It was good and fitting that I downloaded the movie: “Monuments Men” from Netflix onto my kindle just before boarding the flight to Europe. It was a favorite recent movie of mine, important amazing story of the recovery of German-stolen European art, gold, amazing treasures, as well as preventing the war bombings by the allies of cultural important sites. This movie has a stellar cast of George Clooney and John Goodman and Bill Murray and others. The Nazi’s stole treasures and hid them.

Isn’t it so fitting to speak of how we try to regain what was lost – not walking backwards into the future but walking forwards towards restoration of loss. It is a gain not in glory but in HOPE. I enjoyed the movie (especially while not being able to sleep) – especially because the movie in itself reminded me of the treasures of Europe I hope to see on my journey this week – and especially because I am humble BLESSED and EXCITED to see previous unknown past in these next future days. The past comes alive again in the future.

Cool – I’ve gained a lot of our past in the joy of the future. Great plans this week, God willing. 

To study and regain one’s past is novel and for us it’s fun. Not all the history is fun, not at all. My great grandparents fled oppressive times and power-hungry rule before WW1. The movie set in WW2 has one truly somber reality scene that we never should forget, a past we should never gloss over without sadness – the movie showed a barrel of gold teeth taken out of the concentration camps… oh the horrors inflicted…

We are amazed how people can’t get along peacefully and put themselves in power over powerless. 

My continued reading in Isaiah is about God saying don’t worship these false idols nor try to think of yourself high up in power. Power hungry for riches, treasures too. We will remember (through true stories, like this movie) of these terrible people who elevated their own thoughts of themselves above others, above laws, above human decency. Sad. 

Lord, Your people Whom You call, including us, may we recognize no other God but You. 

Amen 

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Isaiah 45 – New King James Version – Cyrus, God’s Instrument

“Thus says the Lord to His anointed, To Cyrus, whose right hand I have held – To subdue nations before him And loose the armor of kings, To open before him the double doors, So that the gates will not be shut: ‘I will go before you And make the crooked places straight; I will break in pieces the gates of bronze And cut the bars of iron. I will give you the treasures of darkness and hidden riches of secret places, that you may know that I, the Lord, Who call you by your name, Am the God of Israel. For Jacob My servant’s sake, And Israel My elect, I have even called you by your name; I have named you, though you have not known Me. I am the Lord, and there is no other; There is no God besides Me. I will gird you, though you have not known Me, That they may know from the rising of the sun to its setting That there is none besides Me. I am the Lord, and there is no other; I form the light and create darkness, I make peace and create calamity; I, the Lord, do all these things.’

“Rain down, you heavens, from above, and let the skies pour down righteousness; Let the earth open, let them bring forth salvation, And let righteousness spring up together. I, the Lord, have created it.

“Woe to him who strives with his Maker! Let the potsherd strive with the potsherds of the earth! Shall the clay say to him who forms it, ‘What are you making?’ Or shall your handiwork say, ‘He has no hands’ Woe to him who says to his father, ‘What are you begetting?’ Or to the woman, ‘What have you brought forth?’ ”

Thus says the Lord, The Holy One of Israel, and his Maker:.”Ask Me of things to come concerning My sons; And concerning the work of My hands, you command Me. I have made the earth, And created man on it. I—My hands—stretched out the heavens, And all their host I have commanded. I have raised him up in righteousness, And I will direct all his ways; He shall build My city And let My exiles go free, Not for price nor reward,” Says the Lord of hosts.

The Lord, the Only Savior 

Thus says the Lord: “The labor of Egypt and merchandise of Cush And of the Sabeans, men of stature, Shall come over to you, and they shall be yours; They shall walk behind you, They shall come over in chains; And they shall bow down to you. They will make supplication to you, saying, ‘Surely God is in you,. And there is no other; There is no other God.’ ”

Truly You are God, who hide Yourself, O God of Israel, the Savior! They shall be ashamed And also disgraced, all of them; They shall go in confusion together, Who are makers of idols. But Israel shall be saved by the Lord With an everlasting salvation; You shall not be ashamed or disgraced

Forever and ever.

For thus says the Lord, Who created the heavens, Who is God, Who formed the earth and made it, Who has established it, Who did not create it in vain, Who formed it to be inhabited: “I am the Lord, and there is no other. I have not spoken in secret, In a dark place of the earth; I did not say to the seed of Jacob, ‘Seek Me in vain’; I, the Lord, speak righteousness, I declare things that are right.

“Assemble yourselves and come; Draw near together, You who have escaped from the nations. They have no knowledge, Who carry the wood of their carved image, And pray to a god that cannot save. Tell and bring forth your case; Yes, let them take counsel together. Who has declared this from ancient time? Who has told it from that time? Have not I, the Lord? And there is no other God besides Me, A just God and a Savior;

There is none besides Me.

“Look to Me, and be saved, All you ends of the earth! For I am God, and there is no other. I have sworn by Myself; The word has gone out of My mouth in righteousness, And shall not return, That to Me every knee shall bow, every tongue shall take an oath. He shall say, ‘Surely in the Lord I have righteousness and strength. To Him men shall come, And all shall be ashamed Who are incensed against Him. In the Lord all the descendants of Israel Shall be justified, and shall glory.’ ”