Wednesday, August 29, 2012

In Your time You move the mountain...

Have faith in God. For assuredly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain be removed and cast into the sea and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that those things he says will be done, he will have whatever he says. Mark 11:22,23

A couple of interesting thoughts concerning this verse, "he will have whatever he says", I find it most intriguing the word "says" is used instead of "asks". The word "says" shows determination, an act of faith that the next step in the dark will be solid ground whereas "asks" is more like seeking approval or permission. I believe the measure of faith You speak of, Jesus is in context to knowing that You work in me to will and to act according to Your good purpose (Philippines 2:13), so it makes sense why whatever I say, will be done.

Last night, I came begging into my Father's presence - grow me, stretch me, tear and heal me, strike and bind me up. I am adjusting to a lot, and I am adjusting in my spiritual walk once again, and asking that I be shown a balance. Amen. 

Sunday, August 19, 2012

Today is our one month anniversary, and we mark it with words gifted to one another. This morning we Skyped, sharing our morning, our silliness and our rather passionate love for one another, and not thinking about the day and its significance, we bid adieu. Ten minutes later, a train of thought occurred and I realized with a gasp that it was our anniversary, and grabbing the cellphone, opened the text option to fire him a "Happy Anniversary", but did not even get that far, when the cellphone began to ring, and picking up the phone, he says with much bravo and tender passion, "Happy Anniversary, I love you!!"

We're on the same page, riding the same wave length. All of it, him and us continues to leave me amazed, blessed and humbled.

It's been a tornado of a month, whirling about us as we stand in the eye of the storm. We're moving constant contradictions, knowing each other forever, yet discovering new surfaces and depths of each other and of our intertwining existences. As perpetual students we are each other's classroom, mapping the landscape of each other's atlas in the corner of those particular rooms. We are forever shifting through the sandbox of love, building castles, discovering hidden treasure, sharing and building together creations, and yet remaking the old to make yet anew.

We're multifaceted. I enjoy delving into the depths of him and I know he enjoys exploring mine. And I am amazed at how God has wrought all of this, created to compliment each other just right, just so. We are living out a life of praise, following Him down a path only He knows, and we praise Him for these moments of the here and now, and leave tomorrows in His capable hands. Amen!

Friday, August 17, 2012

Writing-wise, this month hasn't been productive. Going on the theme of spiritual slump from my last post, one thing I have been some what consistent in is trying to find a balance, a running thread between my heavenly relationship and my earthly one. I do admit I have been doing quite a bit of praise, and how can I not? I have met my life's companion, my best friend, my lover and he is one cool dude. It's only been two months, yet it feels a life time (it also might be the fact we talk to each other 24/7), and soon we'll be celebrating our one month anniversary.

I know according to world standards, New Years begins January 1, but I feel like I've begun a new year, and of course, that's excluding the new years of my birthday. Another type of countdown occurs when a relationship is begun, and hence a need to recognize new years, celebrations, anniversaries, and milestones. And when I reflect on all of this, I come to realize just how tied to time I am, but the irony is, there is one relationship that is ageless, is here and now and is bound to no time and is set in eternity - the relationship I have with my Creator.

I don't have to wait for heaven to know Him, and I am beginning to wonder about the physical aspect of meeting Him face to face, because is He not suppose to be found in the bodies of His children? I am reminded of Isaiah 53:10-11: Yet it pleased the Lord to bruise Him; He has put Him to grief. When You make His soul an offering for sin, He shall see His seed, He shall prolong His days, and the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper His hand. He shall see the labour of His soul, and be satisfied.

In Hebrew tradition, a man was preserved in a sense through his children and their children. Jesus, was not physically preserved but in the spirit was preserved in His sacrifice for those who He died for and those who accepted His sacrifice, and of course, the offer still stands for those who may never accept or on the verge of discovering their inheritance.

There is a Latin phrase that I am rather fond of: absens haeres non erit and it translates An absent person will not be heir. I realize there are people in the world who do not know Christ or even who He is, yet, they are living His words in motion daily. But I know Jesus, and I know I cannot be absent from His presence too long. Here I am to worship. Amen. 

Thursday, August 16, 2012

I know I've been too long in my comfort zone when the prospects of moving, and the change in scenery begins to ruffle my feathers. I don't really think it's the moving that bothers me, it more of the amount of work that has to be put in and that goes to show you the extent of my lazy side. But as my other half kindly pointed out to me (and me in my forgetfulness), that we, hmmm, that I rely too much on myself. This is really interesting, now that I think about it, all of this is starting to take shape and reveal itself as the next challenge of the year. Yes, I believe in yearly challenges, personal challenges, but challenges that are way out of my league and require a lot of time in His presence that result in leaning on His strength.

I will admit it, I have been in a personal spiritual slump for the last month and a half. I do go in these cycles and I recognize them when they happen, and rather than fight them and get uber depressed, I simply wait them out. Out of that waiting comes revelation, understanding - as if He reaches out and touches my mind's eye, and scales fall off. Many things trigger a slump, sometimes good or sometimes not so good, but they happen. Oh, the communication between He and I never disappears, it just diminishes and He waits patiently for me on the side as I try to figure out what in the world is going on inside of me. That's why I love my Creator, He's one patient Dude. Amen.  

Tuesday, August 14, 2012

The Book of Jeremiah has become a favourite, especially as I continue to come back to the same chapters repeatedly and repeatedly find new perspective. Often that perspective is paralleled to my own life, serving as a paradigm microscope to view the intricacies of the good, bad and ugly of what I've experienced. Some of these verses (6:14-16) I've read before, but they bear repeating from the context of a nation to the context of myself:


14 They have also healed the hurt of My people slightly, Saying, ‘Peace, peace!’ When there is no peace. 15 Were they ashamed when they had committed abomination? No! They were not at all ashamed; Nor did they know how to blush. Therefore they shall fall among those who fall; At the time I punish them, They shall be cast down,” says the Lord.16 Thus says the LORD: “Stand in the ways and see, And ask for the old paths, where the good way is, And walk in it; Then you will find rest for your souls. But they said, ‘We will not walk in it.

What I find so fascinating is the visual effect of verse 16 (hence the picture).  The aspect of no shame I also find interesting. I am reminded of another verse but this time from Psalms 119:9, "How can a young man keep his way pure? By guarding it according to Your word..." 

The idea of paths and seeking for or guarding knowledge as the wellspring of life is seen in both of these verses but what both verses embrace is the idea knowledge becoming action. And all of this comes back to me - the action of seeking knowledge, seeking purity in an active place rather than in a negative space. Jeremiah's words refer to a need to seek after God in their negative space whereas David on the other hand refers to seeking after God in a positive space. Jeremiah speaks of a people not ashamed and David speaks of a young man already in purity. Whatever the space, both men point out the Way. 

So, some days ago, I stood in the way and I asked which way should I go? I stood in the ways and looked, I asked for the old paths, where the good way was, and I began walking in it, and now, I find rest for my soul. Amen. 

Saturday, August 11, 2012

There is a season for all things and the season I am in right now is satisfaction. I am satisfied. But even though I am satisfied, I am reminded that it has come out of much labour and of course, my thoughts turn to Isaiah 53:10,11:

"...When You make His soul an offering for sin, He shall see His seed, He shall prolong His days, and the pleasure of the LORD shall prosper in His hand. He shall see the labour of His soul, and be satisfied..."

In my state of being, I am taking full opportunity to lay down the highway signs of my experience in this time and space, so that my soul will have reminders in time's of other seasons. After all, I am a forgetful person :) Amen. 

Friday, August 10, 2012

Our actions either reveal or betray our thoughts, and I guess it really depends on what perspective I want to take. I was reading Jeremiah 6:19, 20 and it says

Behold, I will certainly bring calamity on this people - The fruit of their thoughts, because they have not heeded My words nor My law, but rejected it. For what purpose to Me comes frankincense from Sheba, and sweet cane from a far country? Your burnt offerings are not acceptable, nor your sacrifices sweet to Me.

All of my actions stem from my thoughts. These particular verses reach out to my own thoughts in my own situation. Are my thoughts focused on self or focused on other? And what actions are telling of those thoughts? The symbolism of thoughts are words, and I am reminded of another thought that stated, The spirit gives life; the flesh counts for nothing. The words I have spoken to you are spirit and they are life (Jn 6:63). So, the question arises - are the thoughts I recycle throughout my cranium of myself OR are they from the Original Source, the Original Coder? 

Some verses I find myself looping back to - Jeremiah 6:4,5. The selected imagery suggests a deeper meaning and seems to parallel with 6:2,3. Still grappling with this and asking for insight. Amen.

Wednesday, August 1, 2012

I love you. I can simply state "I love you", and yet, that love becomes increasingly profound with each passing day. When I first said, "I love you", I had an understanding of what love was in that moment, and the meaning of love in that space was enough. But that was the yesterday of two weeks ago. My "I love yous" are now specifically custom made. "I love you" now wears your face. "I love you" now has your laughter. "I love you" has your warmth, your happiness, and your joy. "I love you" will one day contain your grumpiness, your anger, your annoyance, and even your sadness. I love you and I know those words will continue funnelling out into the nuances of 1 Corinthian 13 in all its glorious simplistic complexities.

I love you, and I just want to be planted right beside you. I want to grow my roots into your roots, lean my branches into yours, and maybe someday become entangled so that from a distance we appear as one, but step closer and we are two.

Oh, and by the way...I love you!

Amen.