Posted on 11/09/2006 6:49:58 PM PST by Knitting A Conundrum
Unless the LORD builds the house, those who build it labor in vain. Unless the LORD watches over the city, the watchman stays awake in vain.
Psalm 127:1>
At this time, when feelings run high, the world seems crazy, and anger seems to be the one thing the peoples of the world have in common, I invite you, my fellow FReepers, to join me in prayers and meditation for guidance, God's help and for our fellow man, for America, our troops, and all our own needs.
Sweet hour of prayer! sweet hour of prayer!
That calls me from a world of care,
And bids me at my Father’s throne
Make all my wants and wishes known.
In seasons of distress and grief,
My soul has often found relief
And oft escaped the tempter’s snare
By thy return, sweet hour of prayer!
William Bradbury
God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.
Therefore we will not fear though the earth should change,
though the mountains shake in the heart of the sea;
though its waters roar and foam,
though the mountains tremble with its tumult.
Psalm 46: 1-3
Just beautiful, as always!
You're so welcome, {{{La Enchiladita}}}}!
I know of few prayers or meditations that are richer than the 23rd psalm...I keep returning to it for inspiration over and over again, and it keeps sneaking into my poems!
Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for thou art with me.
The current crop of linguists say that the valley of the shadow means a deeply shadowed valley, and tend not to add "of death" to the current crop of translations.
But if you have been in the West you can find many treacherous valleys that are very narrow, shadowed, where you cannot see the road ahead of you or behind. These have in the past been places of ambush. You do not know the road head, what dangers lurk, and you cannot always see where you've come from. The warming light of the sun can be blocked out, and even though it is day, all is darker than it would be if you were out in the open.
Will there be a rock slide as you traverse the valley? will you drive it too fast and smash into a wall? Will bandits be up ahead? Will there be a rain that swells and makes the valley impassable? You cannot know the answers ahead. You have to keep on, in trust that you will make it through. It is a place where death is possible, a place where danger may be real.
Lots of time in life we are in those valleys, where we can't see our way out, we don't know what exactly lies ahead, and frequently, the dark has us frightened of the possibilities.
But for those of us who believe, we know we are not alone. For He IS with us, each and every step of the way, and when we are out of the dark valley, he will truly lead us into the green pastures which will be our home forever.
There in the Valley of the Shadow of Death,
Where God takes us to learn about who gives us breath
Each step that we take may seem heavy with threat
As we face then the truths we would rather forget.
It does not matter if we laugh or weep,
Be in pain or shock or fear or sleep,
Eternity hovers but a moment away
To walk with us into that unending day.
We think that so often we stand in the sun,
Yet through that dark valley our footsteps did run.
Someone was there one moment and not the next,
This frailty of mankind is an ancient text.
Yet Valley of the Shadow, when I'm in your way,
I chose not fear you by night or by day,
Ambush or pain or dark uncertainty
Shall not hide the gift of light by which I see.
My Shepherd he leads me by day and by night
Through the darkness of death to his glorious sight -
In his hand is the peace that makes no worldly sense
When the shadows of midnight grow dark and dense.
If trembling I wait there between death and life,
Doubled over in pain cutting hard like a knife,
He still is my comfort and lets my heart see
I am in his hands whatever will be.
Valley of the Shadow, you are but a gate,
Doorway to tomorrow, all humankind's fate.
My final hope lies beyond your shadowed door,
Where I will dwell in my Lord's house forever more.
*Yea, verily* - it is, indeed, rich. My touchstone. It takes pondering inside and out and always reveals new vistas.
For many years when meditating on it, I would tend to gloss over one part that bothered me (and usually go straight to the *table before me* so I could conjure up some food, lol, to withhold from my salivating enemies). (Yes, I know that's not the spirit of the lesson, but I'm only human.)
Anyway, I would get to "Thy rod and Thy staff" and whimper like a whipped puppy. They did *not* comfort me. Then one day, when I was ready to "get it," I heard an explanation of shepherd's rods and staffs and why they carry them.
The rod isn't for beating the little lamb - it's for guiding the lamb so it won't do something stupid like falling off the side of the uphill rocky trail (with no guardrails, of course).
And the staff isn't a hook to grab the offender off the large stage, it's Plan B for when the little lamb does accidentally fall over the side, anyway, or stray too far off the path. I pictured myself falling through the air and the big staff coming down to grab me and save me before I got hurt, then placing me up on the proverbial rock of safety.
I'd had a vision once of God's enormous hands reaching down and saving a friend of mine from death on some rocks near a sea. A few days later, a mutual friend called to tell me that the friend in question had been in a parasailing accident in Acapulco, but had been saved from sure death on the sharp rocks when a small wind gust suddenly lifted the parasail just a little and he was placed gently on the beach, scratched but otherwise unhurt.
Now that's what I see when I meditate on the rod and staff.
Cool! In my head, I see an illustration from some kid's bible literature I read when young with David beating off a bear and a wolf...but the same sort of idea...
"Hallelujah!
I Give Thanks to God
With Everything I've got;
Wherever Good People Gather,
And in the Congregation.
God's Works are So Great,
Worth A Lifetime of Study;
Endless Enjoyment!
Splendor and Beauty Mark His Craft;
His Generosity Never Gives Out.
His Miracles are His memorial;
This God of Grace,
This God of Love." (Ps.111)
We Worship You, King Jesus; Glory to the Name of His Excellency, our King! All Hail our Mighty King of kings! Our Triumphant Lord, You are our Champion, the True Hero of the Ages!
"God has Set His Throne in Heaven;
He Rules Over us All;
He's the King!" (Ps.103:19)
"Now unto the King Eternal, Immortal, Invisible, the Only Wise God, be Honour and Glory Forever and Ever, Amen!" (1Tim.1:17)
Amen, dear one. Thank you.
I've experienced some deep valleys - oh the waters have come nigh my neck! - but God my God, to Him I've called, and even in the silence, even through the long watches of the night, it is the calling that comforts me, for we cannot call upon One who is not there.
He is Jehovah-Shammah Forever, amen.
In all their affliction He was afflicted,
And the Angel of His Presence saved them;
In His love and in His pity He redeemed them;
And He bore them and carried them
All the days of old.
~Isaiah 63:9
BTTT
Amen, hallelujah, amen! That's our God! Our Glorious King! Let me tell you, what He has been working into me up through yesterday was the PERFECT PREFACE to what He has started to show me in my new reading of Ezekiel. In reading an introductory essay alone in the newest rendition of Jesus' Book I have, I was bowled over with the seeing of His Working It All Together, a Sure Leading, a Line unto Line and Precept after Precept Teaching and Opening up of Truth unto my spirit. O Praise Him! I hope to type out some part of that essay today onto my homepage. Keeping in mind what you read there of yesterday's meditations (and likely in keeping with what He is already showing you in many ways), bp and KM, you will see what I mean!
OUR GOD IS AN AWESOME GOD! HE REIGNS! HE IS SPEAKING!
"Hallelujah!
I Give Thanks to God
With Everything I've got;
Wherever Good People Gather,
And in the Congregation.
God's Works are So Great,
Worth A Lifetime of Study;
Endless Enjoyment!
Splendor and Beauty Mark His Craft;
His Generosity Never Gives Out.
His Miracles are His memorial;
This God of Grace,
This God of Love." (Ps.111)
Bump that! (:
Now, in this moment, at this minute,
Let me stand here,
Firm, unmoved,
anchored on your words, O Lord,
anchored in your love, O Lord,
anchored to your cross, O Lord.
This be my resting place,
my fortress in the darkness,
my strength in the flood,
my sold rock,
my hope.
Jesus, Savior,
Lamb of God
You who take away the sins of the world,
teach me to love you more,
anchored here
in the love that will not fade,
in the palm of your hand.
Amen.
BTTT
Morning prayer, version 2
Now at this time when I come here to be
with just you and I, O most dear Lord of me,
Let me stand in your presence, all quiet and stilled,
Anchored on your words, O Lord, open and filled.
Anchored in your love, O Lord, which changes me,
Anchored to your cross, O Lord, which sets me free.
This be my resting place, my lamp in the night,
My ark in the flood, my fortress of light.
My solid rock are You, my hope and my way
Jesus, my Savior, guide me each day.
Dear Lamb of God who bore all to save me,
Teach me to love you more - how I want to be
Anchored here firm in what will not fade away,
Safe in your hand til I come home to stay.
Amen.
I have had heart searchings and waiting upon the LORD to get closer and to hear a word from Him concerning a matter.
Just 20 minutes ago, he reminded me of the 9th Chapter of Nehemiah that my husband read aloud after breakfast yesterday before we left the table. I was struck(and am always Blessed) by the Glory of their Worship in and by the Word of God.
Then the LORD spoke to me that because I worship Him, I can know the answer to my question...
Then I read the RZIM article, just now getting to the Prayer room, and the LORD, the LORD, Merciful and Gracious, helped me to understand what He said to me, through the article. Now Carb, you said the LORD is speaking.
He is indeed, and we fall down and Worship.
Neh 9:5 Then the Levites, Jeshua, Kadmiel, Bani, Hashabneiah, Sherebiah, Hodiah, Shebaniah, and Pethahiah, said, "Stand up and bless the LORD your God from everlasting to everlasting. Blessed be your glorious name, which is exalted above all blessing and praise.
Neh 9:6 "You are the LORD, you alone. You have made heaven, the heaven of heavens, with all their host, the earth and all that is on it, the seas and all that is in them; and you preserve all of them; and the host of heaven worships you.
........
Psa 117:1 O praise the LORD, all ye nations: praise him, all ye people.
Psa 117:2 For his merciful kindness is great toward us: and the truth of the LORD endureth for ever. Praise ye the LORD.
........
Joh 4:23 But the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father is seeking such people to worship him.
Joh 4:24 God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth."
Oh Lord, not through any merit of our own, but by your Great Mercy, you have called us to Come to the Cross and be Saved.
The Voice of Him who spoke the worlds into existence has Himself called us by name and cleansed us with His own Blood.
The Worship by Spirit and Truth belong to "...the general assembly and church of the Firstborn, which are written in heaven... and to the spirits of just men made perfect...."
We fall down and worship.
I ask a special Blessing of your Presence with my brothers and sisters.
I thank you for revelation by your Spirit and your Word.
I thank you for the love of Truth.
I thank you for the Body of Christ and the miracle of your love in it, til we come to that measure....
Eph 4:15 But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ:
Eph 4:16 From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love.
Isa 43:1 But now thus saith the LORD that created thee, O Jacob, and he that formed thee, O Israel, Fear not: for I have redeemed thee, I have called thee by thy name; thou art mine.
http://www.cyberhymnal.org/htm/s/t/standup.htm
Stand up and bless the Lord
Ye people of His choice;
Stand up and bless the Lord your God
With heart and soul and voice.
Though high above all praise,
Above all blessing high,
Who would not fear His holy Name,
And laud and magnify?
O for the living flame
From His own altar brought,
To touch our lips, our minds inspire,
And wing to heaven our thought!
There, with benign regard,
Our hymns He deigns to hear;
Though unrevealed to mortal sense,
Our spirits feel Him near.
God is our Strength and Song,
And His salvation ours;
Then be His love in Christ proclaimed
With all our ransomed powers.
Stand up and bless the Lord;
The Lord your God adore;
Stand up and bless His glorious Name;
Henceforth forevermore.
What a great Blessing!
Amen and Amen.
BTTT
Cloth of White
The white wool sits there in my hand,
the wheel goes round and round and round,
As the thread is formed, a thin white strand,
And the wheel goes round and round.
Once it sat on back of ewe,
The wheel goes round and round and round,
And knew the sun, the feel of dew,
And the wheel goes round and round.
Once it knew the shearer's hand,
The wheel goes round and round and round
all gathered up in a dirty white band,
And the wheel goes round and round.
Once it met the water clear,
and the wheel goes round and round and round,
That made its grime all disappear,
And the wheel goes round and round.
Once it met the woolen card,
And the wheel goes round and round and round
To make it smooth and not so hard,
And the wheel goes round and round.
And soon it will be cloth of wool,
and the wheel goes round and round and round,
To keep me from the winter's cool,
and the wheel goes round and round.
The hand of God works like that too,
and the wheel goes round and round and round
Takes me through each step I rue,
and the wheel goes round and round,
Finds me wild then cuts the dross,
and the wheel goes round and round and round,
The tool he uses is his own cross,
And the wheel goes round and round.
Baptismal waters to wash my soul
and the wheel goes round and round and round,
And his own love to make me whole,
And the wheel goes round and round,
His cleansing comb sweeps through my life,
and the wheel goes round and round and round,
to straighten out the noise and strife,
and the wheel goes round and round and round.
Spun into thread for God's tapestry
and the wheel goes round and round and round,
I'm part of that bright cloth, you see,
and the wheel goes round and round.
Each life is precious in his hand,
And the wheel goes round and round and round,
Each life has place, a shining strand
And the wheel goes round and round.
The cloth he makes a shining white,
And the wheel goes round and round and round,
To clothe his Bride in linen bright,
And the wheel goes round and round.
And when the last strand's woven in
And the wheel goes round and round and round,
The wedding feast will then begin.
And the wheel goes round and round.
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