A God of Great Detail

On Wednesday evening, we had the awesome privilege to attend a scroll show. Although we have an extensive connection with it, we have never been in the right place at the right time to see it for ourselves. My mom's cousin, Charles, is the executive director for an organization in Cleburne, TX called the Christian Heritage Foundation. You can learn more about all the amazing things they do here. One of the cool things that we got to see this week is the Ancient Hebrew Scroll Project. They travel to various churches across the country with a full collection of scrolls and share incredible stories about how the collection was put together and the scrolls themselves. It was such a tremendous blessing to hear about it all. We have heard about the scroll shows for a while and my parents have even travelled with Charles, Ruth, Mary Ann and Rabbi Marty. Several years ago, Charles gifted us with a beautifully framed piece of a scroll, and Brandon was just saying the other day that it is the most exquisite and priceless possession we have. It has always been so meaningful to us, but now that I understand more about the process I can appreciate and treasure it on a new level.

I will not try to retell the stories we heard, because I wouldn't do it justice. I do encourage you to check out the website and the schedule of where they will be and do what you have to do to attend. For my Gruver peeps, keep your eyes and ears open, because there's a rumor that they may be coming to a venue near you.

The subject of this post originated as I was listening to Rabbi Marty explain how the scribes write a scroll. There are so many steps and specific stipulations. It takes so much time, and it has to be just so in every way. They can't do any of it by memory, but it must be copied, letter for letter, from another scroll, which has already been through the rigorous process. From the kind of pen and ink that must be used to the size of each letter, to stopping everything and announcing it each time before the holiest name of God is written. Once it's finished, many months later, every letter is counted three times by three different scribes and they must come up with the same number, which is something like over 300,000. Out of complete reverence for the Word of God and honoring Him by taking such great care with it, it is their life's work to make sure it is exactly right.

So, of course, as you can imagine, this got me to thinking. Our God is a God of great detail. We use the phrase 'great detail', and it's interesting because when you really think about it, it's an oxymoron. Great describes something as large, unusual or considerable in degree, power, intensity. Details are individual, minute parts of something bigger. We usually think of details as being small and secondary even to what is more important...the big stuff. This contradiction is why I think it's such a suitable description for one attribute of God. He is great, big, powerful and almighty, AND He is also keenly aware of and interested in the details of our lives.

On days that I feel like maybe God has forgotten about me or it must have slipped His mind to work out something in my life, it's very important for me to remember this. I think it's easy for us to assume that God has enough to do without worrying about little ole me or that my problems don't matter. The only problem with that assumption is that it's a lie. It does matter. It matters to the One who matters more than anyone.

Yesterday, as I was working on a project that required very careful attention to detail, it provided another insight to me about the details of my life being a priority to God. Not only has God not forgotten about my situation or suddenly become carelessly aloof or indifferent, but He has a plan for me down to the very last minute detail. He knew before I was born that I would experience these exact circumstances. He knows today what will be accomplished in me, through this, years down the road. He knows my every need, better than I do, and He provides above and beyond basic necessity. He even cares enough to know when I'm having a hard day and puts it on someone's heart and mind to call, write or pray to encourage me. I am not only remembered, but I am deeply loved, sacrificially offered salvation and perfectly cared for by the One who made me. And so are you.

As I was working on my project, Times by Tenth Avenue North came on, and for the first time I really listened to the words. Amazing song. Here are some of the lyrics that really spoke to me and you can listen to the whole song here.

I hear you say

My love is over

It's underneath

It's inside

It's in between

The times that you doubt me

When you can't feel

The times that you question

Is this for real?

The times you're broken

The times that you mend

The times you hate me

And the times that you bend

Well my love is over

It's underneath

It's inside

It's in between

The times that you're healing

And when your heart breaks

The times that you feel like you've fallen from grace

The times that you're hurting

The times that you heal

The times you go hungry and are tempted to steal

In times of confusion

In chaos in pain

I'm there in your sorrow under the weight of your shame

I'm there through your heart-ache

I'm there in the storm

My love I will keep you by my power alone

I don't care where you've fallen or where you have been

I'll never forsake you

My love never ends

It never ends

Our God is not a God who creates chaos and disorder, but He is bigger than any of it in our lives. So, whatever you are experiencing that may be making you feel out of control, forgotten or lost, lay your burdens at His feet and allow Him to fill you with His peace and joy, like He desperately longs to do for His own.

Chronicles of Running: Week 3.2 (Burdens & Blessings)

My second running day last week was challenging in a different way. Brandon and Calvin were in Denver for the day, so it was Luke (7 months old) and me. I really wanted to run and take advantage of the nice weather, so I did something kinda crazy. I put Luke in the jogging stroller and off we went. It was so hard. I had taken for granted the fact that when it was just me, all I had to think about was...well, me. Now I was constantly checking to make sure his blanket wasn't falling, the sun and wind were not in his face, the bumps weren't too bumpy, he didn't fall out when we were going downhill. Not to mention the tremendous difficulty it was to push him (and more significantly, the extremely heavy stroller) uphill. I love Luke as much as I can possibly love a human being, but he was, without a doubt, a burden and an obstacle to a smooth and simple run.

So, it made me really begin to think about the burdens and baggage we carry with us. I believe that some of the burdens we bear are not by choice and may even be necessary for a bigger purpose. Sometimes God calls us to walk through a desert season ourselves so we can truly, and with clarity, appreciate the refreshment of the rain. Other times we are asked to bear burdens with one another. This can be such a noble opportunity with great rewards or most likely will go unnoticed. In any case, burdens usually have a negative connotation but by definition, are not necessarily bad. Hard does not always equal bad.

Then, there is the unnecessary baggage that we choose. It does not benefit us or anyone around us. It creates obstacles in our relationships and inhibits us from opening up, being honest and trusting others. It keeps us in bondage to our pasts and perhaps even to people who have hurt us. The great thing about this negative burden-carrying is that it's a choice, and we have the power to change it. We have the option to put it down and walk away from it. We have to learn to discern between what is a profitable and productive burden to bear and which burdens are useless and counter-productive if we continue holding onto them. 

My third run of the week was baby and stroller-free, and I appreciated it more than I could have ever imagined. Once we have carried something around for a long time, and it's heavy and difficult to manage, we even get used to it and forget that we might be crumbling under the weight of it. That makes the freedom of releasing it so much sweeter and more satisfying. A lighter burden or none at all enables us to walk in freedom and live our lives the way we are meant to live them. 

As I ran, feeling freer and lighter, I noticed that I was focusing on the ground in front of me. I have this spectacular mountain view right in front of me, and I'm looking at the ground. By the time I realized it and began to focus my attention upward to take advantage of the scenery, trees and houses were blocking my view and I had missed my chance.

With this experience I felt a warning for the burden-free times, as well. When things are easier and seem to be going my way, I lose sight of my need for God. I begin to let my focus drift and become lazy. Sometimes the hardest times to be intentional about focusing on the Rock is not when things are difficult, but it's when they are calm and simple. This is the most important time for me to battle complacency and fight to depend on Him, especially when I feel like I can do it on my own. Timing is everything, and if we wait until there are too many obstacles to block our view of Him, then it can take a lot of time, energy and maneuvering to regain focus where it should have been all along.

So, here's what I get to look at when I run...just one example. My husband posted a similar picture from the same path earlier this week, and it's just funny how your environment (and the work of a magnificent Artist) can inspire you to do things you never thought you would.