We wake, one morning early last week, to a rainbow. My camera doesn't capture it in its glory of the just-blooming dawn sky. But we all stand on the porch in awe, the covenant sign filling our hearts. I will never destroy you again.
That night, the moon is bright orange and falling too quickly from the sky, and I set the camera to catch it's color. The picture turns out like a pillar of fire in the night sky. I remember the Israelites, led out of Egypt by a pillar of cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night. Led out of captivity by these pillars, and yet even as the pillars are swirling in plain view, they still have doubt.
The next night, it is a fingernail moon shining pink in a lavender sunset sky. Again, click goes the shutter. A wink at the glory of God on display for all to see.
The diversity of life overwhelmed me, yesterday, as I sat in my porch swing and thought about my troubles and peace begins to overtake as the cricket song cracks the shell on my hurting heart, as the bright yellow of the goldenrod bends in the wind, and I smell the oats growing for hay in the field. If this world keeps spinning on it's axis, and all this amazing conglomeration of creatures and plants and rains and winds keeps calling me to praise, my troubles melt. Yet, like the Israelites, doubts can crowd out the cricket song and the goldenrod waves. I remember this time, quickly, to "turn my mind". Because, from beginning to end, He has sustained me and loved me and never forsaken.
You are the First and the
Last
Beginning and the End
The promise of wonders to come
The future is in Your hands
Caught in the light
With all the earth we will sing
You are the author of love
Our freedom within Your Name
Embracing the cross meant for us
And bought us to life again
Caught in the love
With all we are we will sing
God our hope
Our salvation
Worthy of all the praise
Be our light
Everlasting
Great is Your Name
Jesus
the First and the Last
Show us the way of Your love
Lead us toward the truth
Stir up the fire in us
To live out this life for You
Caught in Your Name
Jesus
forever we'll sing
Every heart every nation will hear the sound
As Your light breaks through the darkness
And Your Name rings out
Every distant horizon will meet as one
Singing holy is Your Name
We sing holy is Your Name
You are the first and the last
You are the Alpha and Omega
The beginning and the end
Our salvation
You bring freedom
God
Your grace knows nowhere
You are the name above all names
Forever now I'll stand
You are the first and the last
You are the first and the last
~First and the Last, Hillsong ~
