Peace be unto you!
Behind locked doors
Fears shake and rattle hearts.
What does the future hold
Persecution? Death? Trials?
Peace be unto you!
I, the Lord
Who holds the keys
Of death and hell,
Stand among you and say –
Peace be unto you!
Within locked hearts
Questions seethe and rage
Who am I? Where do I fit in?
What is my calling now?
Peace be unto you!
I called you by name
Before the world was made
To be my witness faithful and true;
As my Father sent me
So send I you.
Within locked minds
The pendulum swings
To trust or not to trust
Where can my mind find rest?
Peace be unto you!
Touch My wounded side and hands
Be at rest in the Truth
Abide in My love
Come alive in My Spirit
Peace be unto you!
Our God is merciful and tender.
He will cause the bright dawn of salvation to rise on us
to shine from heaven on all those who live in the dark shadow of death,
to guide our steps into the path of peace.
Luke 1:78-79
I give you peace,
the kind of peace that only I can give.
It isn’t like the peace that this world can give.
So don’t be worried or afraid.
John 14:27
May the Lord himself,
who is our source of peace,
give you peace at all times and in every way.
The Lord be with you all.
2 Thess 3:16
Broken alabaster jar
Perfume wisps and wraps
Blessing One who is to be
Broken and poured forth.
Abandoned water pitcher
Feet run to proclaim
Living Waters that drench
The parched and weary soul
Lifegiving Fount who would soon cry
‘I thirst’.
Embalming spices
Lie forgotten
The Promise Keeper
The Mystery of God revealed
Stands before me
Why indeed should I seek
The Living among the dead?
The Saviour calls my name
Rabboni, Master, King
My heart makes reply
My spirit hears the homeward wooing
And whispers back
‘Lord, I am Yours’
not my will
Yours be done’
People disappoint. Sad truth. No matter how close they are, and how much they love you, they disappoint. No one can truly be sufficient to meet the needs of our hearts, and so there is always a feeling of having been let down at some point or the other in time.
Some years ago, I was struggling with anger and loneliness. It was the strange kind of loneliness, loneliness in a crowd, loneliness in the midst of intense people contact and conversation. It is the loneliness that comes when the interactions seem to be superficial and one-sided, where the person talking to you is not really interested in you except as a forum to talk about themself.
At that time I came across this verse, “You are expecting _____ to help you, but that would be like using a reed as a walking stick—it would break and would jab your hand. That is what the ______ is like when anyone relies on him.” Is 36:6
True isn’t it?
We look to people for comfort, help, strength, support and they invariably break under our weight at some point or the other, because no one is equipped to be there unstintingly for another.
As I prayed about this verse, a picture formed in my mind of me standing under a clean, pure waterfall. A limitless supply of water. Refreshing, cool and clean. Yet, I had a small cup in my hand and was trying to fill my cup from a rusty tap that stood on the banks of this joyous, unceasing waterfall. A few drops fell occasionally from this tap, and I was trying to fill my cup from this tap, and I was getting frustrated because I couldn’t get enough to quench my thirst.
Looking at that picture, I felt rather silly.
Why would I turn to a rusty tap
When I stood under the waterfall of His love and grace?
Why do I seek crumbs from the table
When He anoints my head with oil at His banqueting spread?
Why do I lean on a reed that’s easily broken
When the Rock of Ages holds me by His mighty hand?
I think probably it is the lie that a human being is more tangible, and therefore what we receive from a human is more real.
What a terrible lie.
John, in exile on the island of Patmos encountered the Lord who would stoop to lift him up and reassure him. In his loneliness, he discovered the fullness of the reality of the Risen Lord Jesus Christ in a way that he probably could not have experienced in a prayer meeting.
Paul, left alone in the midst of his trial found that the Lord stood with him and encouraged him. It was in his loneliness that he discovered the fullness of the sufficiency of the Grace of God.
Is satan attacking you with this lie that there is no brother, sister of Christ to come alongside you, listen to your story, speak an encouraging word to you? Rebuke that lie.
God has not forgotten you, and will never abandon you. He is at work in the midst of your circumstances to work all things together for good. He is ALWAYS with you. His Spirit can speak to your heart as no human can.
His love, His grace comes down like a mighty lavish waterfall – richly, joyously – satisfying, refreshing, healing, strengthening, restoring, comforting…
Jesus still invites you to come to the waters and drink freely…
whoever drinks of the water that I will give him will never be thirsty again.
The water that I will give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.
John 4:14
Mind the gap.
We look at it
Measure it
Assess it
Don’t want to be swallowed by it
And yet, looking at the gap
Sucks us into it.
Mind the gap.
The distance between
What is
And what should be.
Baal-Peor
Lord of the Gap
Demands our worship
In tithes of discontentment
Resentment
And rage
But the gaps remain
Unfilled
Till One came
Laid down His life
Filled the greatest Gap of all
Gave us hope
That every valley will be exalted
Every mountain brought down
Every crooked place made straight
Every rough place made smooth
That we will see
True
Fraternity, Equality and Liberty
Established
May His kingdom come
His will be done
On earth as it is in heaven
“… O Sovereign Lord, holy and true,…“ Rev 6:10
Lord what do I say.
The words seem stuck somewhere in the depths of my heart.
I can feel thoughts bubbling and boiling in pictures that cannot be put into words. May there should be something like a Polaroid camera, taking snapshots of my thoughts, magically linking them to words, shaping them into sentences
Holy and true.
How can anyone begin to define,
squeeze
into a few pithy words the
awesomeness of all that You are.
Integrity:
no gap between your words, your actions, your motives.
Showing the same picture to all,
no different faces for different people.
All who come to you and seek you find you to be consistent, faithful, true.
Completely unlike any other we’ve ever known.
Not squeezable into any mould
Can’t be labelled and pigeon-holed
Constantly surprising and yet constantly consistent
Unceasingly working and yet completely at rest
Intangible, Invisible and yet Alpha Reality
Love unfeigned and unforced
Pure Light, no shadows
Wisdom clear and true
Immovable friend
Unwavering Defender of my cause
Supreme Emperor of the Universe
because truly the universe
and all that’s in it is Yours
King who should be obeyed without a question
yet, respecting us… giving us freedom to choose
You are complete in Yourself
And yet You seek us, Your people
To be the fullness of You who fills all in all!
Well, I never felt more like crying all night
‘Cause everything’s wrong
And nothing is right, ….
You got me singing the blues…
That’s some of the lines from Randy Travis’ song ‘I never felt more like singing the blues’.
Blues. The problem with ‘blues’ is that they colour everything and envelop everything in the deep dusk of despair. Shadows deepen and shapes distort, till everything seems monstrous and threatening. One feels alone, cut off and helpless.
Perfect setting for the Dark Whisperer to get busy, sowing doubts, fears, lies about self, God and others. Self-pity lovingly waters the poisonous seeds that have been sown. The Dark Whisperer smugly waits for the harvest of Bitterness and Despair to come forth.
I was reading Psalm 43 today morning. David has the blues and he has it bad. He feels surrounded and friendless, and as always he runs to God, His steadfast friend, for help.
Send out your light and your truth;
let them lead me;
let them bring me to your holy hill and to your dwelling!
Psa 43:3 ESV
Light splashes colour, ruining the blue monotones.
Truth cuts through the cobwebby fears.
Brooding monsters are mere trees
And haunted ruins, commonplace homes.
I’m not in vampirish Transylvania!
No! Just in mundane Suburbania!
The Dark Whisperer’s harvest is uprooted.
Worship and praise burst forth in triumph.
I enter the Holy of Holies,
And there at the foot of the Cross-
The ultimate altar of God,
I stand redeemed and made holy,
To sing for joy
To God who is my joy
And Whose joy is my strength.
Fount of every blessing
Desire of every heart
Light of Life
The Rock of Escape
The unbreachable fortress
The unscaleable wall of fire
Gives me His shield of victory
Sustains me with His right hand
Speaks truth to dispel all darkness
Instructs me with a glance from His eyes
Upholds me lest I fall
Carries me when I am weary
Rejoices over me with singing
Quiets me with His love.
Oh to Grace how great a debtor
Daily I’m constrained to be
And yet am set free by His love.
New mercies every morning
Download from His heart to mine
Joy unspeakable
Hope uncrushable
Love irresistible
Life indestructible
Peace illimitable
Rest unshakeable…
To him who loves us
and has freed us from our sins by his blood…
To the King of ages,
immortal,
invisible,
the only God,
be honor and glory forever and ever.
Amen.
Rev 1:6 & 1Tim 1:17 ESV
Thru God we shall do valiantly: for He it is that shall tread down our enemies. Ps 108:13
What is the temptation that stands before you? What is the lie that satan is whispering right now to weaken your resolve?
The Lord of the Open door has set before you an open door of escape out of temptation.
The Lord with the feet like burnished bronze stands with you to fight your battle for you. He shields you with Himself and gives you strength to stand.
The Lord with eyes like flames of fire sees through every scheme and strategy of satan. He sees into the innermost depths of your heart and sees how He may show Himself strong on your behalf.
The Lord of Truth cuts through every lie of the enemy.
Fistful of clay, Little Strength child of God, we depend not on the arm of flesh, but on the mighty arm of God, who has willed His truth to triumph through us.
Emmanuel
Agnus Dei
Son of God
Triumphant over death
Eternally alive
Returning for a Bride
Fear not,
I am the first and the last,
and the Living One.
I died,
and behold I am alive forevermore,
and I have the keys of Death and Hades.
Rev 1:17-18 ESV
Because I live,
you also will live.
John 14:19 ESV
Coals flowering red
pip dawn’s yet sleeping light
nets breaking with fish at a stranger’s command
pungent smoke
barbecued fish
broken bread
hungry men being fed by the Risen Lord.
Love gave Him eyes to see
their empty boats
heavy discouraged hearts
tired, weary bodies.
Love which knelt to wash their feet
now prepared a meal for them.
Love saw a need and reached out to fill it.
Pungent smoke
eyes meeting
memories stir of broken promises.
Do you love me? Do you love me? Do you love me?
Do you get what I am saying?
Simon, can you hear, really hear what I am saying?
I am not testing your love, do you get it that I love you? I trust you? Put your failures behind you.
Love me, love what I love: My lambikin and sheep.
If you love me, you will see with My eyes: their brokenness, their hunger, their pain
And your heart will melt with compassion
I know you love me Peter.
Are you willing to be bread that is broken in My hands?
Do you remember that moment when the multitudes were in the desert, hungry for food, yet driven by a deeper hunger for the Living Bread?
Do you remember how my heart was moved with compassion because they were like sheep without a shepherd? –
Sheep – Not knowing which road to take for green pastures, vulnerable to the preying wolves, wounded with no one to tend their wounds…
Mute, helpless, tossed in stormy seas, caught willy-nilly in the dragnet of schemes of men, helpless to resist the chain-tug of the evil slave master of sin…
Simon. Do you hear me? Do you really hear me? Does your heart leap in response? Do you rise to action?
Do you see my people? Really see them? Do you see how satan holds them captive to do his will, pulling them in like fish caught in a net?
I am placing in your hands the keys of the kingdom. I am calling you to go out in My name to be fishers of men.
Go, go in My Name to draw them out of the nets and the snares, the pits and the holes. Go to tell them of peace between God and man. Go, tell them that the price of their sins has been paid.
Sin has paid its wages of death, and I received it on their behalf, now I give to them freely the gift of eternal life. The veil is torn, the net is broken and the captives are free.
Love them as I love you.
See their need. Are you willing to lay down your life, step off the throne, give up your rights that they might find life?
Are you overcome by the knowledge of your weakness and your lack of love? Don’t despair. As you are I love you.
It shall be required of you according to what you have, not what you don’t have.
Remember I have promised you the Comforter and Teacher, He will supply your needs, and fill your areas of lack.
Remember you are my lambikin, tender, beloved of me. Now go with that heart to feed My lambikin, My sheep.
(This is an imagined monologue that I have put together from John 21: 1-17, Mark 6:34-44, Hab 1:13-15, 2 Tim 2:26, John 14-17 and many more verses…)
The Sovereign LORD has filled me with His Spirit.
He has chosen me and sent me
To bring good news to the poor,
To heal the broken-hearted,
To announce release to captives
And freedom to those in prison.
He has sent me to proclaim
That the time has come
When the LORD will save His people …
He has sent me to comfort all who mourn,
To give to those who mourn in Zion
Joy and gladness instead of grief,
A song of praise instead of sorrow.
They will be like trees
That the LORD Himself has planted.
They will all do what is right,
And God will be praised for what He has done.
Isa 61:1-3 GNB
speak peace always 