As big as You are, I am small, but Your shepherding makes me great.
I adore You, Shepherd. You gently move alongside me and prod me into beauty. You take my nothing and make it something. You are a safe guide, a holy guide, a not-going-to-let-me-stay-in-one pasture guide.
When I look at You as shepherd, something changes in me. I have no more need to fend for myself or carve my own way. Your role offers me reprieve from being for myself what I was never intended to be. Your shepherding takes weight off my shoulders and lets me be child, trusting sheep.
And when I bury myself deep within You, because You are a safe shepherd — when your safety invites all of me in — I see that there is nothing I lack.
You hold in your hand everything I could possibly need. I adore You, oh fulfillment of me, fulfillment of life. And when I see You as Shepherd, I see that every single want inside of me can be asked for from You.
You offer it to me. You invite me to ask. You shepherd me into total dependence. And You make me want to ask for everything You hold in Your hand.
When I get lost in Your guidance I am found in Your safe-keeping and the want that grows inside of me is for all of You.
I love Your all of You, what little I know of it. I thank you for endless, unsearchable wealth found in You.
Simple shepherd, come to make Yourself personal to me. Holy shepherd, meeting needs I don’t even know I have yet and making me want only You.
"Sara Hagerty of Every Bitter Thing is Sweet
The love of God is never idle, though our weak flesh often believes that He has forgotten us. We think the proof of His abandonment is that He allows unlovely things to happen to us. This is not so. But we misunderstand the way His love works.
God’s purpose is to so enkindle us in love that we are full of life, and full of delight. But first, in order to penetrate into our souls, it is necessary for love to wound…
God must reveal to us that nothing in this life is truly good, for it is not lasting. And our soul, which is eternal, must stop trying to find its resting place and security in earthly loves and worldly joys. Nothing in the life can offer the secure hope, the limitless love our soul needs - for the earth and all that is in it is passing away, but our soul is eternal…
Therefore, I say, renew your mind so that you come to see every wound that comes to you as coming from the playful hand of God. It is because he loves you that He refuses to let you rest your soul in this corrupt, dying world.
So I say - and now you will not think it is strange - that God would wound you deeply. For in this way, He continues to open all the inner chambers of your soul. And the devil cannot enter there. And your own worldly senses, which would betray your Heavenly Love, cannot enter there.
In all this He is opening the way to the central chamber of your soul. There He plans to set before you a feast. This, I tell you, is the banquet place of the Holy Spirit.
"St. John of the Cross’ Living Flame of Love
Even after we come to believe, and even after we hear the Word of God, we act like the blind and deaf much of the time. That is because no one has taught us that there is another way to perceive God - in spirit.
Before I say more about this, it is important that you establish this one truth about your soul: Apart from God your soul is empty, without even a flicker of the Holy Spirit in it. And even after you come to believe, you will remain largely subject to this dark condition until the eyes of your inner man are healed and opened.
For this purpose, the Holy Spirit is sent to blaze the light of truth into your soul. This spiritual light heals, and it shows us the way of freedom. For as long as we see only with our bodily eyes, we will continue to live like a blind captive, fumbling around inside a prison cell in the dark night - while all the time the door that leads to our freedom stands open.
"Book 1, Chapter 3 of St. John of the Cross’ Ascent of Mount Carmel
As you think about the Cross, have you ever thought about the conversation that might have taken place between the Son and the Father before the world was established? Think of the magnified anticipation they must have experienced as the finalized design for man became clear. While waiting for man to be brought forth, the Father and Son are talking and considering the consequences of this dangerous venture.
The Son says, “I feel good about most aspects of this plan. The only uneasiness I feel has to do with giving man free will. Do We have to do it this way? Do You think there is any possibility that they would turn their backs on Us?”
The Father ponders awhile and then replies, “You know, Son, that bothers Me more than anything else, too, but unless We let them choose to love Us, it won’t truly be love.”
Another long silence transpires. Then the Son speaks. “You know, if they turn away, if they reject Us, I think I would do anything to bring them back.”
“Anything, Son, anything?” the Father queries. Then He asks, “Would You be willing to go to earth and die for them?”
An even longer pause. Slowly and thoughtfully, the Son replies. “It would be hard, but I would do it. It could make all of the difference.”
The Father adds, “It would be hard for Me, too.”
Perhaps it was at a point in time like this that the Lam was slain before the foundation of the world (Rev.13:8). Man had not yet been created; Jesus had not yet come to earth; and Jerusalem had not yet been built; but in many ways at that moment, Jesus set his face like flint to go to Jerusalem and die for us.
I’m more than what these ashes say
They will fade away when He comes for me
By grace, through faith in Christ I’m saved
I am not the same when He looks at me
I am the rose, the joy for which You died
And this I know, I move You with delight
And when my heart condemns on every side
I take refuge in the truth: I am the rose to You
My life is more than meets the eye
I’m hidden now in Christ and I’m one with Him
My love is real before His eyes
He’s ravished by the sight of one glance from me
I am the rose, I am the lily
I am Yours, I’m Your beauty
There’s gonna be a wedding,
It’s the reason that I’m living, to marry the Lamb
I’m more than what these ashes say
‘Cause they will fade away when He comes for me
My love is real before His eyes
He’s ravished by the sight of one glance from me
More Than Ashes
Tim Reimherr
These guys crack themselves up. #ridiculouslygoofy
And then I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, ‘Now the dwelling of God is with men, and he will live with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.’
He who was seated on the throne said, ‘I am making everything new!’ Then he said, ‘Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.’
He said to me: ‘It is done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. To him who is thirsty I will give to drink without cost from the spring of the water of life. He who overcomes will inherit all this, and I will be his God and he will be my son.
"Revelations 21:3-7
Ps.4: 6-7
Prayer Room set by Tim Reimherr on Song of Solomon
Begin again as often as you need to in order to stay on track spiritually. The enemy is relentless in presenting temptations and distractions. Resist him. Stand your watch and be aware of his tactics to derail you and keep you from victory. Continue on the straight and narrow path that leads to newness of life and greater spiritual heights, and do not deviate from truth and righteousness, says the Lord.
Nahum 2:1 He who scatters has come up before your face. Man the fort! Watch the road! Strengthen your flanks! Fortify your power mightily.
"SMALL STRAWS IN A SOFT WIND by Marsha Burns — May 21, 2010
