Perspectives

Isaiah 6:1-8  TRINITY SUNDAY-  There was an Irishman , monk and abbot who died in 597 who said
Psalm 29
Romans 8:12-17
John 3:1-17

something about journeys that goes like this:

“ Alone with none but thee, my God, I journey on my way. What need I fear, when thou art near O King of night and day?  More safe am I within thy hand than if a host did round me stand.”

  We are going to take a short journey this morning and recover a perspective about God and ourselves and others that will help us on our journeys in life.  Really,  perspective is an important word.  How we look at things that may seem difficult or even hard will be so key in our attempts to get around the problems in our lives.  Someone said when I asked them, “How are you today?”  “ I have some complaining to talk about,  but it would not do any good.”  I told him I would hear any thing for a nickel.  I was writing an e mail the other day , and told someone I have to go to see my 83 year old day .Of course I meant Dad.  One letter can make a difference.

Life can seem impossible with its impossible tasks we seem to think .  We are hesitant.  Most young people are not though.  Some of us have a need of shot of that kind of re-look and enthusiasm.  All of us have a need of God’s perspective.  Some of you may have heard this story:”

“One Letter Makes A Big Difference

An Illinois man left the snow-filled streets of Chicago for a vacation in Florida. His wife was on a business trip and was planning to meet him there the next day. When he reached his hotel he decided to send his wife a quick email. Unfortunately, when typing her address, he missed one letter, and his note was directed instead to an elderly preacher’s wife whose husband had passed away only the day before. When the grieving widow checked her email, she took one look at the monitor, let out a piercing scream, and fell to the floor in a dead faint.At the sound, her family rushed into the room and saw this note on the screen: Dearest Wife,
Just got checked in. Everything prepared for your arrival tomorrow. P.S. Sure is hot down here.”

    In our journeys we can use a change of perspective.  Isaiah had that happen to him . The king who had reigned 52 years just died.  It seemed that everything would now fall apart in the country.  King Uzziah had been basically a good king.  He was successful in war. He built a large army . 2 Chronicles 26 tells us that everything went fine until “he was strong, his heart was lifted up to his destruction.” 26:16  He got leprosy because he went into the temple and burned incense without the priest.  By the way I like what it says about the priest, “ And Azariah the priest went in after him, and with him fourscore priests of the LORD, that were valiant men, and they withstood Uzziah to burn incense…”  So Uzziah dies.  Isaiah thinks that things are falling apart.

    In Isaiah’s vision he sees the “ Lord sitting upon a throne.” 6:1  A great and wonderful scene unfolds before him. His despair and sadness are lifted.  He sees the seraphim flying saying,” Holy, holy , holy is the LORD of hosts: the whole earth is full of his glory.” 6:3

     In Romans we read of our spiritual lives and how we are to make progress in them.  Romans 12 tells us to “ mortify ( put to death) the deeds of the body through the Spirit.”  We are now the children of God . We have been adopted into the family of God thru the Spirit and the Father and the Son.  These things are all perspective changers.  Instead of “ do it my way in my power,” we are to let the Spirit lead us .  And when we go thru trouble we remember 12:17 that we are “children, then heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.”

     Nicodemus had his perspective changed.  In John 3 Jesus tells him that he must be born again.  The Spirit is spirit.  “ That which is born of the flesh is flesh.” 3:6  He cannot do this himself.  He must rely on the power and Spirit of God .  The Spirit enables us to believe ,” For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” 3:16  This life is only the beginning of our journey.

    Let God change our perspective.  Let me close with an 8^th century Irish prayer that changes perspectives: “

As the hand is made for holding and the eye for seeing, You have fashioned me, O Lord , for joy. Share with me the vision to find that joy everywhere: in the wild violet’s beauty, in the lark’s melody, in the face of a steadfast man, in a child’s smile, in a mother’s love, in the purity of Jesus.  Be thou my vision, O Lord of my heart, be all else but naught to me, save that thou art;

Be thou my best thought in the day and the night, both waking and sleeping, thy presence my light.  Be thou my wisdom, be thou my true word, be thou ever with me, and I with thee, Lord;

Be thou my great Father, and I thy true son; be thou in me dwelling, and I with thee one.”