Focus ...

I have recently heard some great teaching through David Platt concerning prayer.   How we should realise who this magnificent God is to whom we are praying before we open our mouths, and not to let our thoughts wander from Him to anything less than Him!

Hold that thought.

At a prayer time in our home last week, we were praying about a new office we proposed to take on as a ministry (Desiring Truth).  I had used my iPad to display the picture of the office up on the TV screen (good old Apple TV) to assist the focus of our prayers.  We were in the midst of praying, when my mind was distracted by a 'ping' coming from the iPad.  My hand was just about to move to read the email when I realised that if I did that everyone in the room would know it, because the email would appear on the TV screen.  So I stopped myself just in time, with a 'phew'.

Then I heard that still quiet voice say 'they didn't see your distraction but I always do'.  What a wake up call.  I felt like Peter when his eyes fastened onto Jesus' eyes after he had caused the cock to crow. He wept and I suddenly I knew how that must have been for him.


But dear ones, it is a fact, we do think about other things when praying.  Our mind wanders away from the God who created the universe; Who is bowing His ear to listen to us so that He might bless us with an answer from Heaven.  God Who seeks to be glorified on earth, as it is in heaven, though you and me.  And we are thinking of the shopping list, whats for dinner etc whilst His name, His beautiful name is still warm on our lips.  

Hmmm ... need to think seriously about this don't we?

The Lord your God is with you...

Today I found some thoughts that I had recorded after studying the life of Joshua. 

In Joshua 1 God told Joshua to get up and go 'to the land which I am giving to them - the children of Israel.  Every place on which the sole of your foot will tread upon I have given you.' 'No man shall be able to stand before you all the days of your life'  ...  'I  will not leave you nor forsake you.  Be strong and of good courage'  .... 'Have I not commanded you? Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.'... you will  'possess the land which the Lord your God is giving you to possess.'

The teaching must have hit home and I found myself missing the mark. At which point I had written the following poem and it has been good to remind myself of that moment.

I have run and run from many a fight

not seeing the Lord by my side

I have wrung my hands with a sense of loss

and tears of wretchedness cried.

I have hidden myself in the darkest cave

with the sound of the hunter so near

my breath in a ball, my heart in a knot

its beat ringing loud in my ear.

With tarnished words of hate in my mind

like flint slashing through my core

rejection arising, brick upon  brick

my life ebbing out on the shore.

I lie at Your feet at the end of myself

my strength and my might flickering low

Your Word coming through like a kiss on the breeze

the comfort, the grace that 'You know'

I rise with the strength of Your mighty arm

the weight of Your Word is my stay

the Truth of Your Precepts written - for me

in power rolled the stone away.

For forty long years I wandered in fear

the clock ticking by, to my shame.

Shuffling past the memorials built high in stone

Your Presence, Your promise, Your name.

I could have stepped out in the strength of Your might

I could have gone forth in Your Word

I could have seen victory and not been afraid

if only I'd lifted Your Sword.

Now not looking back but pressing ahead

I rise and go forth from this place

I know He'll walk with me, wherever He sends

and one day I'll look at His face.

His Promise is sure, He is faithful and true

so don't waver or fall by the way

The battle is His, the victory assured

make the most of your time, while its day.

Rosie (http://crumbsonmykeyboard.blogspot.co.uk)

Repentance ...

How about this?  
Repentance means to turn around.  
I think we all agree there!

Repentance means Lord I have turned around, now get in the car with me!
I think we would all say yes to that?

But actually true repentance means:
Lord, I have turned around, get into my car and YOU drive. 

Don't you just love that? 
What a difference to the Church there would be if all those purporting to be Saints could get this under their bonnet.

Submission to His Will ...

The other day, when going through one of my piles of papers scattered around the house, I came across a poem I had written some time ago. Standing by the table I read it through and it came over to me that this must have been one of those 'ouch' moments, you know the ones where the Lord says 'that's enough of that, Rosie'. 

These moments are always a little shattering at the time.  You protest your innocence and have every reason in the book as to why you are like your are.  Yet Jesus without saying any more keeps his eyes upon you, looking right into your soul, loving you and willing you to submit to His will.

As I read through the poem and remembered the pain of that moment, my heart filled with joy as I looked at where I am NOW, and it is because of that 'ouch' moment that I can NOW  cry out in victory 'Thank you Lord, it was worth it all'.

Perhaps I will write out the poem for you next time, you might be where I was and so I can encourage you with an old hymn I know, simply -  'Trust and obey, for there's no other way, to be happy in Jesus but to trust and obey'.

In God's hands ...

Of late I seem to have heard the call to rise early and spend time in His presence. I hesitate to say 'prayer' as I am not so good at that. Today (4.30 a.m) I read that Abraham woke early and declared that "the Lord, He is my God." I like it, that these should be my first words of the day, to join the noisy declarations of the dawn chorus.

The rest of the day stretches before me and I know that many other words will follow, some good, some bad, some futile, some of gold, but it feels right that the first ones should be such a powerful declaration. It sort of sets the standard for the day!

Like a sailor, wakened early, with a hot brew in his hands, goes on deck and watches the sun rise and feeling the first warm breezes of the day, looking at the sky he reaches out and sets the sails, turns the wheel and rests back to enjoy the journey. What to see? Where to go?  All is left in the hands of God knowing that the jib is set according to the compass reading - "The Lord He is my God."

New eyes, faith rising ...

You may be wondering about the two pictures I have posted this time.

I have two precious people coming close to the top of my prayer list at this time. Both have an illness that has twisted itself around vital parts of their bodies and yet still both want to live for the Lord Jesus and to glorify Him in their lives, regardless.

The pictures show a precious necklace I inherited from a lovely friend, now in heaven with her Saviour, but it is so delicate that every time I take it out of the box it has twiddled itself into a knot. This last week I wanted to wear it but there it was a jumble of silver links, ugly and not the gracious adornment for which it was designed and created.

I stood patiently, moving my clumsy fingers, over, under, round, back and forth for many minutes. With a sigh I eventually unlooped the last thread of silver and laid it out straight, fit for purpose.

Suddenly in my heart I had an understanding that filled me with joy. I thought of my two darlings, struggling with their health and could see that the Lord is able to deftly, and carefully untangle the cruel tentacles that have entrapped their bodies to a life of pain and difficulty. He would and could do this for them out of His love and grace. I looked and my beautiful necklace with new eyes, faith rising in my heart I agreed with Him that 'yes' my God could do this. So we leave it there with great joy!