"I used to ask God to help me. Then I asked if I might
help Him. I ended up by asking Him to do His work
through me." ---Hudson Taylor
photo taken in Ledbury, England
Hudson Taylor
Wednesday, October 31, 2007
Hudson Taylor: Do Your Work Through Me
"I used to ask God to help me. Then I asked if I might
help Him. I ended up by asking Him to do His work
through me." ---Hudson Taylor
photo taken in Ledbury, England
Hudson Taylor
Saturday, October 27, 2007
"God Loves to Vindicate the Confidence of His Children" : The Legacy of George Mueller
What makes for extraordinary faith?
Having reached some sort of apex of disgust
and dissatisfaction with everything mediocre,
I have, of late, come before the Lord asking
Him to search me out and to instruct me as I
am loathe to go one step further in the land
of lukewarmness.
There is so much glib talk of faith, and
so much perversion of what faith is really
all about: a hundred fleshly traps trying
to lure us into a comprehension of faith that
is merely mental, or a hedonistic use of faith
which will only spend the spoils on our flesh.
What is the real thing?
Scripture tells us, "Without faith it
is impossible to please God" (Heb. 11:6)
so a lot is at stake.
I think faith hinges on a couple key
points: 1) that God exists, a good
God who loves us and wants to show
Himself to His children in His great
goodness.(Jer. 33:3, John 15:15). Faith
tells me I can lean my full weight into
Him without fear (Rom 10:11);
and that 2) He answers and rewards those
who earnestly seek and believe Him
(Hebrews 11:6).
If you listen to what is out there
being preached about faith and how
to work God like a slot machine, er, I
mean have it, it is so strongly
smelling of human flesh that I'm surprised
that God has not lost His temper. Really.
What I have often seen is that
characteristic human tendency to
try and avoid the hard work of
relationship and try to just
use faith to get "things." The
old "sneak in the back door and
steal the pie off the table" trick.
That might be ok for a dog, but
it is beneath our dignity and
calling as children of God.
When people talk about what they
are believing for, it often has a cold
tone to it, like the prize is what they
have their eyes on, and the prize
is a thing, however needed or wanted,
and not Jesus Himself. No wonder that
sounds a little cold, it IS cold.
Cold enough so that soon the prize
becomes "my precious": that elusive
desired object that will turn a man into
a golem, or worse.
Of course popular opinion sees no reason
why God should not answer my prayer just
like I want it answered, exactly on my
time schedule, only to satisfy my desires,
and with no perseverance on my part.
Of course.
How silly to think the true nature of
faith might be otherwise. We can have
"relationship" another time. Call me
next month, we can "do lunch" with God.
It makes my stomach churn.
But as with all things, I am
beginning to think we can also err too far
in the opposite direction. I tend
toward the "Abandon everything to
God" camp. That camp leans more toward
the notion that all we need is to do is
have faith in God's character and submit to
what comes.
The trick is keeping that truth
correctly on biblical course for
it can morph itself into a kind of
passive disdain for great leaps
of faith. "Abandon" can have
two aspects: abandoning all
rights to steer my own course,
control my destiny, or put myself
in the place of God. These are great
ways to abandon. Sitting around
waiting for Jesus to come and
letting others do the work
that God has called His Body to
do in the earth is not so much
the idea behind abandonment.
The trouble with abandonment,
or abandonment improperly
understood, is that it can
leave me inactive. Inactive enough to verge
on wasting my life and time. Inactive
enough for it not to be biblical faith,
or biblical abandonment, at all.
Abandonment should not make me paralyzingly
passive and reluctant or afraid
to press into God's best and highest
So how do I have an extraordinary
faith?
What I think God is after
is this: He wants us to watch and
wait and sit with Him for
a long time, day in and day out,
until we begin to know Him and
what He would want and what He
would do. (I assume the reason
that faith is one of the things that
will remain (cp. I Cor 13:13) is that
we could watch God for all
eternity and still not take Him
all in! There will still be plenty of room
for faith in eternity because there
will still be plenty of God to watch.
Yet, here and now we can begin to
know Him, just as we would
a spouse, or close friend, or
relative whom we have lived with
for a long time.
By sitting with Him we begin to know
Him, and know what He values, and how He
will respond. So, correspondingly, what
we ask for and how we ask for it also
develops along with that. So I can be
at a stage where I ask amiss for
everything, like a kid in a candy store,
or I can move to a place where I do not ask
for anything because I can't be sure if its
the "right" thing.
Both are errors.
Early in our faith walk, God
might answer us in broad sweeps,
just to let us know that He answers,
but as we go along, He refines
our faith (i.e. how we hold
our active beliefs toward God)
by making our faith more
precise (i.e. our prayers
do not get answered so quickly
because we have to "get the
math" right). Earlier we might
get by with 2x2=5, gee,
close enough, but God can't let
that go on and grow us up like
a good and proper Dad would.
It wouldn't be right for the
Architect of our faith letting
us try and build a house with
our times-tables all out of whack.
But back to passive and active faith.
This week, I saw this quote, in some
form or another, in several places.
It was referring to George Mueller,
the Englishman who believed God for
the modern day equivalent of more than
$150,000,000 to supply the needs of
untold orphans.
Here is the quote: "God loves to
vindicate the confidences of His
children." I like it tweeked a little
more to: "God loves to vindicate the
confidence His children have in Him."
It subtly puts the emphasis a little
more on how worthy He is, and a little
bit less on our confidence.
The truth is that He is worthy of
ALL our confidence. George Mueller
was able to believe that God wanted
to give him the resources to take
care of untold thousands of children
in need. What gave him that kind of
boldness? It was his confidence that the
care and compassion he had for
orphans came straight out God's
heart and was in line with God's
desire to help and bless untold
needy children!
I am sure that Mueller did not have
the faith to believe for that kind of
money all at once. He persevered
with God. He looked to God. What God
wanted came to him as he had relationship
with God day in and day out, in rainy
days and sunny days alike. He had to keep
believing for the needs that arose. It
wasn't a one time thing. A lot of difficult
things pressed against him, but he kept
believing in who God is and had confidence,
great confidence, that He provides.
God was more than pleased to vindicate
Mueller's confidence in Him. We have
to put ourselves out there and have
confidence in God. In order to do that
we have to spend time with Him, we
have to watch Him and listen to Him,
and most of all OBEY Him. None of this
is passive, it is actually quite
active: the active work of faith!
From this we see God act in our lives and our
confidence in Him grows. As our confidence
grows we will be emboldened to watch
our corner of the world through
God's eyes and begin to believe
that His kingdom will come on
the part of the earth that
God has given us to tend with Him.
What if our ground is full of rocks?
What if birds eat the seed sown?
What if weeds choke the Word He
plants? What if robbers sneak in
and steal my goods? What if rascals
beat me up and leave me for dead?
The world is full of "what if's",
but faith is full of this: BUT GOD!
We must have confidence
that He can and will overcome all that
opposes His work and His Kingdom. Jesus said,
"You have not because you ask not."
He also says, "If we, being evil, know how
to give good things to our children,
how much more will God give good things
to those who ask Him?" (Matthew 7:11).
George Mueller wanted to show forth that
God answered prayer just as He did in the
Bible. He did not think it depended on
him, neither did he think that it would
just happen without his intercession and
faith. He pressed into the burden that
God gave him and He believed God. He did
not say, "if God wills." He was not unsure.
He did not believe for gold-covered sinks
for himself, but for gold to feed the
children of God. Moreover, he believed
God because he had come to know God.
The question is this: How can I show
forth my confidence in the Lord?
What exploits does He want me to
ask Him to accomplish? What ground
does He want to take back from the
Enemy with me? Whose life does
He want to impact through me? What
of His Son does He want to reveal
through my life? How will knowing
Him change everything?
Some will have a thirty-fold confidence
in Him, some a sixty-fold confidence,
and some a hundred-fold confidence.
But let us have confidence!
Look around your world. Ask the Lord
to let you look through His eyes. See
what He wants to ransom! See who He
wants to show Himself strong to!
See where His eye is gazing and go
there with Him! Believe Him! Tell Him
how sure you are that He is who He
says He is and will accomplish all
that pertains to His purpose. Press in
to know that purpose! God loves to
vindicate the confidence
of His children.
Do not have faith for things that
will fade away, or for things that
arise from your flesh, or
for things that have no eternal
consequence. Have faith for those
things that make the Heart of God pound
hard in His strong Chest. Have faith in
HIM! He is a God who does great and good
exploits and calls you to participate with
Him in those exploits! You will not be
disappointed. God is looking to vindicate
the confidence of His children.
George Mueller
Having reached some sort of apex of disgust
and dissatisfaction with everything mediocre,
I have, of late, come before the Lord asking
Him to search me out and to instruct me as I
am loathe to go one step further in the land
of lukewarmness.
There is so much glib talk of faith, and
so much perversion of what faith is really
all about: a hundred fleshly traps trying
to lure us into a comprehension of faith that
is merely mental, or a hedonistic use of faith
which will only spend the spoils on our flesh.
What is the real thing?
Scripture tells us, "Without faith it
is impossible to please God" (Heb. 11:6)
so a lot is at stake.
I think faith hinges on a couple key
points: 1) that God exists, a good
God who loves us and wants to show
Himself to His children in His great
goodness.(Jer. 33:3, John 15:15). Faith
tells me I can lean my full weight into
Him without fear (Rom 10:11);
and that 2) He answers and rewards those
who earnestly seek and believe Him
(Hebrews 11:6).
If you listen to what is out there
being preached about faith and how
to work God like a slot machine, er, I
mean have it, it is so strongly
smelling of human flesh that I'm surprised
that God has not lost His temper. Really.
What I have often seen is that
characteristic human tendency to
try and avoid the hard work of
relationship and try to just
use faith to get "things." The
old "sneak in the back door and
steal the pie off the table" trick.
That might be ok for a dog, but
it is beneath our dignity and
calling as children of God.
When people talk about what they
are believing for, it often has a cold
tone to it, like the prize is what they
have their eyes on, and the prize
is a thing, however needed or wanted,
and not Jesus Himself. No wonder that
sounds a little cold, it IS cold.
Cold enough so that soon the prize
becomes "my precious": that elusive
desired object that will turn a man into
a golem, or worse.
Of course popular opinion sees no reason
why God should not answer my prayer just
like I want it answered, exactly on my
time schedule, only to satisfy my desires,
and with no perseverance on my part.
Of course.
How silly to think the true nature of
faith might be otherwise. We can have
"relationship" another time. Call me
next month, we can "do lunch" with God.
It makes my stomach churn.
But as with all things, I am
beginning to think we can also err too far
in the opposite direction. I tend
toward the "Abandon everything to
God" camp. That camp leans more toward
the notion that all we need is to do is
have faith in God's character and submit to
what comes.
The trick is keeping that truth
correctly on biblical course for
it can morph itself into a kind of
passive disdain for great leaps
of faith. "Abandon" can have
two aspects: abandoning all
rights to steer my own course,
control my destiny, or put myself
in the place of God. These are great
ways to abandon. Sitting around
waiting for Jesus to come and
letting others do the work
that God has called His Body to
do in the earth is not so much
the idea behind abandonment.
The trouble with abandonment,
or abandonment improperly
understood, is that it can
leave me inactive. Inactive enough to verge
on wasting my life and time. Inactive
enough for it not to be biblical faith,
or biblical abandonment, at all.
Abandonment should not make me paralyzingly
passive and reluctant or afraid
to press into God's best and highest
So how do I have an extraordinary
faith?
What I think God is after
is this: He wants us to watch and
wait and sit with Him for
a long time, day in and day out,
until we begin to know Him and
what He would want and what He
would do. (I assume the reason
that faith is one of the things that
will remain (cp. I Cor 13:13) is that
we could watch God for all
eternity and still not take Him
all in! There will still be plenty of room
for faith in eternity because there
will still be plenty of God to watch.
Yet, here and now we can begin to
know Him, just as we would
a spouse, or close friend, or
relative whom we have lived with
for a long time.
By sitting with Him we begin to know
Him, and know what He values, and how He
will respond. So, correspondingly, what
we ask for and how we ask for it also
develops along with that. So I can be
at a stage where I ask amiss for
everything, like a kid in a candy store,
or I can move to a place where I do not ask
for anything because I can't be sure if its
the "right" thing.
Both are errors.
Early in our faith walk, God
might answer us in broad sweeps,
just to let us know that He answers,
but as we go along, He refines
our faith (i.e. how we hold
our active beliefs toward God)
by making our faith more
precise (i.e. our prayers
do not get answered so quickly
because we have to "get the
math" right). Earlier we might
get by with 2x2=5, gee,
close enough, but God can't let
that go on and grow us up like
a good and proper Dad would.
It wouldn't be right for the
Architect of our faith letting
us try and build a house with
our times-tables all out of whack.
But back to passive and active faith.
This week, I saw this quote, in some
form or another, in several places.
It was referring to George Mueller,
the Englishman who believed God for
the modern day equivalent of more than
$150,000,000 to supply the needs of
untold orphans.
Here is the quote: "God loves to
vindicate the confidences of His
children." I like it tweeked a little
more to: "God loves to vindicate the
confidence His children have in Him."
It subtly puts the emphasis a little
more on how worthy He is, and a little
bit less on our confidence.
The truth is that He is worthy of
ALL our confidence. George Mueller
was able to believe that God wanted
to give him the resources to take
care of untold thousands of children
in need. What gave him that kind of
boldness? It was his confidence that the
care and compassion he had for
orphans came straight out God's
heart and was in line with God's
desire to help and bless untold
needy children!
I am sure that Mueller did not have
the faith to believe for that kind of
money all at once. He persevered
with God. He looked to God. What God
wanted came to him as he had relationship
with God day in and day out, in rainy
days and sunny days alike. He had to keep
believing for the needs that arose. It
wasn't a one time thing. A lot of difficult
things pressed against him, but he kept
believing in who God is and had confidence,
great confidence, that He provides.
God was more than pleased to vindicate
Mueller's confidence in Him. We have
to put ourselves out there and have
confidence in God. In order to do that
we have to spend time with Him, we
have to watch Him and listen to Him,
and most of all OBEY Him. None of this
is passive, it is actually quite
active: the active work of faith!
From this we see God act in our lives and our
confidence in Him grows. As our confidence
grows we will be emboldened to watch
our corner of the world through
God's eyes and begin to believe
that His kingdom will come on
the part of the earth that
God has given us to tend with Him.
What if our ground is full of rocks?
What if birds eat the seed sown?
What if weeds choke the Word He
plants? What if robbers sneak in
and steal my goods? What if rascals
beat me up and leave me for dead?
The world is full of "what if's",
but faith is full of this: BUT GOD!
We must have confidence
that He can and will overcome all that
opposes His work and His Kingdom. Jesus said,
"You have not because you ask not."
He also says, "If we, being evil, know how
to give good things to our children,
how much more will God give good things
to those who ask Him?" (Matthew 7:11).
George Mueller wanted to show forth that
God answered prayer just as He did in the
Bible. He did not think it depended on
him, neither did he think that it would
just happen without his intercession and
faith. He pressed into the burden that
God gave him and He believed God. He did
not say, "if God wills." He was not unsure.
He did not believe for gold-covered sinks
for himself, but for gold to feed the
children of God. Moreover, he believed
God because he had come to know God.
The question is this: How can I show
forth my confidence in the Lord?
What exploits does He want me to
ask Him to accomplish? What ground
does He want to take back from the
Enemy with me? Whose life does
He want to impact through me? What
of His Son does He want to reveal
through my life? How will knowing
Him change everything?
Some will have a thirty-fold confidence
in Him, some a sixty-fold confidence,
and some a hundred-fold confidence.
But let us have confidence!
Look around your world. Ask the Lord
to let you look through His eyes. See
what He wants to ransom! See who He
wants to show Himself strong to!
See where His eye is gazing and go
there with Him! Believe Him! Tell Him
how sure you are that He is who He
says He is and will accomplish all
that pertains to His purpose. Press in
to know that purpose! God loves to
vindicate the confidence
of His children.
Do not have faith for things that
will fade away, or for things that
arise from your flesh, or
for things that have no eternal
consequence. Have faith for those
things that make the Heart of God pound
hard in His strong Chest. Have faith in
HIM! He is a God who does great and good
exploits and calls you to participate with
Him in those exploits! You will not be
disappointed. God is looking to vindicate
the confidence of His children.
George Mueller
George Mueller on Faith
"To learn strong faith is
to endure great trials.
I have learned my faith by
standing firm amid severe testings."
(George Mueller)
photo taken in Ledbury, England
George Mueller
Wednesday, October 24, 2007
Because of Love
It is as if,
You have just opened my eyes,
given me sight,
awakened my heart,
because of Love.
It is though I see,
suddenly You are all around,
there is no-where that You cannot go,
no place where I can slip from Your grasp,
because of Love.
It is as if, I can finally rest
at the bottom of the boat,
amidst life's wildest storms,
asleep in peace,
because of Love.
I have listened to a thousand
mad hatters, speaking tirades
of nonsense, but suddenly
I hear Your Voice alone,
singing deep within my heart,
because of Love.
I meet You behind and before.
I meet You above and below.
Inseparable Union: i in You.
And You in me.
In Christ! O glorious thought!
Because of Love!
Your chosen are
safer than we know.
You have hidden
Your Own so deeply within Yourself,
so far from any real harm, that
though we think ourselves lost,
we could not find our way
out of You:
because of Love!
O Joy, complete...
Because of Love!
O Storms of Life, is it not
you that drive me to seek a
shelter in the
Everlasting Arms,
there to lay against the
bosom of My Lord?
He sends those storms,
Because of Love.
O Wounding Pain, is it not
you that cause me to know
that from my God I am never
separated? He lets me
taste your depths,
because of love.
O Christ of God,
is it not You that wrestle
with me until dawn,
urging me to let go
of all the smallness
of heart and mind
that has ruled me?
You put my natural strength
out of joint,
because of Love.
You are hidden, deep within,
a Heavenly Gyroscope,
every upright in Your position,
deliberately disorienting
my natural bearings so
that You can take
greater pleasure in
plunging me deeper and
further into
Your boundless depths;
I place my certain wager
on Your endless Goodness,
because of Love.
No matter into what
depths I descend,
even doubting that
You can still retrieve me,
You always pull me
back to Your
very Heart,
because of Love.
How could those who
have loved You most,
known You best,
die joyfully as
martyrs, but
because of Love?
Because of Love,
I begin to see all this,
revealed to the
eyes of my heart.
O Immeasurable Love,
this I surely know,
In You I am held
closer than a child
is held
by its Mother.
I peek out of the
warm blanket of
Love you have wrapped
me in, united with You,
because of Love.
It is not that the
world is not the scene
of a great and tragic Fall.
It is.
It is not about wishing that pain
will never touch me.
It shall.
It is just a matter
of knowing
how eternally safe
You keep me,
Because of Love.
Because of Love,
I look to You.
Because of Love,
You hold me.
And I love you,
Because of Love.
God's love
safety in God
You have just opened my eyes,
given me sight,
awakened my heart,
because of Love.
It is though I see,
suddenly You are all around,
there is no-where that You cannot go,
no place where I can slip from Your grasp,
because of Love.
It is as if, I can finally rest
at the bottom of the boat,
amidst life's wildest storms,
asleep in peace,
because of Love.
I have listened to a thousand
mad hatters, speaking tirades
of nonsense, but suddenly
I hear Your Voice alone,
singing deep within my heart,
because of Love.
I meet You behind and before.
I meet You above and below.
Inseparable Union: i in You.
And You in me.
In Christ! O glorious thought!
Because of Love!
Your chosen are
safer than we know.
You have hidden
Your Own so deeply within Yourself,
so far from any real harm, that
though we think ourselves lost,
we could not find our way
out of You:
because of Love!
O Joy, complete...
Because of Love!
O Storms of Life, is it not
you that drive me to seek a
shelter in the
Everlasting Arms,
there to lay against the
bosom of My Lord?
He sends those storms,
Because of Love.
O Wounding Pain, is it not
you that cause me to know
that from my God I am never
separated? He lets me
taste your depths,
because of love.
O Christ of God,
is it not You that wrestle
with me until dawn,
urging me to let go
of all the smallness
of heart and mind
that has ruled me?
You put my natural strength
out of joint,
because of Love.
You are hidden, deep within,
a Heavenly Gyroscope,
every upright in Your position,
deliberately disorienting
my natural bearings so
that You can take
greater pleasure in
plunging me deeper and
further into
Your boundless depths;
I place my certain wager
on Your endless Goodness,
because of Love.
No matter into what
depths I descend,
even doubting that
You can still retrieve me,
You always pull me
back to Your
very Heart,
because of Love.
How could those who
have loved You most,
known You best,
die joyfully as
martyrs, but
because of Love?
Because of Love,
I begin to see all this,
revealed to the
eyes of my heart.
O Immeasurable Love,
this I surely know,
In You I am held
closer than a child
is held
by its Mother.
I peek out of the
warm blanket of
Love you have wrapped
me in, united with You,
because of Love.
It is not that the
world is not the scene
of a great and tragic Fall.
It is.
It is not about wishing that pain
will never touch me.
It shall.
It is just a matter
of knowing
how eternally safe
You keep me,
Because of Love.
Because of Love,
I look to You.
Because of Love,
You hold me.
And I love you,
Because of Love.
God's love
safety in God
Can't Wait to See God!
If the mercy of God is so great
that He can instruct us, to our salvation,
even when He hides Himself, what a
brilliance of light we must expect
when He reveals Himself!
... Blaise Pascal, Pensées
photo taken in Colorado Springs, Colorado!
Pascal
Colorado Springs
the glory of God
Saturday, October 20, 2007
Following the Lamb
“He who follows the Lamb cannot
expect to be understood by all.
There are ways in which the
believer must walk alone with
his God.” ~G. Steinberger~
photo taken in Colorado Springs, Colorado
abandonment to God
Colorado Springs
Monday, October 15, 2007
A Chance to Love
I went out for a walk with the smallest
dog and enjoyed the beauty of the fall
evening: looked into people's houses
as they cooked dinner, watched tv,
went about their lives. I always
wonder what another's heart feels like.
What is all this? All that presents itself
as life, if not just a curiously wrapped
chance to love? No doubt our God who is
love made the world simply to love it.
Simply to have and to hold, to have a
place to put His love, and a chance to
have even the smallest slice of it be
given back to Him in return.
For all the times I don't understand why God
made the world, tonight I feel I might:
a mighty Love compelled Him to create
something to bask in His love.
We have a God who seems to have one answer
to every question: Love! We have a God
who seems to not offer any other options
when we come to Him with our questions: Love!
We have a God who seems to think that
Love is unconquerable and headed for sure
victory. Love? Love! Love! Love!
I stand under the waterfall of Love and feel
it pound against me. It seems more an external
force, pounding against my skin, pounding against
the big ball of all that is not love that
lives under my skin. My heart knows Love,
but does not. My mind knows Love, but does
not. I hope in Love, and do not. I trust in
Love and mistrust its abilities. I wait for
Love, and don't know if it is here to stay, or
has just sprinkled itself like rose petals
strewn at a wedding, a one night stand rushing
past us mere mortals to somewhere else.
And yet, there is a Love within, a buoyant
strong Love, a Love that sustains bullishly,
a Love that rises up fiercely, a Love
that will not let me go. That Love
is Love indeed, closer than a brother,
stronger than a mountain.
A love so close I might not see the Love forest
for the trees of bewilderment, pain, and
human distraction unless I choose to
look or unless Love comes rolling
into to my living room unannounced.
It does that sometimes. I heard from
a friend today and she was laying
down in the middle of a thunderstorm
and looked up to see a giant blue
ball of power and light suspended
in the room. Yikes! Love can roll
in like that when it wants to make
a statement. Fortunately for my friend,
it was only her tv that got fried.
I grew up amidst the Jesus People, singing,
"Love, Love, Love, Love, Christians this
is your call, love your neighbor as your
self for God loves us all. Love, Love,
Love, Love, the gospel in a word is Love."
Who knew what that really meant? But
it grabbed ahold of something inside of me
and has never let me go. Past all
my constraints, love has backed me into
a corner. No matter how I phrase my
questions, SomeOne answers "Love."
No matter what argument I put up, no
matter how weak I feel, how desperately
I push other buttons, only one message
is printed on the receipt: "Love"
Today, this very minute, each and every
minute, you and I have a chance to love.
Along the path of today I looked squarely
into people's faces, most were lost in
their own worlds. One person felt me
really looking as I walked past, she
glanced up quickly and her face was
full of life. She smiled at me. It
helped my soul. It was a chance she took
to love. I smiled back and we both
"got it."
A little boy sitting in his stroller,
kept looking at me. I smiled at him,
prayed for his young life, it was my
chance to love. I kept my heart open
when I would rather have shut it today,
a chance to love. I hoped in God when
I felt unsure, another chance.
I made the phone call, made several,
when I felt the need to be called
instead of call: love, love, love
love, Christians this is your call.
I prayed for all the people whose
prayer requests came suddenly to
mind like a flock of gulls descending:
God's call to love.
All these things I say not to
bring attention to me, but to
remind me, remind us, of how often we
have a chance to love, and how fleeting
some of those chances are. Oh, and
Dear God, I forgot the man at the
paint store, he seemed sad, please
take care of his situation, known
only to You.
I know I missed a few chances to love
today, but I will be looking again
tomorrow. I hope you will be
looking, too. Life is made up of
moments, it is the small choices
that may count more than the big
ones when it is all added up.
Take your chance to love, and
love heartily, love unreservedly,
love as God loves us. Love
in broad daylight or love
like a UPS man on Christmas
Eve: leave the love package
on the doorstep, ring the
bell, and run. Love does not
need to be promoted. It just needs
to be delivered. It will find its
mark. Leave it to God. God's love
will take us to a place where
we have never been, and that place
will be very, very good.
Where there is no love,
pour love in, and you
you will draw out love
--John of the Cross.
love
John of the Cross
the love of God
dog and enjoyed the beauty of the fall
evening: looked into people's houses
as they cooked dinner, watched tv,
went about their lives. I always
wonder what another's heart feels like.
What is all this? All that presents itself
as life, if not just a curiously wrapped
chance to love? No doubt our God who is
love made the world simply to love it.
Simply to have and to hold, to have a
place to put His love, and a chance to
have even the smallest slice of it be
given back to Him in return.
For all the times I don't understand why God
made the world, tonight I feel I might:
a mighty Love compelled Him to create
something to bask in His love.
We have a God who seems to have one answer
to every question: Love! We have a God
who seems to not offer any other options
when we come to Him with our questions: Love!
We have a God who seems to think that
Love is unconquerable and headed for sure
victory. Love? Love! Love! Love!
I stand under the waterfall of Love and feel
it pound against me. It seems more an external
force, pounding against my skin, pounding against
the big ball of all that is not love that
lives under my skin. My heart knows Love,
but does not. My mind knows Love, but does
not. I hope in Love, and do not. I trust in
Love and mistrust its abilities. I wait for
Love, and don't know if it is here to stay, or
has just sprinkled itself like rose petals
strewn at a wedding, a one night stand rushing
past us mere mortals to somewhere else.
And yet, there is a Love within, a buoyant
strong Love, a Love that sustains bullishly,
a Love that rises up fiercely, a Love
that will not let me go. That Love
is Love indeed, closer than a brother,
stronger than a mountain.
A love so close I might not see the Love forest
for the trees of bewilderment, pain, and
human distraction unless I choose to
look or unless Love comes rolling
into to my living room unannounced.
It does that sometimes. I heard from
a friend today and she was laying
down in the middle of a thunderstorm
and looked up to see a giant blue
ball of power and light suspended
in the room. Yikes! Love can roll
in like that when it wants to make
a statement. Fortunately for my friend,
it was only her tv that got fried.
I grew up amidst the Jesus People, singing,
"Love, Love, Love, Love, Christians this
is your call, love your neighbor as your
self for God loves us all. Love, Love,
Love, Love, the gospel in a word is Love."
Who knew what that really meant? But
it grabbed ahold of something inside of me
and has never let me go. Past all
my constraints, love has backed me into
a corner. No matter how I phrase my
questions, SomeOne answers "Love."
No matter what argument I put up, no
matter how weak I feel, how desperately
I push other buttons, only one message
is printed on the receipt: "Love"
Today, this very minute, each and every
minute, you and I have a chance to love.
Along the path of today I looked squarely
into people's faces, most were lost in
their own worlds. One person felt me
really looking as I walked past, she
glanced up quickly and her face was
full of life. She smiled at me. It
helped my soul. It was a chance she took
to love. I smiled back and we both
"got it."
A little boy sitting in his stroller,
kept looking at me. I smiled at him,
prayed for his young life, it was my
chance to love. I kept my heart open
when I would rather have shut it today,
a chance to love. I hoped in God when
I felt unsure, another chance.
I made the phone call, made several,
when I felt the need to be called
instead of call: love, love, love
love, Christians this is your call.
I prayed for all the people whose
prayer requests came suddenly to
mind like a flock of gulls descending:
God's call to love.
All these things I say not to
bring attention to me, but to
remind me, remind us, of how often we
have a chance to love, and how fleeting
some of those chances are. Oh, and
Dear God, I forgot the man at the
paint store, he seemed sad, please
take care of his situation, known
only to You.
I know I missed a few chances to love
today, but I will be looking again
tomorrow. I hope you will be
looking, too. Life is made up of
moments, it is the small choices
that may count more than the big
ones when it is all added up.
Take your chance to love, and
love heartily, love unreservedly,
love as God loves us. Love
in broad daylight or love
like a UPS man on Christmas
Eve: leave the love package
on the doorstep, ring the
bell, and run. Love does not
need to be promoted. It just needs
to be delivered. It will find its
mark. Leave it to God. God's love
will take us to a place where
we have never been, and that place
will be very, very good.
Where there is no love,
pour love in, and you
you will draw out love
--John of the Cross.
love
John of the Cross
the love of God
Saturday, October 13, 2007
Are You in Love With Jesus?
The question is not: How many people take
you seriously? How much are you going to
accomplish? Can you show some results?
but: Are you in love with Jesus?
... Henri J. M. Nouwen
photo taken in Florissant, Colorado
Henri Nouwen
love of God
Florissant, Colorado
Thursday, October 11, 2007
The Certainty of A Heart Abandoned to God
Let's face it. Most of us have days when
life's uncertainties press against us
and cause us to feel unrest.
Let's face it some more. We have little
to no idea what will happen next. And
amidst this uncertainty we, as Christians
with good intentions, seem to be
ubiquitously searching for what can
feel like the elusive will of God.
Is this Your will? Is that Your will?
The Moslems simply say "Imshah Allah"
(if God wills) and shrug. Who can
really know or fight against what
God will do? But we, as Christians,
need not be so resigned: we can know
God, and we can see the path we need
to take, even if we be fools (Is.35:8)
A few nights ago, in the midst of
an uncertain time, the Lord spoke to me
about the nature of certainty.
"Certainty," He said, "does not come
from successfully discerning
My will with regard to what
course of action to take."
"Certainty is the spiritual resting
state of a heart abandoned into
the good hands of God."
In this place we are not certain
about a date or a time, or a course
of action, we are certain of our
being held and kept by God. It is
in an inner certainty not connected
to circumstance or plan.
What are the components of this
abandonment?
Abandonment to God does not produce
uncertainty. I think we fear that
if we abandon ourselves to God
we will live constantly in a
state of uncertainty and confusion:
a continual fog of bewilderment.
When Abraham went out, "not knowing
where he was going," he was not
confused. He did not know where
he was going, but he was not
uncertain. His eye was
fixed on God, and his faith
apprehended and trusted Him.
It did not ultimately matter
where he was being led:
he was abandoned to a good God
who was leading him and that
was all that mattered.
But how can we know that
once we have, in our estimation
thrown caution to the wind, that
we are being led by God and not
by our own waywardness?
The answer is through a pure heart
and by obedience. We can have
a certainty in our Father, not
the self-assuredness of fools,
but the clear-eyed vision of the
pure in heart. Jesus tells us
the pure in heart "shall see God."
Nothing muddies their vision,
all the debris is cleared away,
there are no mixed motives, or
agendas, but a unified gaze
upon the fullness of God.
That is certainty. If the heart
is not polluted, the eye can see
clearly, and knows where to step.
Even a fool cannot miss it!
Following this way of obedience
and purity is a road that
leads to holiness. The road will
move you along toward where you
need to be.
Abandonment to God is not a mindless
stagnation. We need not fear
sitting and waiting even when we
need to sit and wait. For in
God there is never inaction.
There is active action when we
are busy doing our Father's outward
business, and there is inward
action, even found in silence,
when God is working deep in the
depths of our spirit.
The world values doubt. It seems
childish to have a faith that
rests in an invisible God.
The world values uncertainty:
to be certain seems naive or
unlearned, it is fashionable
to doubt. The certainty of
faith is something that the
world cannot know or even
fathom, therefore it cannot
know its value.
When we understand that a pure
heart leads us to a certainty
in God, we will value it and
cultivate it all the more. Purity
of heart is the condition,
even the eye, by which we see
and know. When our heart is not
polluted, our eyes can see clearly.
The proverbial log in our eye
that Jesus speaks of does not
come from a tree falling on
our head, it comes from
sin in our hearts. In the
opthamalic field there is
a test called a "visual
field" test. Light is
systematically flashed
over the field of your
vision to see where you
have blind spots and
vision loss.
What of our spiritual
vision? What causes our
sure gaze of God to become
dimmed? For when we lose sight
of Him, I can guarantee you
that uncertainty will immediately
invade.
We must guard our hearts, we
must come to God daily asking
Him if there is anything that
is clouding our vision. And
then we must obey what He tells
us. It is no good to go to
the repair shop and find out
what is wrong with your car
if you are not willing to
have it repaired.
How was Jesus so certain? How
did He know just what to say to
people? How did He discern the
thoughts, needs and intents of
their hearts? He could see things
for what they were because His
own heart was pure. He could
speak with certainty because
He could see things in the clear
light of God. In one moment
He is kind to outcasts, in the
next He is dismantling a whole
religious system that had set
itself up against God. How was
He so sure? The certainty that
comes from a pure heart of
obedience was at work in Him.
There are two verses that come
to mind: "He that comes to God
must believe that He is and is
a rewarder of them that diligently
seek Him" (Rom. 1:17). Here is a key to
abandonment: believe that God
exists, and that He rewards those
that seek Him. Here is your first
lesson in certainty: throw
yourself upon Him, believe
that He hears and answers.
The second verse is this: "I know in
whom I have believed and am persuaded
that He is able to keep that which
I have committed to Him until that day"
(2 Tim. 1:12).
You will never be certain through a
mental process, it must be a heart
process of faith, stemming from
a pure and obedient heart.
Believe that He is able to keep you.
Do not be afraid to start the process.
or continue the process, even when
you know that both your purity and
your faith need work. Faith puts
its confidence not in its own
ability or prowess, but in the One
to whom it looks.
In these uncertain days, a sure
certainty of the faithfulness of
God to lead and keep you, can be
a most precious gift. Do not
fail to avail yourself of it!
assurance
abandonment to God
life's uncertainties press against us
and cause us to feel unrest.
Let's face it some more. We have little
to no idea what will happen next. And
amidst this uncertainty we, as Christians
with good intentions, seem to be
ubiquitously searching for what can
feel like the elusive will of God.
Is this Your will? Is that Your will?
The Moslems simply say "Imshah Allah"
(if God wills) and shrug. Who can
really know or fight against what
God will do? But we, as Christians,
need not be so resigned: we can know
God, and we can see the path we need
to take, even if we be fools (Is.35:8)
A few nights ago, in the midst of
an uncertain time, the Lord spoke to me
about the nature of certainty.
"Certainty," He said, "does not come
from successfully discerning
My will with regard to what
course of action to take."
"Certainty is the spiritual resting
state of a heart abandoned into
the good hands of God."
In this place we are not certain
about a date or a time, or a course
of action, we are certain of our
being held and kept by God. It is
in an inner certainty not connected
to circumstance or plan.
What are the components of this
abandonment?
Abandonment to God does not produce
uncertainty. I think we fear that
if we abandon ourselves to God
we will live constantly in a
state of uncertainty and confusion:
a continual fog of bewilderment.
When Abraham went out, "not knowing
where he was going," he was not
confused. He did not know where
he was going, but he was not
uncertain. His eye was
fixed on God, and his faith
apprehended and trusted Him.
It did not ultimately matter
where he was being led:
he was abandoned to a good God
who was leading him and that
was all that mattered.
But how can we know that
once we have, in our estimation
thrown caution to the wind, that
we are being led by God and not
by our own waywardness?
The answer is through a pure heart
and by obedience. We can have
a certainty in our Father, not
the self-assuredness of fools,
but the clear-eyed vision of the
pure in heart. Jesus tells us
the pure in heart "shall see God."
Nothing muddies their vision,
all the debris is cleared away,
there are no mixed motives, or
agendas, but a unified gaze
upon the fullness of God.
That is certainty. If the heart
is not polluted, the eye can see
clearly, and knows where to step.
Even a fool cannot miss it!
Following this way of obedience
and purity is a road that
leads to holiness. The road will
move you along toward where you
need to be.
Abandonment to God is not a mindless
stagnation. We need not fear
sitting and waiting even when we
need to sit and wait. For in
God there is never inaction.
There is active action when we
are busy doing our Father's outward
business, and there is inward
action, even found in silence,
when God is working deep in the
depths of our spirit.
The world values doubt. It seems
childish to have a faith that
rests in an invisible God.
The world values uncertainty:
to be certain seems naive or
unlearned, it is fashionable
to doubt. The certainty of
faith is something that the
world cannot know or even
fathom, therefore it cannot
know its value.
When we understand that a pure
heart leads us to a certainty
in God, we will value it and
cultivate it all the more. Purity
of heart is the condition,
even the eye, by which we see
and know. When our heart is not
polluted, our eyes can see clearly.
The proverbial log in our eye
that Jesus speaks of does not
come from a tree falling on
our head, it comes from
sin in our hearts. In the
opthamalic field there is
a test called a "visual
field" test. Light is
systematically flashed
over the field of your
vision to see where you
have blind spots and
vision loss.
What of our spiritual
vision? What causes our
sure gaze of God to become
dimmed? For when we lose sight
of Him, I can guarantee you
that uncertainty will immediately
invade.
We must guard our hearts, we
must come to God daily asking
Him if there is anything that
is clouding our vision. And
then we must obey what He tells
us. It is no good to go to
the repair shop and find out
what is wrong with your car
if you are not willing to
have it repaired.
How was Jesus so certain? How
did He know just what to say to
people? How did He discern the
thoughts, needs and intents of
their hearts? He could see things
for what they were because His
own heart was pure. He could
speak with certainty because
He could see things in the clear
light of God. In one moment
He is kind to outcasts, in the
next He is dismantling a whole
religious system that had set
itself up against God. How was
He so sure? The certainty that
comes from a pure heart of
obedience was at work in Him.
There are two verses that come
to mind: "He that comes to God
must believe that He is and is
a rewarder of them that diligently
seek Him" (Rom. 1:17). Here is a key to
abandonment: believe that God
exists, and that He rewards those
that seek Him. Here is your first
lesson in certainty: throw
yourself upon Him, believe
that He hears and answers.
The second verse is this: "I know in
whom I have believed and am persuaded
that He is able to keep that which
I have committed to Him until that day"
(2 Tim. 1:12).
You will never be certain through a
mental process, it must be a heart
process of faith, stemming from
a pure and obedient heart.
Believe that He is able to keep you.
Do not be afraid to start the process.
or continue the process, even when
you know that both your purity and
your faith need work. Faith puts
its confidence not in its own
ability or prowess, but in the One
to whom it looks.
In these uncertain days, a sure
certainty of the faithfulness of
God to lead and keep you, can be
a most precious gift. Do not
fail to avail yourself of it!
assurance
abandonment to God
Tuesday, October 09, 2007
I Put My Hope In God
You may also make the mistake of thinking
that you will be better able to bear
your trials if God will only grant
you inward consolations.
Remember that God knows what is best
for us...If we go astray at the beginning
and want the Lord to do OUR will and
lead us as our desires dictate, how
can we build on a firm foundation?
--Theresa of Avila
photo taken in a neighborhood in Colorado Springs,
what a sweet work of art!
Theresa of Avila
inner consolations
abandonment to God
Colorado Springs
hope
God's will
Thursday, October 04, 2007
Called to Adore: the Beauty of Adoration
Called to Adore: the Beauty of Adoration
One of my favorite Christmas carols
is “O Holy Night.” I love the lyrics
“fall on your knees, O hear the angel’s
voices, O night divine, O night, when
Christ was born.” Last Christmas I
wanted to put this song on my blog so
I listened to all the versions of it
available on-line. Pavaratti’s verson
was magnificent. Another’s version was
homey. Still another version was inspiring,
and another’s sweet. But none captured what
I was looking for: one full of adoration.
Adoration like the magi might have had, or
Mary looking down at her new-born Baby.
Adoration at seeing the Heavenly Son of
God take on the humility of human flesh
and come to earth.
Adoration is a holy word, or should be.
One set aside for God alone. There are
two great passages of adoration that come
immediately to mind : one a microcosm, one
a macrocosm.
The macrocosm of adoration is this :
“After this I beheld, and, lo, a great
multitude, which no man could number, of
all nations, and kindreds, and people,
and tongues, stood before the throne,
and before the Lamb, clothed with white
robes, and palms in their hands; 10 And
cried with a loud voice, saying, Salvation
to our God which sitteth upon the throne,
and unto the Lamb. 11 And all the angels
stood round about the throne, and about
the elders and the four beasts, and fell
before the throne on their faces, and
worshipped God, 12 Saying, Amen: Blessing,
and glory, and wisdom, and thanksgiving,
and honour, and power, and might, be unto
our God for ever and ever. Amen. (Revelation 7: 9-12).
Here are angels, mankind, elders and beasts
adoring God together. Here is the adoration’s
destiny and completeness!
The microcosm of adoration is this:
And she stood at his feet behind him weeping,
and began to wash his feet with tears, and did
wipe them with the hairs of her head, and kissed
his feet, and anointed them with the ointment
(Luke 7:38).
A simple definition of “adoration” is telling
God much how much we love Him. But that
“telling” is not really about words, it is
an inward action of the heart toward God:
a noticing and a heartfelt, heartful
acknowledgement of something that we inwardly
and gratefully experience of God’s nature and
character. It is not just a compliment
thrown in God’s direction or a little “thank you”
but it is something that opens our
heart and causes it to flow unreservedly toward God.
In the woman’s case in Luke’s gospel, tears flowed
out bringing forth the adoration that was in her
heart. It was not just the outward act that was
the adoration; it was an inward opening of heart
that caused the outward act to
have its power.
In true adoration inward feeling seeks expression
in outward manifestation, thus, when one truly
adores God, it may often lead to raising one hands,
falling on one knees, bowing, prostrating oneself,
and other offered acts of love born out of praise
for God’s good nature and bounty toward
the sons and daughters of men. Adoration is a
self-abasement before our Good, Holy, and
Incomparable God. It acknowledges happily:
“There is no-one like Him!” What can we do
but fall down and adore?
Jesus said, “They that worship the Father must
worship Him in Spirit and in truth” (John 4:24)
and the first commandment implores us to Love
(adore) God, with all our mind, soul and
strength (Deut 6: 5). Adoration is spiritual,
it is true, it is wholehearted and whole-bodied.
It is something like an inward hill melting like
wax at the Presence of the Lord. It is not something
that can be faked, but it is something that can be
cultivated.
How can shall we then cultivate it ?
The first thing we can do is bring ourselves to
an inward awareness of our Lord.
Our thoughts are often distracted, but if we take
a few deep breaths and inwardly put our
attention upon Christ, we will soon be aware
of His absolute beauty and loveliness.
Even if we feel distracted we can call out to Him
gently, “Lord Jesus, I adore all that You are!”
The Lord loves His children to express their love
and adoration to Him. He loves to love them back!
Perhaps we can use a bit of scripture to help us
adore Him:
“Ps 84:2 My soul longed and even yearned for
the courts of the Lord; My heart and my flesh
sing for joy to the living God.”
Ps 87:7 "All my springs of joy are in you."
Take the scripture and pray it simply toward God.
Or perhaps we can look at nature and see the mystery,
awe and wonder of who He is reflected there.
I am a photographer and often get “god-smacked’ when
I get behind the lens of a camera and frame something
of God’s wonder in the world. This is not God, is but
a mere reflection of Him, a mere work of His hands,
what must the Real One be like?
See if you can focus all of your sweet inward feelings
toward God into a few words that you can offer to Him
in adoration. You do not want to be too wordy, you want
rather to express that which lays deepest in your heart.
Sit with those feelings of adoration and they will bring
you quickly to the throne of God.
Keeping a soft heart and practicing an awareness of God
will help greatly. Turn toward Him for He is ever near,
and ever worthy of our adoration.
Think of a time when you have experienced adoration
toward God? What brought it about?
How did it affect you?
As an exercise let us offer adoration to God through
1) love for Him which spontaneously arises in our heart
2) the use of scripture
3) noticing the glory of what God has made in nature.
O come let us adore Him, Christ the Lord!
adoration
prayer
praise
One of my favorite Christmas carols
is “O Holy Night.” I love the lyrics
“fall on your knees, O hear the angel’s
voices, O night divine, O night, when
Christ was born.” Last Christmas I
wanted to put this song on my blog so
I listened to all the versions of it
available on-line. Pavaratti’s verson
was magnificent. Another’s version was
homey. Still another version was inspiring,
and another’s sweet. But none captured what
I was looking for: one full of adoration.
Adoration like the magi might have had, or
Mary looking down at her new-born Baby.
Adoration at seeing the Heavenly Son of
God take on the humility of human flesh
and come to earth.
Adoration is a holy word, or should be.
One set aside for God alone. There are
two great passages of adoration that come
immediately to mind : one a microcosm, one
a macrocosm.
The macrocosm of adoration is this :
“After this I beheld, and, lo, a great
multitude, which no man could number, of
all nations, and kindreds, and people,
and tongues, stood before the throne,
and before the Lamb, clothed with white
robes, and palms in their hands; 10 And
cried with a loud voice, saying, Salvation
to our God which sitteth upon the throne,
and unto the Lamb. 11 And all the angels
stood round about the throne, and about
the elders and the four beasts, and fell
before the throne on their faces, and
worshipped God, 12 Saying, Amen: Blessing,
and glory, and wisdom, and thanksgiving,
and honour, and power, and might, be unto
our God for ever and ever. Amen. (Revelation 7: 9-12).
Here are angels, mankind, elders and beasts
adoring God together. Here is the adoration’s
destiny and completeness!
The microcosm of adoration is this:
And she stood at his feet behind him weeping,
and began to wash his feet with tears, and did
wipe them with the hairs of her head, and kissed
his feet, and anointed them with the ointment
(Luke 7:38).
A simple definition of “adoration” is telling
God much how much we love Him. But that
“telling” is not really about words, it is
an inward action of the heart toward God:
a noticing and a heartfelt, heartful
acknowledgement of something that we inwardly
and gratefully experience of God’s nature and
character. It is not just a compliment
thrown in God’s direction or a little “thank you”
but it is something that opens our
heart and causes it to flow unreservedly toward God.
In the woman’s case in Luke’s gospel, tears flowed
out bringing forth the adoration that was in her
heart. It was not just the outward act that was
the adoration; it was an inward opening of heart
that caused the outward act to
have its power.
In true adoration inward feeling seeks expression
in outward manifestation, thus, when one truly
adores God, it may often lead to raising one hands,
falling on one knees, bowing, prostrating oneself,
and other offered acts of love born out of praise
for God’s good nature and bounty toward
the sons and daughters of men. Adoration is a
self-abasement before our Good, Holy, and
Incomparable God. It acknowledges happily:
“There is no-one like Him!” What can we do
but fall down and adore?
Jesus said, “They that worship the Father must
worship Him in Spirit and in truth” (John 4:24)
and the first commandment implores us to Love
(adore) God, with all our mind, soul and
strength (Deut 6: 5). Adoration is spiritual,
it is true, it is wholehearted and whole-bodied.
It is something like an inward hill melting like
wax at the Presence of the Lord. It is not something
that can be faked, but it is something that can be
cultivated.
How can shall we then cultivate it ?
The first thing we can do is bring ourselves to
an inward awareness of our Lord.
Our thoughts are often distracted, but if we take
a few deep breaths and inwardly put our
attention upon Christ, we will soon be aware
of His absolute beauty and loveliness.
Even if we feel distracted we can call out to Him
gently, “Lord Jesus, I adore all that You are!”
The Lord loves His children to express their love
and adoration to Him. He loves to love them back!
Perhaps we can use a bit of scripture to help us
adore Him:
“Ps 84:2 My soul longed and even yearned for
the courts of the Lord; My heart and my flesh
sing for joy to the living God.”
Ps 87:7 "All my springs of joy are in you."
Take the scripture and pray it simply toward God.
Or perhaps we can look at nature and see the mystery,
awe and wonder of who He is reflected there.
I am a photographer and often get “god-smacked’ when
I get behind the lens of a camera and frame something
of God’s wonder in the world. This is not God, is but
a mere reflection of Him, a mere work of His hands,
what must the Real One be like?
See if you can focus all of your sweet inward feelings
toward God into a few words that you can offer to Him
in adoration. You do not want to be too wordy, you want
rather to express that which lays deepest in your heart.
Sit with those feelings of adoration and they will bring
you quickly to the throne of God.
Keeping a soft heart and practicing an awareness of God
will help greatly. Turn toward Him for He is ever near,
and ever worthy of our adoration.
Think of a time when you have experienced adoration
toward God? What brought it about?
How did it affect you?
As an exercise let us offer adoration to God through
1) love for Him which spontaneously arises in our heart
2) the use of scripture
3) noticing the glory of what God has made in nature.
O come let us adore Him, Christ the Lord!
adoration
prayer
praise
The Prayers of Children, the Glory of Morning
(prayers by second graders in Ohio
no wonder children are special to God)
I am a Gift from God.
I am full of Happiness.
Angels are Beautiful.
We love Miracles.
God has Wisdom.
God is the Holy Lord.
Jesus loves us always.
Jesus Loves everyone of us.
We Believe in God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit.
We have Faith in our family, and they have faith in us.
Please let us have Patience, Holy Spirit.
God, help us to be nice.
God, help us to Protect the poor.
God, we Wish to be good friends and good neighbors.
Holy Spirit, watch over the homeless and the sick.
God and Jesus, Bless us.
God, Have Mercy on us.
Thank you God, for Forgiveness.
photo of morning glories taken in
Colorado Springs, Colorado
Colorado Springs, Colorado
prayer
prayers of children
Tuesday, October 02, 2007
If you are a Christian, you can expect folks
to criticize you, but you ought to live so
nobody will believe them.
- Anonymous
photo taken at Painted Mines, Calhan, Colorado
(right click on the image and open in larger window
to enjoy!)
Colorado Springs, Colorado
Calhan, Colorado
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