The name of the LORD is a strong tower; the righteous run into it and are safe.
Proverbs 18:10 NRSV
Many times this has been the verse I have lived and counted upon for deliverance in tough situations. As I reflected upon this recently I was reminded that I can only run into my strong tower if there are no hindrances and obstacles between God and me. The Holy Spirit is able to help clear those obstacles away. Daily I ask the Holy Spirit to show me if there are any obstructions between me and my Lord. If there are, I pray for help in clearing those away so I have clear and open access to my strong tower.
When oppression becomes familiar and identifiable, I need to push back the darkness – run to the LORD and stand up for what He has purchased for me with His blood.
Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen.
Sometimes I collect quotes that speak to my faith and spiritual growth. here are a few that might inspire you, also.
I have been an Associate of the Convent of the Transfiguration for MANY years – at last count about 29! Wowsers! Even I am surprised. The Transfiguration is an Episcopalian convent located in Glendale, Ohio a neighborhood of Cincinnati, Ohio. For more information click here https://www.ctsisters.org/index.php/history.html
Let us have a little sanctuary of silence in our hearts into which the voice of God alone may come.
Mother Eva Mary, CT
What could you begin as a spiritual discipline to clear a space, a little sanctuary of silence in your heart where God might speak to you?
Another woman who has influenced my walk was Basilea Schlink. She was born Karla Schlink in 1094 Germany and became a Lutheran religious leader and writer. She co-founded the Evangelical Sisterhood of Mary in 1947 to 2001. The Sisterhood has branches in Germany and Phoenix, Arizona. I have a tiny booklet of her writing entitled “The Weapon of Prayer.”
Prayer: being able to say anything and everything to Him whose love is measureless and whose power is boundless. He will supply all our needs.
M. Basilea Schlink
Would you dare to try this? My mother taught me early in my life to sing “In the Garden.” The refrain says, “And He walks with me and He talks with me…” Have you ever walked with Him and talked with Him throughout a day, a week, a month? This kind of prayer is powerful and not to be discounted.
When I was visiting recently with my friend, Betty, in New Mexico she shared this quote with me. It is taken from the ESV Global SB Notes regarding Abiding in Jesus.
To abide in Jesus means living in a daily, close relationship with Him, characterized by trust, prayer, obedience, and joy. The Holy Spirit’s presence and activity within Christians gives evidence that they are abiding in Christ (John 8:31, 6:56. 15:4; 1 John 2:6, 27-28; 3:6).
That is a meaty quote that will likely take the serious Christian some quality time to unpack. Can you say that all of these areas are functioning in your life, empowered by the Holy Spirit? I will be reviewing this as a form of self-examination for some time to come.
When Jesus died on the cross they needed a tomb for His body. If you are familiar with your Bible the Jews needed to put Him in a tomb so they could make preparation for their Sabbath. Sabbath was sunset Friday night to sunset Saturday night. The plan was to return Sunday morning to finish His burial.
Joseph of Arimathea was able to provide a tomb for Jesus. He is mentioned in all four gospels. He was part of the Sanhedrin Council but secretly a believer in Jesus. He was wealthy and at great risk to himself asked Pilate for the body of Jesus. Luke 23:53, “Joseph took down the body of Jesus, wrapped it in a linen cloth, and laid it in a rock-hewn tomb where no one had ever been laid.”
At our house we have been watching a program called The Chosen. It is available through an app. To learn more click on this link.
We drove to a trailhead and hiked a while with Emily and her girls. It was slow going as it is hard for people with compromised lungs to hike at 8,000 Feet.
Some of the aspens were just beginning to turn their bright yellow. “Quaking Aspens” fascinate me. They remind me of the Bible verse Isaiah 55:12
You will go out in joy and be led forth in peace; the mountains and hills will burst into song before you, and all the trees of the field will clap their hands.
So here are the old folks hiking with the young’uns, who were actually far ahead of us. Our daughter though did decide to stay at our side at all times.
The trail is basically between our shoulders!
Since the trail did not go where the girls wanted, we went separate ways back at the parking lot. As Bob drove the other side he pulled over for these photos of the canyon the stream had carved.
We could never see where the trail we had been hiking went! Oh well. It was a lovely day and we enjoyed the walk.
“Beloved, God’s promises can never fail to be accomplished, and those who patiently wait can never be disappointed, for believing faith leads to realization. Abraham’s life condemns a spirit of hastiness, admonishes those who complain, commends those who are patient, and encourages quiet submission to God’s will and way.” – Unknown
Is that a meaty quote, or what? “His promises can never fail to be accomplished.” He is not a man that He should lie. He is faithful and powerful to do what He wills. Numbers 23:19
“Those who patiently wait can never be disappointed.” But wait! I have often been disappointed! Does that mean I am doing something wrong? Well, in my experience, most often my disappointments with God are because I have not waited long enough to see the fulfillment or I misunderstood the will or word of God.
“For believing faith leads to realization.” Do you have things in your life that you have had believing faith towards and then eventually you saw it come to pass? Do you, like David, review those things with joy and thanksgiving to inform your brain when your faith is weak? Speaking with a friend recently we stated that we see fruit from our faith walk most often in the rear view mirror or over our shoulder after the fact. Perhaps you have never listed the times that your faith has lead to realization? Maybe now is the time to review your walk and be reminded of the times this has occurred in your life?
“Abraham’s life condemns a spirit of hastiness, admonishes those who complain, commends those who are patient, and encourages quiet submission to God’s will and way.”
Hebrews 8:11 reads: “By faith Abraham, when called to go to a place he would later receive as his inheritance, obeyed and went, even though he did not know where he was going.” He went, EVEN THOUGH he did not know where he was going. Do we have the same sort of quiet obedience? Dallas Willard taught that hurry is the great enemy of spiritual life in our day. The author of the quote above calls it a spirit of hastiness and says that Abraham condemns it. No hastiness, no complaining, be patient and quiet.
I have tried to keep myself in line with the remembrance that God calls me to Quiet, Gentle, Yielded, Peaceful Obedience to the Almighty. Holy Spirit help my life to be true to this call.
A prayer
Prayed in truth and faith
Through the Blood of Jesus,
Is as a drop of water
Upon the river of life;
Sending out endless
Ripples and waves
Throughout creation.
As the prayer is said
The answer begins movement.
Not always given eyes to see, I lift my concerns in prayer. As I wrote above, I release them in truth and faith through the Blood of Jesus. Your will be done, Lord. Your will. As one friend says, nothing, else, nothing less, nothing more.
By now if you have read my blog for any amount of time you likely know I talk about the Holy Spirit “haunting” me with a song. A song I cannot get out of my head. A song that usually ends up being just EXACTLY what I need for that season of my life.
Here is the latest. I repeatedly kept looking it up on YouTube. Finally purchased it. And now I share it with you. I won’t be climbing up on a horse like Chris Tomlin, though it looks like fun. I won’t be climbing up on a huge rock, but I might get to the mountains soon!
Most recently the song reminds me that no matter how dark I THINK things are, Jesus is right there loving me and helping me carry any burden that I am willing to give Him. More than once lately I have said, “Well, Lord, here You go!”and I cast it into His arms.
Remember that applies to you also. But only any burden you are WILLING to give Him. And if you take the burden back, you must be willing to give it to Him again, and perhaps again, and again, and again.
Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that He may lift you up in due time. Cast all your anxiety on Him because He cares for you.
Here at Siesta Drive I have my island of responsibility.
Even here I find it difficult
to push off the dock
into the quiet river of Living Water
for the renewal of my soul
stilling of my heart, quieting of my mind
floating in Your love
awaiting Your instructions and
anointing for this day.
I want to power up the boat
or maybe stay on the island
ordering about the mundane
resisting the holy and eternal.
Forgive me, again, my desiring
to be in charge and capable.
Take me to a quiet lagoon
with jumping fish
elusive Great Blue Herons
tree branches trialing their leaves at the water’s edge.
Anchor me in Your incredible center-down silence
wash over me with righteousness
grant me the kiss of peace
Your faithfulness and steadfast love
meeting me in holy embrace
of relinquishment to solitude.
Only then
can I meet the mundane
with correct vision
Your holy Kingdom first and foremost
no matter what my activity might be.
So here at Siesta Drive if I will allow it
energy and solace I was hoping for at “The River”
may ebb and flow, around me, within, overflowing,
washing glaring, gaudy colors of importance
off the mundane,
letting those things fall back
into their proper place as incidental
like spoons tossed into the silverware drawer.
Summer is winding down with schools getting ready to try reopening here in Ohio. Sadly, there were not any summer swim meets at the local swim clubs this year. Our family always enjoyed those. Thought you might enjoy this vignette.
ISA 43:4a NRSV “You are precious in my sight, and honored, and I love you,”
[says the Lord your God.]
The journaling question was:
‘When I think about God loving me unconditionally as I am, I …’
Well, I get bashful, knowing Your Word and Your love are true
– but hardly daring to believe You, Lord.
In Your sight I am honored? Why?
I believe, as a servant,
I have only done what You asked me to do –
so, why honored?
And I remember reading Rick Joyner’s book,
the multitudes worshiping the Lord in the heavenlies
– and they – and I – are honored for obedience to the Lamb.
Again I argue,
but whom have I in heaven, but You, my Lord?
To obey is the source of my life –
the Source of all my joy –
honor seems too high a reward.
Perhaps my next obedient step
should be to read Isaiah and
write down Your words of comfort, love and honor?
You say You sing over Your people,
that Your faithfulness is a shield about us.
Oh Jesus, as I come to know You more deeply
there is so much more to learn.
I will never come to the end of your love.
A boundary wall will never appear to stop me from
entering Your unfailing love.
So help me, Jesus.
Finally, I want to learn to dive!
Help me jack-knife into Your love
Triple somersaults of joy into
Your endless bounty of love and mercy.
Back flips – with no fear of knocking my brain out-
empowered by Your Holy Spirit.
I tirelessly race up the ladder
to make another grace-filled, magnificent dive.
Slicing into Your bounty of love and honor
and before Your sight Precious
barely making a splash.
Diving deeper, deeper,
never able to reach the bottom of Your kindness
but surely drenched, washed, renewed in Your water of Life.
And You, on the side
watching with Your cronies alongside my enemies
flashing high scores for me
pleased by my obedience.
You are delighted by my yielded heart.
More of You, Lord
more than my next gulp of air
I want more of Your drenching,
Your overshadowing.
Come upon me, power of the Most High
soak me, enfold me, permeate my very cells.
Then guide me forth
to do Your will upon this earth.
But wait!! I must clamber up that ladder
one more time in joy and glee
and as Your child
do a tremendous cannonball –
sending Your love splashing out
on all those around.
I’ve even gotten the grouchy old lady
who never wants to get wet!
From my post July 25th remember about how the fear had no power unless she gave it to him by swatting at it in fear? Been trying ever since then to get a good spider web photo. This time of year the spiders seem to spin the largest webs. How’s this? See the body about center of the center tree?
How much power are you giving to your fears? Are you able to sit still in their presence and know that fear is a choice? There is a debate now how many times the Bible says ‘Fear not.” For me, whether it is 100 times or 365, reworded as be not afraid, we are instructed how to cope. We are also told not to entertain thoughts that draw us away from the Living God. (2 Corinthians 10:5) We are told to LET NOT our hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid. (John 14:1) The choice is ours. Whether reading Genesis 15:1 or Revelation 2:10 fear is not our best choice.
“Molly Lin, the spider is fear. It has very little power on its own. But you give it your energy by flailing and struggling and assuming it is more powerful than it is. Think through this same scene and SEE that had you chosen to sit still and watch that spider, it would have dangled from strings and been as impotent to harm you as the one holding its frames. He has no power over you unless you give it to him. Fear is a choice!”
