Category Archives: Submitting to God

Heavens of Brass

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Once in a while we hear Christians say, “When I pray, the heavens seem made of brass.” It’s an expression that comes out of the King James Version of Deuteronomy 28:23. God is comparing and contrasting obedience with disobedience, detailing the blessings that come with one and the curses with the other. In verse 23 he’s describing the curse of failing crops: “The heaven that is over thy head shall be brass, and the earth that is under thee shall be iron.”

He’s telling them that if they refuse to obey, he won’t answer their prayers for rain. From this reference the phrase “heavens of brass” came to mean silence from God.

Most of us nod our heads, having experienced the frustration of unanswered prayer. Why would the Lord purposely withhold guidance? What valid reason could there be for such coldness toward us?

Actually, there are several:

  • When God seems cold, it’s then that we want to warm up to him.
  • When he’s silent, we call to him more frequently and with greater intensity.
  • When we can’t hear him, we listen more carefully for his still small voice.
  • When we aren’t getting his half of the conversation, we crave his counsel all the more and realize advice from others just isn’t good enough.

….all good things.

But what if we’re faced with a decision and he won’t tell us what to do? Are we supposed to just roll the dice or close our eyes and point? What do we do when the deadline is upon us and he hasn’t answered yet?

Sometimes I’m helped by thinking of God’s guidance like a GPS. I depend on “Lee’s” GPS voice to let me know which road decision to make, just before I get to the intersection. Key words? “Just before.”

God does that, too. He may be silent as a deadline looms, despite promising to direct us. We cry out for instruction, and it doesn’t come. “Which choice, Lord? Help!”

One of two things will happen. Either he’ll let us know exactly what to do in the nick of time, or he’ll expect us to make no new moves but to continue as we have been. With my GPS, Lee doesn’t say a word if I’m supposed to continue going straight. As my wise daughter Linnea says, “When you don’t know what to do, think back to the last time God put you on a specific path. Until you hear something different, stay put.”

God may get quiet for a time, but his heavens are never made of brass. He’s continually hearing us and is closer than we realize. And though we think he’s silent, he’s actually still speaking, inviting us to continue calling to him in expectancy, holding out hope that when the time is just right, we’ll hear from him.

“Come close to God, and God will come close to you.” (James 4:8)

Three Weeks Old

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Our little Emerald Louisa has been with us only 3 weeks, but now we can’t imagine life without her. She’s begun to notice her surroundings, which includes our faces, toward which she’ll occasionally flash a grin. Since she’s conservative with her smiles, we continually work to get “just one more.”

Part of the joy of having a newborn around is discovering who it is inside that tiny body. Amazingly, she already has her own opinions, and she’s gradually letting us know what they are. For example, during a fussy moment, she likes our singing. She also has a preference for the vibrating infant seat over the movement of her swing. She likes looking in a mirror at herself and loves stroller walks in the brisk night air from a cozy snowsuit. She prefers to be warm but doesn’t like to get undressed even if there’s a warm bath at the other end of it.

All of these opinions can be defined as Emerald already having a will of her own. Child care experts say the discovery of this self-will is what makes two year olds have tantrums. They’re simply realizing they’re a separate entity from everyone else. In my opinion, children learn that much earlier than two. Say, by 3 weeks.

But even though a child’s self-will oftentimes goes head-to-head with an adult’s, we can’t deny God has done something marvelous in the creation of a baby. And giving each of them a will of their own was a risky idea on his part. It would have been no risk to pre-program them as continually cooperative without any ability to buck the authorities.

Instead God lets babies make choices right from birth. Actually, ultrasound pictures show us they’re demonstrating their opinions even in the womb.

Why would God give self-will to such tiny little people? Or, for that matter, to us big ones? Probably because he wanted to see what we would do with them, especially where he’s concerned. As it is, each of us has a daily chance to love him or leave him.

We parents understand that reasoning. When children are in middle school, we take a small step back to watch what choices they’ll make. If they choose badly, we step forward again to rescue, discipline, or rearrange circumstances that will train them further.

A while later, we step back again, and then again, hoping they’ll make the right choices just as God hopes about us. Eventually, in both the parental case and in God’s case, final decisions are up to the individual. Parents should no longer insist their adult children do things one way over another, and God operates the same way.

So, at our house we continue to learn what little Emerald really thinks as she makes her likes and dislikes known. Her opinions will become more and more important as she grows, and we’ll be praying she’ll make wise choices. If she’s anything like the rest of us, though, she can look forward to some big-time adjusting.

Peter replied, “I see very clearly that God shows no favoritism.” (Acts 10:34)

Pen Time (By Jack)

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It’s been 4 months since Midge let me at her keyboard, but today I got my chance.

Although my summer went well (despite high heat on my heavy black fur), recent days have been more puzzling. It all began last week when I was forced to spend long hours in our new backyard pen. Until this summer I’d never been put behind a locked gate and wondered what I’d done to deserve such abandonment.

It occurred to me that Midge might have put me there by mistake. She can be ditzy, and it’s possible she just forgot where to look for me. But when I realized no one was coming on that first day, I became proactive. Since I’ve learned that repeated nudging sometimes opens closed doors, I tried it on the gate.

As I gently bumped my head against it again and again, suddenly it swung open, and I was free to go! Those days in the pen ended up being the best I’ve had in a long time! I don’t know where Midge or the rest of them were, but for unending hours I got to roam the streets, the neighborhood, and the beach as if leash laws didn’t exist. I began hoping Midge would put me in the pen every day.

But then something strange happened. Last Sunday everybody came home again and Birgitta walked in with a mysterious bundle that made strange sounds and had a bizarre smell. She unwrapped it, knelt down in front of me, and asked me to come and see it. She let me sniff it all over, but I really couldn’t categorize its smell.

Right then both Birgitta and Midge began talking to this new bundle in the lilting, high-toned voices usually directed at me. I leaned in close to receive their happy talk, but this time Midge pushed me gently and said, “No, Jack. That’s enough.” Since then I’ve heard lots of happy talk, but it’s all been a bust for me.

Finally today, Midge saw my sad tail and comforted me. “Jackie-Boy, don’t worry. We still love you, too.”

I hope so, because an old guy like me doesn’t make new adjustments easily. Actually, a week ago today was my 70th birthday. I spent it in the pen. But you know something? Despite most of the attention going toward Birgitta and the never-ending bellyache she was having on that day, Midge did give me a handful of birthday bones as she put me in the pen. Not 1, not 2, but 5! And when I finished eating them, I simply nudged open the gate and had an adventurous birthday celebration all my own.

I don’t understand much about the strange squawking bundle at our house these days, but I’m glad everybody is home now, and I’ve decided to rest in realizing they still do love me. I’m also going to be grateful for whatever pen-time comes my way.

“Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will.” (1 Thessalonians 5:18)