A Window to Sit By
I was rather saddened when my father announced that we would be moving from the church parsonage to a house in the Maryland suburbs of Washington D.C. called North Forestville. The location was at 8015 Barlowe Road; I was seven years old. My sadness evaporated rather quickly when Mom showed David and me our new bedroom. The "selling point" of the room was two-fold: (1) we were on the second floor, which to a second grader meant next to the sky, and (2) a window large enough for me to sit in, which meant access to the sky. I used to sit by that window for what seemed to be hours.
In the daylight we could see for miles: our school across the street, the woods where our Eagles Club met, and the dirt mountain where the bulldozers making room for new houses placed excess dirt. The boys in the neighborhood could play on this dirt mountain all day. The drop from the top was about thirty feet into soft, newly dug, neat-smelling dirt. Our moms did not cherish the evening entry after our baptism of soil.
The most appealing time to sit by the window was in the evening. From this vantage point we could see the Big Dipper and the Little Dipper, Orion's Belt, the North Star, and the Evening Star. One Christmas my parents gave me a spaceship console. It was wonderfully fun and entertaining. It was equipped with a steering wheel, instrument panel and windshield. When placed in front of the window something magical happened. This was no furniture piece to be objective about; it was an opening to a subjective universe! It was here that I discovered new planets and charted a path through the Milky Way like a cosmic Lewis and Clark. Imagination ran wild in front of my open window! I think at times I saw the beckoning form of Peter Pan inviting me to "Never, Never Land."
In this busy life I lead, I have gone back in my mind to the large window in our bedroom: big enough to sit in. I don't think we should ever outgrow a window like mine. There are four Bible windows I want to bring to your attention that should be investigated in this life.
I. The Window of Redemption
Rahab, the harlot, had heard of the fame of Israel and by faith converted to the true and living God. Israeli spies promised her protection when the walls of Jericho came down and their victory was won. There was a sign to be given that would alert any soldier to her identity. This sign was the scarlet thread that she used to aid the spies' escape.
"Behold, when we come into the land, thou shalt bind this line of scarlet thread in the window which thou didst let us down by: and thou shalt bring thy father, and thy mother, and thy brethren, and all thy father's household, home unto thee" (Joshua 2:18).
By the same token, for the believer there is a scarlet thread running through the Bible, reminding us time and again that the blood of the eternal covenant with God and His people stands sure. "But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin" (I John 1:7).
Don't forget to look out the window of redemption and remind yourself that Christ died for us. No matter how dark the day, He who died for us lives and reigns. And because He does, we can rejoice in Revelation 5:10, "And hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth." Since God has ordained us to reign with Him on this earth, let us now account any trial as "training for reigning". It is all possible because of the Blood! Just take a look through your window of redemption and see what you and I have through Christ.
II. The Window of Hope
In Genesis 6:16 God commanded Noah to make a window in the ark. After the flood was over Noah opened the window and allowed the birds to test the waters to see if it was okay to venture out. "And it came to pass at the end of forty days, that Noah opened the window of the ark which he had made (Genesis 8:6). Through the turbulent days and frightening nights, when the outside sounds of life had subsided and there were but eight survivors of the earth to brave the new world, the window God had directed to be placed above them kept them, quite literally, looking up until their deliverance came.
Perhaps someone reading this is ready to give up on a certain situation. My advice to you is to remember God is a God of Hope; you need a trip to this window. Look up! "Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost (Romans 15:13).
III. The Window of Love
One of the most unusual verses in Scripture reads, "And it came to pass, when he had been there a long time, that Abimelech king of the Philistines looked out at a window, and saw, and, behold, Isaac was sporting with Rebekah his wife" (Genesis 26:8). What a scene! Due to fear, Isaac did not claim to be the husband of his lovely wife, Rebekah, lest someone in the foreign land kill him to gain her as a wife. This was a very foolish error, but God's grace comes through again. Isaac had not seen Rebekah for a period of time; he missed her and when he thought they were alone, he lovingly caught her up in his arms. As she playfully welcomed his embrace, King Abimelech saw they were indeed husband and wife. God used this incident to save the marriage and perhaps lives of this couple, their loved ones and friends.
Has the marriage you entered years ago lost its "zing"? Is your marriage in trouble today? Then perhaps we need to go to the "Abimelech window" and view the fine "sport" of love that God gave you. It is my personal opinion, when God gives a love to a man and woman, they never lose it. It may go dormant, but if you work on it and allow God to work and love through you again, you will find the window of opportunity to enjoy love better than ever!
IV. The Window of Escape
Please notice two references, the first refers to David in the Old Testament, the second refers to Paul in the New Testament: "So Michal let David down through a window: and he went, and fled, and escaped (I Samuel 19:12). "And through a window in a basket was I let down by the wall, and escaped his hands" (II Corinthians 11:33). Their lives were endangered; David escaped the hand of King Saul and Paul escaped the hand of Governor Aretas. We would surely finish our yearly Bible reading in far less time if these gentlemen had not escaped! David was used by God to write much of the Old Testament and Paul much of the New Testament.
Is there a situation that seems too great for you to escape? A job? A class that is hard to pass? A temptation? Our God is able and even specializes in getting His people out of jams! Come with me to a window called escape; look with me to the green, open fields of opportunity. Close your eyes, trust God and be free! "There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it" (I Corinthians 10:13).
- Pastor Pope -