Oh Your Glorious Love & Majesty

There are days, early, beautiful mornings when I am so secure in God's love for me. And then I see a gift just for me. 

Morning is my treasure. Me, God, His Word. Add a walk outside, or a peek at the sky and it is always lovely. 

There is, then, the occasional morning when The One Who Knows My Heart gives me the gift of delight in a slice of the morning moon or, like today the painterly red-to-pink sky. Scientists will explain about light refraction and condensation patterns. But I know Who hung the stars and in Whom I delight. 

Then Sings My Soul -- How Great Thou Art!

God sends the messenger and the friend.

Ephesians 6:12 (NIV)  For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.

This evening, a new friend brought my youngest home from a shopping expedition and spoke God's truth into my life. This new friend came into my life because my daughter chose her daughter for friendship, and in her perky friendly way, brought her daughter home to play and the mom visits began. This sweet mom had the advantage of having heard me speak on the importance of educating our children in the way they should go - according to God's command that we take this so seriously that we speak about His amazing faithfulness along the road, when we get up and when we go to bed. She knows a bit of my heart.

Each time we've seen each other, even for a minute, she's brought something into my life. The second time I saw her, she walked into my house with a fire alarm going off and immediately took to swinging a wash cloth at the alarm hoping to clear the smoke while I called off the fire department. (Truth: a candle met some moss tucked into an amaryllis bulb on the force and set the thing ablaze. Not a shining moment of brilliance, especially with someone else's child in my home. But she met it with calm and love and prayer.)  She is unafraid to bring the bonds of love in a word or some wisdom. And yes, she is quite special.

As she left my house tonight I asked her to pray for a challenge I'm facing. A dear friend has decided to dissuade me from basing my faith on the Word by attacking the validity of the Bible. I shared a few details of our discussion - mostly my friend's heat and resounding passion against the atrocities coming from organized religion (basing Glenn Beck's tears on Jesus Words?). I mentioned how sad I am at the gap this placed in our friendship - and immediately Beth looked at me and spoke the words of Ephesians - this is not about my friend. This is about the enemy. About how much he hates me and my faith. And how very much he wants to pull my friend away from the Light and Beauty and Love of God's Grace. She encouraged me to take my friend out of the equation. To simply continue to bring Grace and Truth, Love and Peace. To be myself out of the strength and courage of my faith and commitment to follow.

Oh, God is good. I live every minute in His presence. I pray to hear His Voice, see Jesus in my life and to remain humble and obedient. And what happens? I hear His Voice and see Jesus in my new friend.

Jean Nicholas Grou - HOW TO PRAY

Be simple in your piety. Do not rely upon your intellect or upon the subtlety and depth of your reasonings. Real piety is not concerned with thoughts but with the affections. Do not use so many books and exercises and methods. Let your heart tell you what you wish to say to God and say it simply without bothering too much about the words, it is ridiculous to be eloquent in his presence and take a pride in prayers that are well composed, instead of using those that are more natural to you.
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I came upon Grou's writing in a RENOVARE study, Connecting with God. The chapter is on prayer and the Renovare authors chose this three paragraph devotional reading to head the chapter. I'm going indulge a paragraph at a time here. I find it so lovely and refreshing to be reminded to leave my head at the door in prayer. It's such a pure admonishment. No relying on intellect. Or subtlety. Or depth of reasoning. I'm talking to God. The LORD. The One God who created me and knows my love for language and higher thinking. What freedom there is here, to dip into my heart and speak with great devotion to the God of the universe and my very own heavenly Father.

Devotion to God is at the center of the concept. Grou reminds us, me, us that we have this devotion to our LORD God. It the fuel of our lives as we walk toward Him is His transformation. Our path to His sanctification. We are dedicated. We are devoted. We want Him and all He has for us.

Sometimes, for me, this devotion is based in knowing that God is the only real source of anything. The only real source of everything. And I want. Immediate I consider the words of Psalm 23 and hear "The LORD is my shepherd, I will want for nothing." But the wanting is so deep. It drives me to devotion to my desire and ultimately to God.

And from this particular point of view I can caress the notion that it is ridiculous to speak in an eloquent tongue and consider, that perhaps, I don't need to speak at all.

Love Wins.

Love never fails. 1 Corinthians 13:8a

Love always wins. Always. God's love is always the choice that won't fail. Any other choice is taking a chance. So, practically speaking, I can always stop to ask, "What would Love do in this case?" The answers, so far, have been pretty amazing for me.

"He took my chair!" resounds from the kitchen. I stop my natural response and ask, "What would Love do?" Well, God actually tells me that if someone takes something from me, I shouldn't even try to get it back (Luke 6:30). I proceed from there. Later, some precious child of God in a brand new German touring vehicle cuts me off on the freeway - in my lane. Love resounds in my ear, "Give to anyone who asks;  and when things are taken away from you, don't try to get them back." (Luke 6:30) I choose Love. It wins.

If I play out the alternative scenarios, I see why any other option bring failure or worse. If I respond naturally - out of my flesh - and demand my space or my way, I become resentful and angry. I act out of frustration, and even if I don't hurt someone else, I've lost the peace that selfless, Christ-love brings. Sometimes, I even hear God's wisdom to pray or bless the person who took my lane, my chair, or my peace. I suppose the irony is that whenever I choose Love, I win too. In the sacrifice, in the obedience because Love always wins. Always.

LORD God, thank you for your Word that shows us the way of Love and Life. Teach us daily and in every situation what Love - what You would do .