Privileged to see things from His perspective perhaps, at 40,000 feet on our journey home. Ribbons of blue lace their way through the randomly patchworked earth, as they thread their way through forests of fall colour and the blankets of growing green. Soon turned to glimmering gold in the light of the sun as we pass them by - life-giving to earth's children.
I am reminded of another journey home and a glorious life-giving river on whose banks I long to stand with the rest of earth's blood bought children. And those familiar, much loved, words echo in my heart today...
And he shewed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb. In the midst of the street of it, and on either side of the river, [was there] the tree of life... And there shall be no more curse: but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it; and his servants shall serve him. Revelation 22:1-3
Blood bought earth child may the longing of your heart ever be for the pure water of life until we stand on the banks of that crystal clear river.
As the day draws towards an end my hands work swiftly, methodically, gently ripping out the neat and uniform stitches sown by a stranger who believed they were creating a perfect fit. One size does not fit all.Lessons learned during growing up years now bear fruit for the blessing of those closest to me.It’s a labor of love to tailor the cloth to fit the unique, one of a kind man that I share my life with so that it will be the perfect fit.Appreciation expressed makes the effort all worthwhile. We are a perfect fit.
I ponder the work of the Master Tailor.His gift of love is not a few alterations to the not so perfectly fitting garment in which I clothe my soul, but a brand new, immeasurably beautiful, sparkling white robe of righteousness.
With deep appreciation Lord for this love gift – thank you that my life can be beautiful in your eyes.
I delight greatly in the LORD; my soul rejoices in my God. For he has clothed me with garments of salvation and arrayed me in a robe of righteousness.Isaiah 61:10
It’s late and her light still burns and my heart burns for her. As the minutes slowly roll by my heart reaches out to the One who can meet her needs and who can do for her more than I can.Prayers for encouragement, strength, wisdom and wise choices.Asking my Father for opportunities to connect with her and be there for her.Sleep embraces me and I rest, and I rest in Him.
New days bring new opportunities, never scheduled, and mostly unexpected…and in the busyness of the morning she needs me, she needs to talk and so as I sit on the end of her bed, everything else can wait as she pours out her heart to me, answered prayer from my Father, thank you.
And then she has to be gone, work and studies await her and I pray that the burden is lighter and that somewhere a flame of hope flickers stronger again.
For this reason I kneel before the Father…I pray that out of His glorious riches He will strengthen her with power through His Spirit in her inner being, that Christ may dwell in her heart through faith.And I pray that she may be rooted and established in love, and may know how great His love is for her, this love that surpasses knowledge – that she may be filled to the full measure of the fullness of God.Eph 3:14-19
My heart burns with thankfulness. He knows the desires of our hearts, hears our spoken and unspoken words and delights in showing His love.
In my hands I held a little chest and as I opened the lid inside was a letter written many years before by my mother – written to friends and family.It was a few small pages, a brief account of her life, how she had journeyed to a strange land for a brief period and the difficulties that she had encountered there. Although I don’t remember her exact words, they were words of encouragement, hope and faith and a call to faithfulness.With letter still in hand, my eyes wandered to the contents of the chest and there was a smooth grey-white oval shaped rock lying in the dust and numerous irregularly sized and shaped clods of ground surrounding it, one of which was resting on the rock.And as I took this in and my eyes returned to the last few words of the letter, the meaning suddenly became clear…the last words of her letter “O safe to a rock that is higher than I, my soul in its conflicts and sorrows would fly.”
And as I awoke from this very unusual dream this morning,it seemed clear that I was the weak, helpless little clod of sand and that I could, like the little clod of sand, rest safely on the Rock that was higher than I no matter what might come my way.I reached for my little hymnal to read the rest of the words of that beautiful hymn, here they are:
O safe to the Rock that is higher than I, My soul in its conflicts and sorrows would fly; So sinful, so weary, Thine, Thine, would I be; Thou blest “Rock of Ages,” I’m hiding in Thee.
Hiding in Thee, hiding in Thee, Thou blest “Rock of Ages,” I’m hiding in Thee.
In the calm of the noontide, in sorrow’s lone hour, In times when temptation casts o’er me its power; In the tempests of life, on its wide, heaving sea, Thou blest “Rock of Ages,” I’m hiding in Thee.
Hiding in Thee, hiding in Thee, Thou blest “Rock of Ages,” I’m hiding in Thee.
How oft in the conflict, when pressed by the foe, I have fled to my refuge and breathed out my woe; How often, when trials like sea billows roll, Have I hidden in Thee, O Thou Rock of my soul.
And as I pondered the words of this hymn the words of another came to mind just as strongly:
The Lord’s our Rock, in Him we hide, A Shelter in the time of storm; Secure whatever ill betide, A Shelter in the time of storm.
Refrain
Mighty Rock in a weary land, Cooling shade in the burning sand Faithful guide for the pilgrim band A Shelter in the time of storm.
A shade by day, defense by night, A Shelter in the time of storm; No fears alarm, no foes afright, A Shelter in the time of storm.
Refrain
The raging storms may round us beat, A Shelter in the time of storm We’ll never leave our safe retreat, A Shelter in the time of storm.
Refrain
O Rock divine, O Refuge dear, A Shelter in the time of storm; Be Thou our Helper ever near, A Shelter in the time of storm.
As I got ready for work I mulled over all this, wondering why the Lord had laid this on my heart today but as the day has unfolded it has become clear…thank you Lord!What an amazing God we serve.May His message to me for my life today be a message for you for your life today too – He is faithful.
#194 the opportunity of good food cooked and enjoyed in the open air
#195 a good supply of firewood
#196 just to see the ocean, there is something special about being at the coast
#197 Sunday drives on winding country roads
#198 visiting new places
#199 freshly picked organic corn
#200 mercy
#201 old things that add beauty and charm to life
Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting. Gal 6:7-8
Did you actually read that slowly and take in what it was saying? So how will you sow?
The choices we make to day create the people we will be tomorrow.
It's been plainly spelled out for us, the secret of true happiness...keep reading...but before I get to that....
Simple things which bring thankfulness to my heart this morning
#182 refreshing rest
#183 the gift of sweet juicy peaches
#184 granola
#185 a thoughtful and humorous surprise note from my 20 yr old son wishing us a wonderful vacation
#186 telephone conversations that keep us connected
#187 water that quenches my thirst
Amazing truths which today I ponder with awe, humility and thankfulness (I have been reading 1 John)
#188 we can have fellowship with God - how amazing it is that the mighty Creator and Sustainer of all loves me and has the time to fellowship with me personally - I matter to Him!
#189 we can have true happiness and full joy - the secret is learning to live in fellowship with God - why does it take us so long to learn that nothing else will satisfy?! He has spelled it out for us - made it so simple.
#190 we can walk in the light of His presence - I don't have to walk in the dark anymore - He knows the way and will direct my steps if I will just stick with Him - no more fear!
#191 we can have victory as we abide in Him and His Word abides in us - we are influenced and changed by the people we spend time with and it is no different with God - the more that I spend time with Him and let His Word abide in me, the more I will become like Him - by beholding I am changed!
#192 we never need bear a load of guilt, for if we confess our sins, He forgives us - what freedom.
Today is a day of special rememberance of the goodness of God to me...
#172 dancing dragonflies
#173 sparkling river water
#174 tiny white daisies sprinkled throughout the green lawn
#175 fire-baked potatoes with avocado & vegenaise
#176 glowing embers
#177 redemption
#178 twenty-eight years of the Lords faithfulness since I gave my life to Him in baptism
#179 parents who from my first breath taught me to love Him
#180 children who love Him and choose to walk in His ways
#181 in a special way His loving watch-care over each one of us when we are apart from each other
As I write the sun is setting and another Sabbath begins....those old familiar words resound in my mind...as I look back through the years I can see us all gathered, with my father playing the piano, gentle voices harmonizing as we sing...
"Day is dying in the west, heaven is touching earth with rest, wait and worship while the night sets her evening lamps alight through all the sky. Holy, holy, holy, Lord God of Hosts. Heaven and earth are full of Thee, heaven and earth are praising thee, O Lord most high."
These words are in my heart today, "being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus". Phil 1:6
It's the little things that add beauty to life and that we need to stop and take time to appreciate...so in my journey of thankfulness today...
#162 bumble bees and butterflies on soft purple thistles
#163 gentle breezes through my hair
#164 walking hand in hand with the love of my life
# 165 flocks of tiny birds feeding in the yellow grass that remind me that if God cares for each one of them, surely He will care for me
#166 blackberries
#167 time to read, reflect & be inspired
#168 a rusted plow, overgrown with wildflowers that reminds me to never look back. "And Jesus said unto him, no man having put his hand to the plow, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God." Luke 9:62
#169 warm days, bare feet and flip-flops
#170 trying to hold the sun in our hands - our Father can!
#171 The red leaves of autumn, now fallen to the ground - to everything there is a season and a time to die - His blood fell red to the ground for me.
"I rejoice that I am in His hands - that He is everywhere present and can protect me in one place as well as in another. He has my heart in His hands, and when I am called to face danger...and distress, He can inspire me with fortitude and enable me to trust in Him." Ann Judson (1810)
Conflict always provides an opportunity to glorify God, serve others and grow to be like Christ.
You can trust God, so....
1. Instead of relying on your own ideas and abilities as you respond to people who oppose you, ask God to give you the grace to depend on Him and follow His ways, even if they are completely opposite to what you feel like doing. (Prov 3:5-7)
2. Hold on tightly to the liberating promises of the gospel.
3. Trust that Jesus has forgiven your sins and confess them freely.
4. Believe that He uses pressures and conflict to help you to grow and to cooperate with Him.
5. Depend on His assurance that He is always watching over you, and stop fearing what others might do to you.
6. Know that He delights to display His sanctifying power in your life, and attempt to do things that you could never accomplish in your own strength, such as forgiving someone who has hurt you deeply.
As you trust the Lord in these "unnatural" ways, people will have the opportunity to see that God is real and praise Him for His work in your life.
The Peacemaker by Ken Sande Pg 31-32
Each day life gives us many unexpected opportunities...how will we live?
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