Prayer seems to be the most difficult discipline for most people I speak to. Friends D and M have just given me a copy of Stormie Omartian’s book, A Personal Prayer Walk to Spiritual Well-Being. Perhaps they knew I was battling!
Daily reading of the Bible is sometimes problem enough, and prayer times become brief, relegated to snatches of opportunity, or when the phone rings with a PP request. “Please Pray” must be responded to, but what of personal well-being? Here is my dilemma! Why do I find prayer difficult, and my spiritual well-being hampered by feelings of guilt, “if only’s”, or “when we’s”?
My first blessing reminder came with Isaiah 58:11. The Lord will guide you continually, and satisfy your soul in draught, and strengthen your bones. You shall be like a well watered garden, and like a spring of water whose waters do not fail.
When I am busy, and in conversation with Him, He understands. When I set aside moments, He knows it is because I value His guidance, and is quick to respond. When I doubt His Presence His Word can remind me, for He will guide me continually, that is non-stop, whether I recognise it or not. And if I stray, he will be there to redirect, Isaiah 30:21 assures me – Your ears shall hear a word behind you, saying, “The is the way, walk in it” whenever you turn to the right hand or whenever you turn to the left.
Why do we stress? Is it because we fail to feed on His Word, the Bible? Sustenance for every aspect of our lives can be found within its pages. Encouragement for prayer is given particularly in the Psalms, a portion of which I read every day.
We are made to worship, and give our God praise.
Let everything alive give praises to the Lord! You praise Him! Hallelujah! Psalm150:6 (TLB)
That’s prayer!
Tuesday, January 31, 2012
Wednesday, January 11, 2012
The colour of your eyes.
For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother's womb. Your eyes saw my unformed body. All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to bePsalm 139:13,16
“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you, not to harm you; plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call upon me and come pray to me, and I will listen to you.” Jeremiah 29:11,12
As a compulsive and addicted reader it is to be expected that some of my reading matter will not be retained in as magical a way as others. Conversely, sometimes a subject will so grab my attention that it cannot be ignored. Such a one recently made an impact like a searchlight on a dark place.
Often the dark places in our lives are caused by disappointments, and in the case of Christians it can be because of the consternation of having the Lord say ”No” to an earnest prayer request. Such was the case with Amy Carmichael, a much loved missionary to India. She is also known for the stirring poems and books she wrote.
I was blessed in reading an excerpt about her in a recent Baptists Today (SA) magazine, which brought out magnificently the concept of God being in full control at all times and in every situation, working all things for good in the lives of those who love Him and are called according to His purpose. (Romans 8:28)
Amy was born, one of seven children in her large Irish family, with brown eyes. Now this dismayed her terribly as everyone else in the family had blue eyes. This was news to me as I had only seen black and white photographs of her, or the sepia prints of her day, and even if I had known, it would not have meant very much. But to this young girl it was a matter for urgent and persistent prayer. She was 8 years old when she first gave her life to the Lord, and with childish faith and expectation earnestly entreated the Lord to give her blue eyes like the rest of her family. As she grew she no doubt learnt to accept that this was a miracle she was to be denied, and when she answered the call to ministry in India, in spite of less than robust health, she embraced the customs of her adopted country, fitting in well with her brown eyes. As the years passed she became much treasured and respected by the people she so devotedly served and we can imagine the alarm that was experienced in the mission compound when India rebelled against British rule in the late 1800’s and riots broke out in the streets of India. Thousands of British subjects were evacuated and as the rioters moved closer to the area where Amy lived, the people became more concerned for her safety, deciding that they would make her look even more like an Indian. Coffee was rubbed into her skin, her long dark hair was plaited in a braid down her back. Dressed in her customary Indian clothes it was hoped that she would not be recognised as being European.
The day came when an angry mob arrived, and the Christians were lined up against the walls. “Kill the foreigners! Kill the English!” was the frenzied cry, but no foreigners could be seen. The leader then remembered his instructions, having been told that the foreigners could have been disguised. His cry rang out, “Look into their eyes! Kill the ones with blue eyes! The hated ones all have blue eyes.”
And Amy realised the awesome truth of her uniqueness before God! At last she knew why God had said “No” to her desperate pleas for blue eyes!
“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you, not to harm you; plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call upon me and come pray to me, and I will listen to you.” Jeremiah 29:11,12
As a compulsive and addicted reader it is to be expected that some of my reading matter will not be retained in as magical a way as others. Conversely, sometimes a subject will so grab my attention that it cannot be ignored. Such a one recently made an impact like a searchlight on a dark place.
Often the dark places in our lives are caused by disappointments, and in the case of Christians it can be because of the consternation of having the Lord say ”No” to an earnest prayer request. Such was the case with Amy Carmichael, a much loved missionary to India. She is also known for the stirring poems and books she wrote.
I was blessed in reading an excerpt about her in a recent Baptists Today (SA) magazine, which brought out magnificently the concept of God being in full control at all times and in every situation, working all things for good in the lives of those who love Him and are called according to His purpose. (Romans 8:28)
Amy was born, one of seven children in her large Irish family, with brown eyes. Now this dismayed her terribly as everyone else in the family had blue eyes. This was news to me as I had only seen black and white photographs of her, or the sepia prints of her day, and even if I had known, it would not have meant very much. But to this young girl it was a matter for urgent and persistent prayer. She was 8 years old when she first gave her life to the Lord, and with childish faith and expectation earnestly entreated the Lord to give her blue eyes like the rest of her family. As she grew she no doubt learnt to accept that this was a miracle she was to be denied, and when she answered the call to ministry in India, in spite of less than robust health, she embraced the customs of her adopted country, fitting in well with her brown eyes. As the years passed she became much treasured and respected by the people she so devotedly served and we can imagine the alarm that was experienced in the mission compound when India rebelled against British rule in the late 1800’s and riots broke out in the streets of India. Thousands of British subjects were evacuated and as the rioters moved closer to the area where Amy lived, the people became more concerned for her safety, deciding that they would make her look even more like an Indian. Coffee was rubbed into her skin, her long dark hair was plaited in a braid down her back. Dressed in her customary Indian clothes it was hoped that she would not be recognised as being European.
The day came when an angry mob arrived, and the Christians were lined up against the walls. “Kill the foreigners! Kill the English!” was the frenzied cry, but no foreigners could be seen. The leader then remembered his instructions, having been told that the foreigners could have been disguised. His cry rang out, “Look into their eyes! Kill the ones with blue eyes! The hated ones all have blue eyes.”
And Amy realised the awesome truth of her uniqueness before God! At last she knew why God had said “No” to her desperate pleas for blue eyes!
Thursday, January 5, 2012
Farewell, Faithful Friend
A dear friend has gone to be with the Lord, which brings me to a new learning curve! More than 10 years ago she asked me to be her executor, so I now have a list of “things to do” although circumstances have changed since those days, and many instructions are no longer major issues. Conversely, there are many things that must be added, so my thinking cap must be firmly in place.
One thing though, has remained constant through the 20+ years of our friendship, and that is her love for the Lord, Jesus Christ. Many times we have prayed together for the saving grace of the Lord to be poured out on her loved ones. Some years ago, when her sister died, there was much pain and anguish to be worked through, as her sister had refused to even discuss faith in Christ, preferring only to believe in her own ideas.
There is a way that seems right to a man, but in the end it leads to death. (Proverbs 16:25 NIV) was discussed often, and how to share the Truth we know through the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, was a constant theme. My friend’s surviving son disappeared from her life, but her prayers for him continued. The request for her favourite hymns to be sung will be a continuation of her heart’s desire to proclaim God’s love to those who remain in this life.
Be still, my soul: the Lord is on thy side.
Bear patiently the cross of grief or pain.
Leave to thy God to order and provide;
In every change, He faithful will remain.
Be still, my soul: thy best, thy heavenly Friend
Through thorny ways leads to a joyful end.
This hymn, was reportedly the favourite of Eric Liddell, the 1924 Olympic athlete who refused to run on a Sunday, (see the film, Chariots of Fire) and later became a missionary in China.
“How Great Thou Art” was her other favourite, and it has been interesting to me to read the several versions and original verses by the Swedish born Carl Gustav Boberg (August 16, 1859 – January 17, 1940) later translated into many languages, most notably by Stuart K. Hine (1949 version) who was greatly influenced by Charles Spurgeon.
When Christ shall come with shout of acclamation
And take me home, what joy shall fill my heart!
Then I shall bow in humble adoration,
And there proclaim, my God, how great Thou art!
AMEN!
One thing though, has remained constant through the 20+ years of our friendship, and that is her love for the Lord, Jesus Christ. Many times we have prayed together for the saving grace of the Lord to be poured out on her loved ones. Some years ago, when her sister died, there was much pain and anguish to be worked through, as her sister had refused to even discuss faith in Christ, preferring only to believe in her own ideas.
There is a way that seems right to a man, but in the end it leads to death. (Proverbs 16:25 NIV) was discussed often, and how to share the Truth we know through the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, was a constant theme. My friend’s surviving son disappeared from her life, but her prayers for him continued. The request for her favourite hymns to be sung will be a continuation of her heart’s desire to proclaim God’s love to those who remain in this life.
Be still, my soul: the Lord is on thy side.
Bear patiently the cross of grief or pain.
Leave to thy God to order and provide;
In every change, He faithful will remain.
Be still, my soul: thy best, thy heavenly Friend
Through thorny ways leads to a joyful end.
This hymn, was reportedly the favourite of Eric Liddell, the 1924 Olympic athlete who refused to run on a Sunday, (see the film, Chariots of Fire) and later became a missionary in China.
“How Great Thou Art” was her other favourite, and it has been interesting to me to read the several versions and original verses by the Swedish born Carl Gustav Boberg (August 16, 1859 – January 17, 1940) later translated into many languages, most notably by Stuart K. Hine (1949 version) who was greatly influenced by Charles Spurgeon.
When Christ shall come with shout of acclamation
And take me home, what joy shall fill my heart!
Then I shall bow in humble adoration,
And there proclaim, my God, how great Thou art!
AMEN!
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