundation stones, and on them were written the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb.” (Rev. 21:14 NIV)

Centuries ago, Zechariah wrote this:

"On that day even the harness bells of the horses will be inscribed with these words: Holy to the LORD.

And the cooking pots in the Temple of the LORD will be as sacred as the basins used beside the altar” (Zech. 14:12 NIV).

All of it.

Everything--every endeavor, every kindness, every loving gesture from this life and even the least of these--will acknowledge the glory of our God, who is and was and forever will be.

Holy to the Lord. Part Two **************** Stained glass on concrete For Mark