Langoliers theology
Isaiah 41: Who did this? … I did. God. I’m first on the scene. I’m also the last to leave.
At the conclusion of the movie “The Langoliers” the adventurers travel “back to the future” and find themselves just a few minutes ahead of the present. They stand along the wall, out of the way, and wait for time to catch up to them. When the “present” arrives, theyāre already in place, waiting for it. Now, I’m not ready to build a “Langoliers theology” and Iām not ready (or qualified) to come up with some “God in time” observation. However, Isaiah’s statement about God’s presence brings that scene to mind. I arrive at some moment in my life and suddenly find myself dealing with something for which Iām totally unprepared. In spite of that, Isaiah reminds me that thereās one who is there before me, not surprised at all and ready to help me work my way through this unexpected circumstance. No matter what happens I need to remember that God got there first and can handle things just fine.
Take Away: It doesnāt take much for me to be in over my head so Iād best trust in the Lord in such situations.
Tag: God’s presence
Devotional on Ezekiel
A visit to Godās throne
Ezekiel 10: Court and Temple were both filled with the blazing presence of the Glory of God.
Ezekiel encounters those “wheels within wheels” once again, this time as part of a glorious vision of God. Most of what I’d call the “personal” side of Ezekiel isn’t attractive to me. Under God’s direction he does some pretty strange stuff and some of it must have been downright painful. On the other side of the coin, though, are encounters like this one with the Glory of God. I’m not saying I can read his words and come away with an accurate understanding of it all. These are complex events and I’m sure I wouldn’t have done as good a job as he does in his attempt to describe his famous “wheels within wheels” or the sound of cherubim wings or the Voice like thunder or a sky-blue, sapphire colored throne. I can’t grasp it all and I can’t help but feel a little jealous (is it okay to be jealous of another man’s vision?) of Ezekiel’s moment in the presence of God. Still, I appreciate his allowing me to tag along as he encounters the Lord Almighty. Even though I know I’m like a blind man in the presence of a rainbow, I still get just a faint sense of it all. In this place I’m fearfully reverent and I know that there are depths to the Glory of God that I can’t hope to comprehend. I still can’t grasp it all but thanks to Ezekiel I know more than I would otherwise.
Take Away: There are depths to the Glory of the Lord that I can’t hope to comprehend.
Devotional on Ezekiel
The story continues
Ezekiel 1: God’s hand came upon him that day.
Jeremiah’s story leads up to the fall of Israel to Babylon. We leave Jeremiah in Egypt with the handful of survivors who fled there after the destruction of Jerusalem. Now, as I turn the page, I find myself in the company of the majority who are exiled in Babylon. The clock has been turned back a bit as I join those taken in the first stage of the exile. The destruction of Jerusalem is still ten years away. This particular group of refugees has been settled along the Kebar River, southwest of city of Babylon. Their beloved Jerusalem is now a distant memory; they’ll never return. It seems to them that their connection to the God of Abraham is severed. Simply put, they’ve failed the Almighty and the Almighty has kicked them out. Their religion has focused on the Temple and now they’ll never see it again. It’s time to move on. Interestingly, they aren’t very far from the place where God first spoke to their ancestor, Abraham in the town of Ur, just to the east of them. They’re about to find out that God isnāt limited by location and he doesn’t need a Temple as a headquarters. This God who spoke to Abraham promising their very existence, is about to speak to them. A young priest named Ezekiel will take up where Jeremiah left off as God’s spokesman to his people.
Take Away: The Lord isnāt limited by location and he doesn’t need a Temple as a headquarters.
Devotional on Ezekiel
Living in the city of āGod-is-Thereā
Ezekiel 48: The name of the city will be Yahweh-Shammah: “God-is-There.”
In his vision Ezekiel continues measuring the Temple and the land surrounding it. He sees a stream flowing out of the Temple that increases in size, giving life to all it touches. The prophet measures out divisions in the land and finds that there’s a place for all the people of Israel; no one is excluded. Ezekiel sees that there are gates named after each tribe, providing abundant entrance to all who will come. He then concludes that the Holy City will be christened with a new name: “Yahweh-Shammah.” In that, he understands that people far and near will conclude the same thing, that heaven has come to earth and that God is now with us. After journeying through Ezekiel for some time now and hearing his pain-filled sermons I find this passage to be a welcoming place to land: a flowing river, green trees, and the Holy City with space for all who will come to the Presence of God. That’s God’s intent for Israel and it’s his intent for all Creation. If you think about it, the book of Revelation follows the same pattern: war, suffering, hard times giving way to eternity as the Lord intended it in the first place. For Ezekiel a vision of God’s intentions is all about the restoration of Israel and the Temple. The Revelator paints a broader picture, but that River is still there and his rebuilt Jerusalem comes down out of heaven. For both, the end result is “Yahweh-Shammah.” I join both of these godly men in looking forward to that day.
Take Away: Ultimately, the Lord will redeem his people and will dwell among them.
Devotional on Daniel
God is still God even when everythingās falling apart
Daniel 1: The Master handed King Jehoiakim of Judah over to him.
My devotional journey moves now to the book of Daniel. I’m glad to arrive here. For several months I’ve spent time in some of the hard scrabble writings of Isaiah, Jeremiah, and Ezekiel. I’m ready to enjoy some devotional reading of some of the greatest stories of the Bible. Daniel isn’t above giving us visions and prophecies. In fact, his book is divided almost equally between stories of God’s deliverance and prophecies of God’s sovereignty. For now, though, I’m looking forward to Daniel’s rise to prominence in Babylon, the story of the fiery furnace, and, of course, the lion’s den! The events of Daniel take place around 600 years before Christ. When King Jehoiakim of Judah rebels against his master Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon Jerusalem is attacked and brought to her knees. The Temple is ransacked and many of its citizens are taken captive. Among the captives are members of the royal line. Nebuchadnezzar’s policy is to pick of the best of the people of this defeated nation and indoctrinate them into the ways of his nation. Daniel is one of those chosen for this. Off he goes to Babylon, apparently, under the control of a king and government that has no interest in his Hebrew heritage. In this dark hour of uncertainty it may seem to Daniel and friends that God had lost interest in them, but it isn’t so. Things are just getting interesting!
Take Away: When it seems all is lost the Lord is just getting started!
Devotional on Daniel
Heās still in the fire
Daniel 3: I see four men, walking around freely in the fire.
A “theophany” is the appearance of God in human forum, specifically in the Old Testament. Abraham and Jacob and Moses have such encounters and then there’s this incident: three men are tossed into the fire, but the king sees four. I understand that there are theological reasons to hesitate here, but I’m glad to hide behind the “devotional” aspect of my writing and leap wholeheartedly into this fire! The Hebrews are being executed because of their faithfulness to the Lord. Then, in the fire thereās a fourth man who, even the pagan king, can tell is “God-like.” On this day Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego experience a “theophany.” They meet the Lord in that furnace and he protects them from the fire! The furnaces of life might scare me to death, but it’s in those places that I find one who’s not only unafraid, but is in complete authority. Since he’s God he can appear in whatever form he wants, and because he’s God there’s nothing that’s going to happen to me there that he does not allow and can’t see me through.
Take Away: There’s nothing that can happen to us that the Lord doesnāt allow and that he can’t see me through.
Devotional on Jonah
About as low as you can go
Jonah 2: My prayer got through to you.
When heās thrown into the stormy sea he’s sure he’s a gonner. Then this huge fish shows up, mouth open wide, and Jonah thinks this is certainly the end. Now, in the darkness, trying to get the sea weed off of his face he realizes heās still alive. This isnāt Star Trek and he didnāt go āboldlyā but Jonah finds himself āwhere no man has gone before.ā In this predicament Jonah wonders if prayers from the inside of a fish at the bottom of the sea can possibly reach heaven. Since he has no other choice he begins to cry out to the God he fled. Years earlier the suffering Job heard the Lord promise that he visited the āsprings of the sea.ā Now Jonah becomes the first human being to put that statement to a literal test. Later he reports, āMy prayer got through….ā Now, Iāve never been deep under water in the belly of a fish. I tried scuba once but I stayed pretty close to the surface so Iāll just have to take Jonahās testimony at face value. However, Iāve been in some situations in which I felt distant from God and I wondered if my prayers could ever get through ā but they did! In this passage I find hope for every person who thinks theyāre so far from God and have messed up so many times that theyāre gonners. Today I see that the Lord hears prayers, even from the depths of the sea.
Take Away: Thereās hope for every person who thinks theyāre so far from the Lord that thereās no hope for them.
Devotional on Zechariah
God powered
Zechariah 4: You canāt force these things. They only come about through my Spirit.
This statement to governor Zerubbabel is part of one of the most famous portions of Zechariahās writings. Zerubbabel has already accomplished great things in leading the exiles back to Jerusalem. Now, in response to the urgings of Haggai and Zechariah heās ready to shoulder the task of rebuilding the Temple. His heart, and the hearts of his people, is in the right place. God is pleased with them. The Lordās words to the good man and his people are wonderfully encouraging: the Temple will be rebuilt not because of some extraordinary human effort, but by the power of Godās Spirit. This doesnāt mean that the governor and people can sit back and do nothing while a Temple rises from the ashes of destruction, but it does mean that the power for this project is coming from God. The Lord is with them, not only approving of their actions but empowering them as well. With that in mind I see here that my efforts to accomplish things in the Name of the Lord arenāt limited by my own initiative, skills, or intelligence. Every program of the church should be eligible for the label: āGod powered.ā If that isnāt an encouraging word I donāt know what is.
Take Away: What we accomplish in the Name of the Lord we accomplish by the power of the Lord.
Devotional on Matthew
Living in the present
Matthew 6: Give your entire attention to what God is doing right now.
I donāt think thereās anything wrong with anticipation. Part of the joy of Christmas is the ālonging with hopeā aspect of it that we highlight on the first Sunday of Advent each year. Still, thereās a danger of so looking forward to something in the future that we forget to live in the present. Life isnāt all about tomorrow, for good or bad. Life is lived in the present. It has no rewind or fast forward buttons. In this passage Jesus reminds us that God is with us āright now.ā We remember wonderful blessings in the past and appreciate what the Lord did for us then. We also look to the future with confidence in faith that the same good, gracious God will be with us in that day. Still, itās right now thatās most under my control. Not that I control the circumstances of right now, but I have some say about how I will live in those circumstances. So, one thing I gain from this passage is the reminder to live in this present moment; to appreciate the good things and to trust God with the not-so-good things. The other thing that comes to mind is the calm, certain assurance that God is, indeed, doing something āright now.ā I may be praying for a great revival to come to my church, longing for that day to come. I may be looking forward to some major life event like the birth of a grandchild or some special anniversary. However, Jesus tells me that God is also doing things right here and right now. Heās working in my life, walking with me in these ordinary days of life. After all, the great mystery of Christmas is the incarnation, Emmanuel, God with us.
Take Away: I need to be more aware of the blessings of life right now and not always focusing on some future blessing.
Devotional on Genesis
Jacobās stairway vision
Genesis 28: God was in this place ā truly. And I didnāt even know it.
Jacob ā that āheel grasperā has lived down to his name. He, with this help of his mother, fooled his father, Isaac, into granting him the precious blessing that rightfully belonged to his brother. Now, heās paying for it by having to get out of the country before Esau can get his hands on him. Alone in the night he has an unexpected encounter with God. In spite of his failure and lack of character God graciously renews to Jacob the promise he made to his grandfather, Abraham. Jacob awakes from his dream and says, āGod was here, in this place ā far from home, when I have done nothing but wrong, and when I am not thinking of him at all ā he was here all the time.ā Jacob is not only on a long journey in distance, heās at the first step of a spiritual journey that will take decades. This āheelā has heard from God and while thereās still more wrong than right about him this āstairway visionā marks the beginning of that spiritual journey. The story of Jacobās spiritual journey is more entertaining than most, but it does remind us of our own stories. I am glad today for Godās grace ā his unexpected, unearned, promising, and patient grace.
Take away: Thank God for grace.
Devotional on Exodus
Burning bush
Exodus 3: The bush was blazing away but it didnāt burn up.
I love the story of Mosesā encounter with the Lord. Heās spent 40 years living apart from his own people, tending sheep. The idea of running into God out there in the wilderness must be the farthest thing from his mind. He sees smoke on the horizon and goes to investigate. As he gets closer he sees that itās just a lonely bush thatās ablaze. The thing is, the fire isnāt consuming the bush and has a source of fuel that Moses canāt see. Heās about to find out that the bush is ablaze with the presence of the Lord. I doubt that Moses thought about it, but that bush is doing the very opposite of what he did. When he was younger he burned with compassion for his enslaved kin. However, these years in the wilderness have quenched that fire. Unlike the bush that keeps on burning, he settled for a life in exile, leaving his fellow Hebrews in slavery in Egypt. When I act on my own, doing what I think is a good idea, I tend to run out of energy. After all, Iām drawing on my talents and abilities and it doesnāt take long for me to run dry. However, when I live in the Lord and allow his Holy Spirit to be my Guide and my Source, well, Iāve tapped into the Power Source thatās never exhausted. Lord, let the fire of your Presence burn in my heart today.
Take Away: If Iām going to be used of God I need to allow him to be my power source, otherwise Iām bound to fail.
Devotional on Exodus
Exodus 3: Youāre standing on holy ground.
Holy Ground
Out in the wilderness Moses finds himself in the Presence of the Lord. Itās instructive to note that Moses didnāt go out to that place on a spiritual retreat in an attempt to find God. Instead, the Lord finds him, getting his attention in a unique, unforgettable way. Itās the Lord who calls out to Moses as he called out to Adam and Eve in the Garden and as he will call out to the boy Samuel many years hence. Moses is shocked to hear his own name being called out from that burning bush and he instinctively draws closer. However, the Lord stops him, telling him to remove his shoes because heās now on āholy ground.ā Obviously, itās the Presence of the Lord in that place that makes, what would otherwise be just dirt, into something sacred. In many cultures today, shoe removal is an act of respect or reverence. The command that Moses remove his sandals isnāt a brand new idea to Moses; itās just that heās in a holy place and at first, didnāt realize it. It should come as no surprise that the Lord likes to come into our lives in unexpected ways! Heās been doing that since the very beginning. At first, I may miss whatās happening altogether but as soon as it dawns on me that God has come close, Iām to reverently respond; realizing that, what I thought was common has been sanctified by his presence.
Take Away: Where ever I encounter God that place becomes for me, holy ground.
Devotional on Exodus
Get out of jail free card
Exodus 8: Iāll make a sharp distinction between your people and mine.
The first two plagues that fall on Egypt might be called āequal opportunity plagues.ā That is, everyone, Egyptians and Hebrews alike, suffer from them. From the third plague on though, the area inhabited by the slaves, Goshen, is a sanctuary from all the bad stuff that comes. I canāt help but wonder why it happens like this. One thing that comes to mind is that from the third plague on the magicians of Egypt give up on duplicating the miracles. In fact, they tell Pharaoh that this is āGodās doing,ā suggesting that he needs to give in. When the magicians drop out of the contest, the descendants of Abraham no longer experience the plagues. Maybe thereās a connection. Another thing I note is that, at first, these people are hesitant to believe that Moses is being sent by God to rescue them. Maybe the Lord allows them to experience the first two plagues to convince them that something beyond the ordinary is happening here. Iām sure there are other explanations but these two come to mind as I consider this passage today. Beyond that, though, is a reminder that sometimes Godās people go through the same hardships as everyone else. Being a follower of the Lord is no āget out of jail freeā card. In fact, the unwelcome hardship might just be a part of Godās plan for us. The road to heaven isnāt always a pleasant stroll. Sometimes, there are portions of the route that weād just as soon never travel.
Take Away: The Lord never promised us an easy journey, but he did promise to be with us on that journey and to deliver us to himself at the end of the road.
Devotional on Exodus
Itās a local call
Exodus 29: Iāll move in and live with the Israelites. Iāll be their God. Theyāll realize that I am their Godā¦.
Moses, their leader, is on the mountaintop, both physically and spiritually, in conference with God Almighty whoās giving him all kinds of instructions. The Lord intends to make the people of Israel a unique nation on the face of the earth. Right now the Lord is in the process of setting everything in motion. In the midst of the detailed plans for the Tabernacle and itās furnishings I hear an earth shaking promise from God. He says, āIāll move in and liveā¦Iāll be their Godā¦theyāll realize thatā¦.ā This concept is both humbling and thrilling. The Lord isnāt going to sit up on Mount Sinai, distant and unapproachable. Instead, heās moving in with them. Some years ago a joke was going around about churches having a āgolden telephoneā providing direct access to the Lord. The punch line depended on where the joke teller lived. Of course, for me, Texas was the featured state. Using the golden telephone in Texas is much cheaper because calling heaven is local call from Texas. In this passage in Exodus we find that the Lord intends that it be a ālocal callā when his people call his name. Heās moving in and has no desire to be beyond our reach. Itās humbling to think that God Almighty would take such interest in mere human beings. However, itās also thrilling to consider that he wants to move into my neighborhood and be an active participant in my everyday life. For Moses, this is all about the Tabernacle and worship there. For me it is all about Jesus coming and then sending his Holy Spirit to āmove in and liveā in my heart. āOh Lord, come on in, youāre welcome here.ā
Take Away: The Lord is as near as my next thought directed to him.
Devotional on Exodus
Walking with the Lord
Exodus 33: If your presence doesnāt take the lead here, call this trip off right now.
Following the golden calf incident the Lord tells Moses heās going to change his relationship with the Israelites. Instead of being personally present, guiding them to the Promised Land, the Lord is going to assign that job to an angel. These Israelites, the Lord says, are a hard-headed people and they might just push too hard against God and be destroyed because of it. In response, Moses has another meeting with the Lord as the Pillar of Cloud descends on the Tabernacle. As Abraham interceded for the wicked cities of Sodom and Gomorrah centuries earlier, Moses begins to deal with the Almighty. He reminds the Lord that it was the Lord, himself, who called him from tending sheep to lead these people. He doesnāt want to settle for an angel. Instead, he wants the presence of the Lord, himself, on his life and on the lives of the Israelites. In desperate insistence, Moses declares, āIf your presence doesnāt take the lead here, call this trip off right now….are you traveling with us or not?ā In the face of this intercession the Lord relents. It wonāt be an angel who travels with the Israelites; it will be the Lord, himself. I have some theological issues with this whole exchange. After all, isnāt the Lord everywhere, all the time? Still, Iām drawn to this exchange between Moses and the Lord. As wonderful as an angelic visitation might be, it doesnāt hold a candle to the very presence of the Lord in my life. As Moses indicates, he doesnāt want to take a single step without the Lord. As I rise in the morning and enter into my day I want to do so in the spirit of Moses: I donāt want to say a word, to do a deed, to walk a step without the Lord in my life.
Take Away: I want to live in constant fellowship with the Lord, every step of the way.
Devotional on Leviticus
Rules and regs
Leviticus 1: God called Moses and spoke to him from the Tent of Meeting.
I know Iāll hear no contrary opinion when I say that the Book of Leviticus isnāt the most read book of the Bible. Itās about sacrifices and offerings and dedicating children and skin diseases. The most direct application of the rules and regulations of Leviticus pertain to the work of the Levites (those who served at the Tabernacle) and not very much to us. The instructions given touch on almost all aspects of how these Israelites of thousands of years ago were to live. In fact, itās the āalmost allā character of these regulations that opens the fuller meaning of Leviticus to us. God is coming down off the mountain to dwell among them. Heās going to inhabit the Tabernacle but thatās not all there is to it. Heās involving himself in every aspect of their lives. Of course, that includes the sacrificial system but it also includes how they’ll handle the messy part of their humanity. It includes their religious feasts and festivals but it also includes how they conduct their business affairs. I may read the prohibition against priests shaving their heads and see it as a quaint old historical fact, but when I put the whole scope of Leviticus into play I see Godās connection to every part of their lives, including how they cut their hair. I never doubt that God’s interested in how I go about worshipping him, and Iām familiar enough with the Ten Commandments to know that he insists on righteous living. However, Leviticus reminds me that the Lord’s also interested in the ānon-religiousā and āno-moral-aspectā parts of my life too. That doesnāt mean he intends to dictate how I handle the mundane details of my life, but it does mean heās interested in such things and that he sees beyond the surface to the deeper meaning of things I may take for granted.
Take Away: The Lord wants to participate in all my life.
Devotional on Leviticus
Fan the flames
Leviticus 6: Keep the fire burning on the Altar continuously. It must not go out.
Instructions for worship continue, and will throughout the book. The command to keep the Altar fire burning stands out. The fire is representative of God. It was fire that Moses encountered in the desert; itās a pillar of fire that leads them at night. The fire of the Altar also symbolizes the presence and work of Jehovah in their midst. Because of that, the command is that it never be allowed to go out. The application is pretty easy to understand and not so easy to apply. I want the fire of Godās presence in my life to burn freely ā and, like that of the burning bush: never go out. It was the work of those who tended to the Tent of Meeting to assure the perpetuity of the flame, and itās my responsibility to keep that flame burning in my life. I pray, read the Word, and live in fellowship with God and his people. In the midst of my busyness, this is my priority. The fire of God must keep burning.
Take Away: Godās fire in my life must be tended and never taken for granted.
Devotional on Leviticus
The more things change the more they stay the same
Leviticus 13: The priest will examine the sore on the skin.
Here I am in everybodyās favorite part of Leviticus. Iām reading about clean and unclean foods, infections, womanās stuff, and mildew. Frankly, itāll get worse before it gets better. A quick peek ahead reveals a riveting chapter on bodily discharges. I can hardly wait! Of course, Iām kidding about these chapters being everyoneās favorite. I wonder how many New Yearās resolutions to read the Bible through have been shipwrecked right here in these chapters of Leviticus! Still, Iām taken with Godās interest in every part of their lives. This call to holiness reaches deeper than their making sacrifices for their sins or their being sure they show proper reverence to the Lord and his Tabernacle. When a person gets an infection heās not only to deal with it from the aspect of personal hygiene but from a spiritual point of view too. Know what, this isnāt as far off the beam as one might think. A while back I went through two rounds of antibiotics trying to get rid of a sinus infection. Somewhere in the dreary days of the second week of that infection, I reminded the Lord that, while I knew there were lots of other concerns in the world, I wouldnāt mind his help in healing that infection. As I remember those unwelcome days in light of these chapters of Leviticus Iām reminded that Godās in play in the everyday bumps in the road of life. The specifics of dealing with some of those things has changed, but the basics havenāt changed all that much.
Take Away: The Lordās interest in our lives goes way beyond our reading our Bibles and going to church.
Devotional on Numbers
Now that I have your attention
Numbers 7: When Moses entered the Tent of Meeting to speak with God, he heard the Voice [of God]ā¦He spoke with him.
One thing about these ancient Israelites: they know how to throw a party. The dedication of the Tent of Meeting lasts twelve days with each day having its own pageantry and symbolism. Each of the family tree groups gets a day of its own and as the days progress each family is connected to this sacred place. The offerings have been made and now Moses, instead of going up on the mountain to meet with God, enters the Most Holy Place in the new Worship Center to complete its dedication. In an awesome moment, there above the Covenant Chest and between the golden angels Godās Voice is heard. Wow! No longer will it take a trip up Mount Sinai for a meeting with the Lord. Instead, he comes to them, dwelling right there at the heart of their camp. Itās impressive to remember that this wasnāt Mosesā idea. The building and furnishing of the Tabernacle was initiated by the Lord, himself. The Israelites donāt have to figure out some way to get Godās attention. In fact, from the very beginning of their story itās the Lord who has reached out to them, initiating a relationship with them. So it is to this day. It isnāt that I figure out just what I have to do to get God to respond to me. Instead, from the start, he reaches out to me, inviting me to be his very own. When I hear and respond I find that the Almighty is more than willing to allow me to connect my life to his.
Take Away: God has always been a communicating God.
Devotional on Numbers
āCome into my heart, Lord Jesusā
Numbers 35: Don’t desecrate the land in which you live. I live here tooā¦.
Iāve now worked my way through the “numbers” of the book of Numbers. Numbers of people and cattle and cities; who lives where and how many days between various worship events. It isn’t exactly riveting reading. In fact, it would have been easy to miss the pure gold at the end of chapter 35. The issue here is how the people are to deal with murder. Due to the fact that the laws God gives the Israelites are foundational to our own legal system it seems to be pretty common stuff. Actually though, itās groundbreaking material, reshaping human society. God insists on justice, and adds that if society takes murder lightly the whole land will be polluted. Then he adds, “don’t desecrate the land where you live — after all, I live here too.” In spite of the dreary subject, this is a wonderful phrase of hope. Their Creator, the Sovereign of the Universe, God Almighty says his address is on their street. These days, because of the Gift of the Holy Spirit, things are even more personal. God lives, not just “in the land” but “in my heart.” If God’s presence in the land emphasized the importance of purity there, how much more does his presence in my life call for purity of heart?
Take Away: Itās a wonderful blessing to have the Lord call our lives āhomeā ā at the same time it carries with it a real sense of responsibility.