Monday, October 21, 2013

A New View of an Old Story

Exodus 14:21, 27
      "And Moses stretched out his hand over the sea; and the LORD caused the sea to go back by a strong east wind all that night and made the sea dry land, and the waters were divided."
      "And Moses stretched forth his hand over the sea, and the sea returned to his strength when the morning appeared; and the Egyptians fled against it; and the LORD overthrew the Egyptians in the midst of the sea."


I think that I must be very unobservant. This story has been told to me all my life; however, I never noticed some of the descriptions of what was really happening.

1.  I didn't realize that they crossed at night!  So many of the hard things that happen are magnified by darkness.  Sometimes our emotions enter darkness--the good news is that God makes a path in the sea!
The darkness is there at times, but so is His presence--both behind and before us.

2.  They needed to walk into the wind.  When eagles fly, they fly into the wind. To win the victory in life, we need to face the storm.  This was not like a walk in the park--the Israelites needed to trust God.

3.  Some of the Israelites that had reached safety could still see their loved ones being chased by the enemy.  They needed to trust God to bring them across the sea.  Imagine how they must have felt!

4.  Victory came in the morning!  Everyone was safe. The enemy was destroyed in the sea-the very thing that seemed overwhelming.  I can trust God's character to help me grow in the Red Sea crossings that I face. He knows exactly what I need to be a success--mostly it is just more of Him.  So glad He loves me.

5.  The victory song was personal.  God wants a personal relationship--not a show and tell.  Do I praise Him or do I seek praise from others?  So glad that He is MY strength--because I am so very weak, MY song--because I crave  music for my soul, and MY salvation--because I am a sinner who accepted the Saviour. 

Thursday, October 17, 2013

The Latch



The Latch

            I left the gate open, but the shades down.
              If anyone wanted to come in, they would have to knock long
                                  At a locked door
                                           And be patient.

            Once, a long time ago, the door was open to all.
              A child trusts everyone until they prove her wrong—
                                    Knocking over lamps, ruining rugs,
 breaking windows


                        Perspective distorted
                                    Broken trust
                                                Wounded heart
                                                            Crippled Soul

Then—a knock

            A gently insistent knock
                        I pretended not to hear, not to hope, only to hide.

            A muffled still small voice….
                        He knows my name!
                            “I am your Shepherd and
I strengthen the sick,
                                                I seek the lost and
bind the broken.”

            My heart cries with longing to draw the latch,
                        My head shouts a warning to keep it fast.

He waits…and knocks

I know the cost:
 Letting go of the past
Breaking the shell cast
            Of my own thoughts for His.

I lift the shade a fraction
But, O, blinding Light!

            I sink to my knees and cover my face.
                        “I cannot receive your peace.”
                                    He offers His grace.

           


                        Patiently knocking
                                    Quietly pleading           
                                                Lovingly healing
                                                            Slowly Changing

Me

Rev. 3:20
Behold, I stand at the door and knock, if any man hear my voice and open the door, I will come in to him and will sup with him and he with me.

2 Cor. 6:2
(...behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.)


I lift the latch
And let the Lord, my Shepherd,
Enter.


(Based on Scripture from Ezekiel 34:11, 12, 16)

Tuesday, October 15, 2013

My Baby Grand

God is so good!

     A week ago Sunday, as my husband was watching football, a friend of his sent him a text.  It told of a baby grand piano in our town that was being offered on Craig's list.  My husband is NOT tech savy so he had no idea how to send an e-mail in reply; however, his friend did send them our phone number.  By 9:00 that evening the couple who had listed the piano called back--and we missed the call!  At around midnight my husband was looking at his messages when he inadvertently dialed their number.  Doing all he could to stop it from going through, he tried to shut down his phone. Too late--the call went through enough for them to have heard. They called us right back.  My husband apologized over and over for calling so late.  They mentioned that they had still been up and that it was no problem.  They also set up an appointment for us to come see the piano at 9 a.m. the next morning.

     I was so excited.  The next morning I grabbed an arrangement of "Jesus Loves Me" and my book of Chopin Waltzes.  As I walked into the room, I noticed how beautiful the piano was.  Tiger maple! It didn't even have dust.  I sat on the bench and started playing "Jesus Loves Me".  It was so beautiful--I was almost crying!  I started playing Chopin's Waltz in Ab major.  I knew that this piano was for me!

    We asked what they were asking for the piano--It was FREE!  All we had to do was move it.  Correction, Bill had to move it!  He studied Google for the next few days, built a piano board, and moved the piano. He had it down to such a science that he was told he could start a business moving pianos!  I don't see that in his future--I think he has had about enough. It only took an hour and a half to get it from their house to set up in mine.

    What is so awesome about this?  About a year ago, I started praying for a baby grand piano. My new church did not have an acoustic piano and I was having trouble getting the synthesizer to "sing".  After I had been praying for awhile,  my husband found an upright for sale in Lewiston.  That piano is now at our church.  Since I had a piano at home and at church, I stopped praying.  God, however, did not stop working. At about the same time as I had originally started praying, this couple started to think about giving away their piano.  Just the time I needed to remember that God cares about all the details of our lives,  He worked this whole thing out! Every morning one of the first things I see is my great big love gift from my Heavenly Father.  The One who knows my needs and wants.The One who understands everything about me.  The One who loves so much, abundantly, greatly, and way beyond all that I could ask or think! 




Tuesday, October 1, 2013

The Threefold Cord



A Threefold Cord

Faith

        Hearing the voice of my Gracious Father
        Leaving self-pity, my spirit grows calmer
        Following closely, awaiting His answer
        Letting Him author the days and the hours

Hope

        Looking forward with glad anticipation
        Pressing toward Christ, my footsteps hasten
        Seeing the future--Heaven's happy occasion
        Holding confidence in Him--a sure persuasion

Love

        Reaching out to share God's awesome care
        Showing others joy--not deep, dark despair
        Overcoming selfishness--my constant prayer
        Giving graciously to everyone, everywhere



And now abideth faith, hope, and charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity.
I Cor. 13:13