He Waits for Me

Then the music starts. I struggle through the darkness, through briers with claws that wound me. I walk out to a clearing and there on a hill He waits for me. Light envelopes me in His embrace. I slowly sit, rest my head on his lap, and cry: Jesus Lord, I am so tired! Jesus Lord, I am bothered, I am dismayed; I am anxious. I am in pain. I have doubts and I have sinned Please forgive me. I don’t know what to do. Then, I feel His hand on my forehead He strokes my hair, and says: I have taken all that, and its okay; Your sin? I have taken it away; I died for you because I love you. Do not be afraid. In the early morning hour I find my way into His glorious presence -- My King, my Saviour, my Friend; He waits for me as the music starts. "He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, he restores my soul." Psalm 23:2-3 Written 100218// Posted on momofmultitudes.blogspot.com October 2, 2018

In the Circle of Light

I stand in a circle of light Scanning a crowd of faces Some familiar, some unknown All of us bound by the same spirit Bringing us together. My journey led me to this moment A momentous moment among many In a story written by the Great Author. “Extraordinary!”, you say; I say, "Ordinary made extraordinary, Not by anything I could've done without the Great Creator, and my family.” I stand in the Circle of Light Scanning a heavenly crowd of faces Some familiar, some unknown All beloved, bound by the same spirit Bringing us together. Healed. Forgiven. Redeemed. Ordinary as I am, My story made extraordinary In surrender to the Great King. /091218

Survivor

So here’s another tree story. She wasn’t a very pretty tree to start with. If she were a human, she’d be described as "gangly with spindly arms”, so we adorned her with one of the cadiz lamps spread around the garden and hung a few potted plants on her trunk. But she towered over our fence with branches spreading upward, and welcomed the birds in her “hair”, and for this I truly appreciated her.

Every morning, as I did my devotional time, their chirping from across my window always gave me comfort. They reminded me of Matthew 6:26 "Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?” Late last year though, her branches were cut off because they hung over the neighbour’s lot where a new house was being built. Over the months, the construction workers cut off whatever sprouted from her top. I was distressed over this because I lost the birds and the greenery I had been accustomed to. But I couldn’t do anything about it. Then something wonderful began to happen. Tiny leaves began to sprout from her trunk, surrounding it with green, like a grass skirt. Plant experts say this can happen IF THE TREE IS UNDER STRESS. As I view my brave little tree, I ponder on the lesson she is teaching me. Stressful times call us to make do with what we have been given, and to keep striving even when we are cut off or cut down. With our Lord supplying our needs, the outcome is always beautiful.

Hate vs Love

Hate is "in". Love is "out". Meanness and vindictiveness are trending. Unknowingly, or knowingly, even Christians have been deceived that it's okay to hate because "it is right". Jesus followers, however, are called to love. Remember ,"Whoever claims to love God yet hates a brother or sister is a liar. For whoever does not love their brother and sister, whom they have seen, cannot love God, whom they have not seen. And he has given us this command: Anyone who loves God must also love their brother and sister." -1 John 4:20-21 This is one sign of the end of the age found in Matthew 24:10-13. "At that time ,many will turn away from the faith and will betray and hate each other, and many false prophets will appear and deceive many people. Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold, but the one who stands firm to the end will be saved." Let's not let love grow cold. Let's love even those who are unlovable, that one person who is like sandpaper, that person who is malicious, that person who has crossed the line too many times, that person who has committed a sin even you cannot forgive. Why? Because, hey! That person was created by God and Jesus died for her too. 
Photo credit: www.paulhorton.wordpress.com

Open Doors

1 Corinthians 16:9

"...because a great door for effective work has opened up for me, and there are many who oppose me."

Isn't it sad when someone is doing well at work, or in school, and yet there will be a few people who will find a way to discredit him or make his work harder that it already is? Crab mentality!

Paul encountered the same situation. He saw an opportunity in Ephesus to do great work for the Kingdom, but he acknowledged that many would not, or rather, did not want him to succeed. Despite the opposition, he courageously, in faith, decided to pursue this opportunity, knowing that it was an open door from God.

May we always have open eyes and hearts to know where You are leading us, just like Paul, Lord. May we courageously follow You despite knowing that there will be people who will make things hard for us. And, may we already claim victory in the name of Your Son, Jesus.

(Photo credit: www. birmingham-rep.co.uk)

The Young Man Who Ran

Mark 14:51-51

"A young man, wearing nothing but a linen garment, was following Jesus. When they seized him, he fled naked, leaving his garment behind."

Once again, an anonymous person. He, however, must have some importance to merit a mention in the gospel. Who was he?Why did he have only a linen garment (in NLT, a long linen shirt)? Why no cloak, considering it might have been chilly at night?

Maybe he was about to rest for the night when he saw the group going towards Gethsemane. Maybe he wanted just to see this Jesus who was so popular. So he ran out of his house and in his haste that he forgot to put on his cloak.

But his curiosity turned awry. What he thought was just a curious crowd following Jesus was actually an angry armed mob (most likely hyped up by the Pharisees) that had set out to arrest Jesus. SIDE NOTE: The chief priests, teachers of the law and elders were such cowards for sending a mob to arrest Jesus 1) at night 2) in an isolated place 3) armed with swords and clubs.

The disciples ALL fled and deserted him, thinking that they too will be arrested. Maybe the mob wanted to arrest them but, because they all had fled, they pounced on the poor young man. A case of mistaken identity? A case of being in the wrong place at the wrong time. In his fear, he did everything he could do to escape, even getting out of his garment and flee naked.

What lesson can we learn from this young man? I'm still mulling on this one.

A Lamp on a Stand

Luke 8:16 "No one lights a lamp and hides it in a jar or puts it under a bed. Instead, he puts it on a stand, so that those who come in can see the light."

We have a lamp in our sala. A gift from a friend, given long time ago. It hasn't been lit for quite some time because we feel that there is no need for its light. There are other light fixtures that do the job of illuminating the house in specific areas. So, it stands in a corner, adorned with hanging turquoise and gold ornaments as dictated by design trends. Its wire has been rolled away and it remains unlit, a mere accessory for the room.

Somehow it represents my testimony of the Gospel. It's pretty and people notice it, but the question I need to ask is this: Have I rolled away the means for the Gospel to shed light on those lives who need to hear it? How long has it been since I've actually led someone in prayer to accept Jesus in her heart and receive the gift of salvation? Shouldn't I plug in once again to the Source of Light?

Lord, give me, by Your Holy Spirit, a renewed boldness to proclaim the Gospel of Salvation.