Make it Right

There are some days that I lose sight.
okay,
There are more days than not that i forget
That God's timing and plan
is very different than mine.

I forget that
here
in this fallen, broken world
things will not make sense.
things will hurt.
a lot.
and sometimes the pain
doesn't stop.
maybe,
just maybe,
it gets worse.

And so i cling to Christ
and He holds me fast.
He keeps me.
even when my grip
slips.


This song reminded me, once again, that in God's time, He will "take all that is wrong and make it right." It may not be until i reach heaven, but He WILL make all that is wrong right.
ALL of it.

A Song and a Prayer

This song by Fernando Ortega has long been a favorite of mine. I first heard it back in the mid-90's and remember being struck by the simple beauty of it. It quickly became the cry of my heart.

1 Peter 1:13-16 says:

Therefore, preparing your minds for action, and being sober-minded, set your hope fully on the grace that will be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ. As obedient children, do not be conformed to the passions of your former ignorance, but as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, since it is written, “You shall be holy, for I am holy.” 

This song is a prayer to be more like Jesus, to be more holy. By His grace, He will do that work in our hearts and lives by the power of His Spirit. What a beautiful song to sing and offer as a prayer to our Great Savior and our Glorious God. May we ever be growing more and more like our beautiful Jesus. May He grow more precious to us day by day.

Worlds Apart

For almost 20 years this has been a favorite song of mine (as well as the prayer of my heart). I absolutely love this version of it...
Listen. pray. release. rest in Christ.

Meditation

This morning i read Psalm 19. It dawned on me as i read that this would be a GREAT Psalm to put up in our schoolroom. It speaks of how wonderful the precepts, statutes, commandments, and law of the Lord are in verses 7-14. Actually, it reminded me of a summary of Psalm 119! What a beautiful prayer to pray as well at the end of the chapter. 

Here it is...may we all be encouraged and reminded of just how beautiful, marvelous, and powerful the Word truly is.

The law of the Lord is perfect,

restoring the soul;

The testimony of the Lord is sure,

making wise the simple.

The precepts of the Lord are right,

rejoicing the heart;

The commandment of the Lord is pure,

enlightening the eyes.

The fear of the Lord is clean,

enduring forever;

The judgments of the Lord are true;

they are righteous altogether.

They are more desirable than gold,

yes, than much fine gold;

Sweeter also than honey

and the drippings of the honeycomb.

Moreover, by them Your servant is warned;
In keeping them there is great reward.

Who can discern his errors?

Acquit me of hidden faults.

Also keep back Your servant from presumptuous sins;
Let them not rule over me;

Then I will be blameless,
 And I shall be acquitted of great transgression.

Let the words of my mouth

and the meditation of my heart
Be acceptable in Your sight,
O Lord, my rock and my Redeemer.

~Psalm 19:7-14

My Soul's Shelter

This hymn is so great to pray. I love the imagery in the Lord being our battleshield and our sword! 
We sang this at our wedding, so many years ago, and it continues to be a favorite.

Be Thou my Vision, O Lord of my heart;
Naught be all else to me, save that Thou art
Thou my best Thought, by day or by night,
Waking or sleeping, Thy presence my light. 

Be Thou my Wisdom, and Thou my true Word;
I ever with Thee and Thou with me, Lord;
Thou my great Father, I Thy true son;
Thou in me dwelling, and I with Thee one.

Be Thou my battle Shield, Sword for the fight;
Be Thou my Dignity, Thou my Delight;
Thou my soul’s Shelter, Thou my high Tower:
Raise Thou me heavenward, O Power of my power.

Riches I heed not, nor man’s empty praise,
Thou mine Inheritance, now and always:
Thou and Thou only, first in my heart,
High King of Heaven, my Treasure Thou art.

High King of Heaven, my victory won,
May I reach Heaven’s joys, O bright Heaven’s Sun!
Heart of my own heart, whatever befall,
Still be my Vision, O Ruler of all.

Words: Dallan Forgail (8th Century)

"Do Thou for Me"

But do thou for me, O GOD the Lord, for thy name's sake: because thy mercy is good, deliver thou me. Psalm 109:21

I recently read a devotional from F.R. Havergal. It is from her excellent work Royal Bounty. I found myself praying it just last night, when i had reached the end of my own resources in many situations..."Do Thou for me, O GOD!" Below, the writings of Ms. Havergal, which were so challenging and inspiring...

Do Thou for Me.
'Do Thou for Me.' --Ps. cix. 21.

The Psalmist does not say what he wanted God to do for him. He leaves it open. So this most restful prayer is left open for all perplexed hearts to appropriate 'according to their several necessities.' And so we leave it open for God to fill up in His own way.

Only a trusting heart can pray this prayer at all: the very utterance of it is an act of faith. We could not ask any one whom we did not know intimately and trust implicitly to 'do' for us, without even suggesting what.

Only a self-emptied heart can pray it. It is when we have come to the end of our own resources, or rather, come to see that we never had any at all, that we are willing to accept the fact that we can 'do nothing,' and to let God do everything for us.

Only a loving heart can pray it For nobody likes another to take them and their affairs in hand, and 'do' for them, unless that other is cordially loved. We might submit to it, but we should not like it, and certainly should not seek it.

So, if we have caught at this little prayer as being just what we want, just what it seems a real rest to say, I think it shows that we do trust in Him and not in ourselves, and that we do love Him really and truly. There is sure to be a preface to this prayer. 'Neither know we what to do' (2Chron.20:12). Perhaps we have been shrinking from being brought to this. Rather let us give thanks for it. It is the step down from the drifting wreck on to the ladder still hanging at the side. Will another step be down into the dark water? Go on, a little lower still, fear not! The next is, 'We know not what we should pray for' (Rom. 8:26). Now we have reached the lowest step. What next? 'Do Thou for me.' This is the step into the Captain's boat. Now He will cut loose from the wreck of  our efforts, ladder and all will be left behind, and we have nothing to do but to 'sit still' and let Him take us to our 'desired haven,' probably steering quite a different course from anything we should have thought best. Not seldom 'immediately the ship is at the land whither' we went.  

  What may we, from His own word, expect in answer to this wide petition?

 1. 'What His soul desireth, even that He doeth' (Job 23:13). Contrast this with our constantly felt inability to do a hundredth part of what we desire to do for those we love. Think of what God's desires must be for us, whom He so loves, that He spared not His own Son.  'That He doeth!'

2. 'He performeth the thing that is appointed for me' (Job 23:14). This is wonderfully inclusive; one should read over all the epistles to get a view of the things present and future, seen and unseen, the grace and the glory that He has appointed for us. It includes also all the 'good works which God hath before ordained, that we should walk in them.' It will not be our performance of them, but His; for He 'worketh in you to will and to do,' (Phil.2:13). and 'Thou also hast wrought all our works in us.' (Isa. 26:12).  

3. The beautiful old translations says, He 'shall perform the cause which I have in hand.' (Psalm 57:2<possibly the Geneva Bible>). Does not that make it very real to us to-day? Just the very thing that 'I have in hand,' my own particular bit of work to-day--this cause that I cannot manage, this thing that I undertook in miscalculation of my own power, this is what I may ask Him to do 'for me,' and rest assured that He will perform it.  'The wise and their works are in the hand of God!'

4. He 'performeth all things for me.' (Psalm 57:2). Does He mean as much as this? Well, He has caused it to be written for us 'that we might have hope;' (Romans 15:4) and what more do we want? Then let Him do it. Let Him perform all things for us.

Not some things, but all things; or the very things which we think there is no particular need fro Him to perform will be all failures--wood, hay, and stubble to be burnt up. One by one let us claim this wonderful word; 'the thing of a day in his day,' 'as the matter shall require,' being always brought to Him with the God-given petition, "Do Thou for me.'

Do not wait to feel very much 'oppressed' before you say, 'O Lord, undertake for me.' (Isaiah 38:14).  Far better say that at first than at last, as we have too often done! Bring the prayer in one hand, and the promises in the other, joining them in the faith-clasp of 'Do as Thou hast said!' (2 Samuel 8:2). And put both the hands into the hand of Him whom the Father heareth always, saying, 'Do Thou for me, O Lord God, for Thy name's sake,' for the sake of Jehovah-Jesus, the mighty God, the everlasting Father, yet the Saviour of sinners.  

It was long...but wasn't it worth the read? i now find myself crying out..."Do Thou for me, O Lord, my God!!"