Tim Hayes – Page 59

Look for Him

Being shadows of things to come (Col 2:16-17), the feasts of the Lord are fascinating prophetic windows. In Christ’s first advent He fulfilled the four spring feasts to the day, in sequence. The fall feasts are evidently reserved for His second coming, which I expect He will also fulfill in sequence, to the day.

Today I am observing the Feast of Trumpets, Yom Teruah, the day of shouting and blowing of trumpets, the first unfulfilled feast in the biblical calendar. Perhaps Paul was thinking of this feast when wrote, “For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first.” (1Th 4:16) Isn’t the symbolism striking?

“Unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time.” (He 9:28) After thinking carefully about Babylon the Great, I’m a naysayer in today’s end times chatter, but I wonder how one can be anticipating Christ’s return and not be faithfully observing the feast which foreshadows it. Though we certainly know not the hour, and in our confusion about the calendar the day is also a question, shouldn’t we be looking for Him to appear on a day like today, in the appointed time?

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Feeding in the Majesty

At times I find within an unholy discontent, a restlessness, a craving … yet I have nothing in particular in mind. This unholy thirst must be “the flesh,” that body of lies screaming ever so quietly, “God does not satisfy.” My soul has gone off on the prowl again, but not after God.

Yet my Messiah “shall stand and feed in the strength of the LORD, in the majesty of the name of the LORD his God.” (Mi 5:4) Soul, why are you ever out seeking when Father bids you home to feast? Turn again and drink Him in! O taste and see anew that God is go od. (Ps 34:8) Draw nourishment in the very majesty of God, drink His splendor and glory into your inmost being, taste the delicious awesomeness of His Person, delight in Him as He is in all of His ways … a fathomless stream of delights … you are made for this, and nothing else. Messiah Himself does this not on occasion, but as a manner of life; never merely a spectator of God, but a constant partaker.

In soul food … nothing compares to God Himself. He says, “I am the bread of life; (Jn 6:35) If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink.” (Jn 7:37) “And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely.” (Re 22:17)

Delight thyself in God, in meditating on Him and Who He is. Soul, never hunger or thirst again, ever. There is no want of invitation or supply. Eat! Drink! Savor unto joy unspeakable and full of glory.

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Remember the Days of Darkness

I’m on a consulting project today, Thursday afternoon, just found out that the project will likely be canceled on Monday. I already have 38 hours booked this week, so in two more hours I’ll be on overtime. It seems like a waste to keep working like crazy toward our goals now. Maybe I should ease up and coast the rest of the week, or maybe I should keep pushing, hoping we’ll get more time and preparing to make a difference.

How quickly things have changed … priorities shifted … one minute pushing hard to achieve something, and the next it’s all but gone … vanished. Nothing. There’s a sudden void, an empty feeling, a darkness out in front of me. Like watching a movie when the power goes out. Back to reality. Time to think about my purpose, why I’m doing what I am doing.

Is Life like that? One day we’re active, looking forward to all kinds of things, filled with daily concerns … and then it’s over. Something unexpected happens and all goes dark, blank; a fatal car wreck, a stroke, heart attack, freak accident. Life’s done. Now what?

Solomon said, “Truly the light is sweet, and a pleasant thing it is for the eyes to behold the sun: but if a man live many years, and rejoice in them all; yet let him remember the days of darkness; for they shall be many. All that cometh is vanity.” (Ec 11:7-8)

The days of darkness shall be many. Life is as a vapor, appearing for a little time and then vanishing away. (Jas 4:14) Let not death be “when your fear comes.” (Pr 1:26-7) Many have said it before but I am reminded of it again … there’s a lot going on in the screen of my life, but when the power goes out, all that will be left is a memory. Then it’s God and me, and that’s all. Is this a pleasant feeling? An unpleasant one? Somehow both? Let me so live each moment that when the darkness comes I’ll welcome it with a smile.

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