Going Out In Joy

Most mornings I'm up at 6:00 A. M. but this morning I'm up later than my normal early hour. I've had a good/bad night. I slept well until early morning, then pain woke me and I had to get up for some pain relief.

Later, sitting at our dining room table, as I work at my morning routine I glance out the window. There is a nice breeze, and this morning is almost perfect. It's a comfortable cool, but vibrant sunshine washes the landscape. Near to my view lower leaves of the Ash tree on the east side of our house are dancing in the shadow, in the breeze.

Several years ago I was lent a book, "The Chinese Ginger Jars" by Myra Scovel. {The true, captivating, and intensely personal account of an extraordinary American woman who lived, with her medical missionary husband and son, through more than two decades of transition in China. ...}

This blurb says her husband and son, but in the book I believe she had three children--two boys and one girl. That said, there was a point during WWII, if memory serves me, they were in an internment camp in China for quite some time. After being held in the camp for a length of time the camp was exchanged. They start the long train journey to the ship that will bring them back to America. At one point they are allowed off the train to rest in the shade of some trees. Myra has a poignant moment as they are resting and scripture comes to her mind:

 "For ye shall go out with joy, and be led forth with peace: the mountains and the hills shall break forth before you into singing; and all the trees of the fields shall clap their hands."
Isaiah 55:12

Just as she observes the trees under which they are resting seem to 'clap their leaves as they go out with joy', in my world on this almost perfect morning the leaves on our Ash tree are clapping their leaves. What a beautiful thought, and brings to mind other scriptures. As in my case: 

"Sing praise unto Jehovah, O ye saints of his, And give thanks to his holy memorial name. For his anger is but for a moment; His favor is for a life-time: Weeping may tarry for the night, But joy cometh in the morning." 
(Psalms 30:4-5 ASV)

Also when I think I am something special (as my daughter used to say—all that and a bag of chips—) I remember that we are all on the journey perhaps as Myra and her companions to the ship that takes us home. It isn't the times we fall that count, it is the times we get up. And just because I'm up today, doesn't mean I didn't fall yesterday, nor that I won't fall sometime in the future. As the Apostle Paul says:

"Concerning this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me. And he hath said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my power is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my weaknesses, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Wherefore I take pleasure in weaknesses, in injuries, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ's sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong." 
(2 Corinthians 12:8-10 ASV)

I don't 'rest' in my weakness (as in wallow in the mud), but I rest in the 'Power of Christ' to overcome and live in His power and grace.

And last of all, I meditate upon this scripture:

"Seek ye Jehovah while he may be found; call ye upon him while he is near: let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts; and let him return unto Jehovah, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon. For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith Jehovah. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts." 
(Isaiah 55:6-9 ASV)

Hallelujah, what a Savior!