W WORDS FOR WEDNESDAY!

My latest knee malady is preventing me from a sorely needed "worship walk."

"But God" in His love and mercy reminded me, through the word rambling of a 5 year-old's alternative,

 "Hush your trout." I got it. Do you? 

He was trying to tell his dog to be still and be quiet. 

For me, the phrase "holy-hush" came to mind. 

Taking that phrase and putting it into practice---quiet & alone in my prayer chair with Bible open and "W" words leading me to truth.

BUT GOD.................

BUT GOD--a phrase that stays,--- in my mind that is!*

A prepositional phrase that speaks to my heart time and time again. "45 times" in the Bible according to Desiring God. 

At yesterday's UM Commencement I was enthralled by the mortarboard designs! Such variations! Guess which one caught my attention!

 

"But God Moments" follow a time of despair or crisis, signifying a pivotal change brought about by divine intervention. They reveal God's ultimate authority and transformative power in seemingly hopeless situations. "BUT GOD" moments signify God's mercy, deliverance and strength in adversity. (Dr. Chris Caster, Christ Church)

My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever. (Psalm 73:26)

I'm "being still" but you, dear reader, may shout, "AMEN!"

*It was also a fave phrase of church friend, Martha R.

SCATTERED!

May I set my mind---center my scattered mind.

It's the first thought I had this morning looking out the window as I headed to my prayer chair. All week, I have watched the pile of scatterings increase both in the yard and in my distracted mine.

"Why the impact of scattered petals?" one might ask. These heritage snowball bushes were from the family home of my most influential spiritual mentor, Mama Davenport, Margaret Louise Hooper of Hampton Station, Ky.

The force that drives and scatters my mind in many directions is NOT the force Mama Davenport taught me. She taught me to trust the "force" of Christ in my heart. She knew that as I matured there would still be times when I would be "prone to wander" & need to "bind my wandering heart to Thee" as my old favorite hymn said. ("Come Thou Fount")

Today I chose to follow through...........

Prone to wander, Lord I feel it

Prone to leave the God I love

Here's my heart, oh take and seal it

Seal it for Thy courts above.

....set my heart, aong with my mind & my voice, on things above. AMEN!

Center & settle me again today O Lord,----in honor of my grandmother and to the glory of your son, so that our sweet Jesus, the only true force, may once again spring forth!

FRIDAY FODDER!

God's grace is always present!

I have "seen" it recently. 

Even in the doldrums this past week, the Lord has provided "pick-me-ups."

A perk of pansies and a kind thank-you......

......Plus, "Ss of God's Grace" reminders from Pastor Scotty Smith.

• Saving Grace--united me with Christ.
• Sustaining Grace--supplies my needs.
• Sufficient Grace--for my sluggish slump.
• Sane-ing Grace--to renew my mind and keep it sane again & again.
• Sweetening Grace--in abundance.

From His fulness we have all received grace upon grace. (John 1:16) 

THANKFUL THURSDAY!

THANKFUL THURSDAY !

Let the morning bring me word 

of your unfailing love, 

for I have put my trust in you. 

Show me the way I should go 

for to you I entrust my life. (Psalm 143:8)

Enough said!

FLOURISHING NOT FLOUNDERING!

God's Word says the righteous flourish like a palm tree....and continue to bear fruit in old age. (Psalm 92:12-14) 

Flourishing has not been front and center in my vocabulary recently. So convicting when the Psalm speaks of the righteous as full of sap and green and I have little.

 

I am anything but full of sap and green......Apathetic. Blah.Fatigued. HoHum. Lethargic. Useless.

 

Think ENNU!! 

I need to "snap-out-of-it."

My" response has been to "try" and get moving.

But God, in His word says," He gives power to the faint and strength to the weary!" (Isaiah 48:29)

And so.....I wait trying not to feel guilty.  

At least I'm in my prayer chair."

Lord, allow my heart to be still and trust you more this Wednesday!

FLOUNDERING FORTITUDE!

STRENGTH diminishing! Why? What's the Source.....other than age or too much "me"?

Is it discouragement? Disappointment? Depression? Disease? Irritable-heart 

syndrome? 

Acceptance is the key.

This morning, the mirror on my chest clearly reminded me. "In my Face!"

Then, Scotty Smith's words for today re-emphasized the truth God already had  for me.

“Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.” Isaiah 41:10

Two “I Am’s” + Three “I Will’s” = Deep Peace

GOSPEL LENS!

Physically, I seem to be getting weaker. Thus, service to others seems more difficult at times. Even my practice of prayer has too easily become self-centered, i.e. "Help, I need strength." 

Pastor Emeritus, Scotty Smith, reminds us to daily  "Pray the Scriptures."

Nothing has been of greater importance to my growth in grace than learning to pray the Scriptures while wearing the lens of the gospel. 

As Martin Luther said, we need the gospel every day because we forget the gospel every day.

Is heartfelt-engagement possible with a tired body? Even my eyes aren't what they once word after new glasses. I need clarity along with strength.

I need to begin each day with an open Bible read through gospel-lens. (James 5:16c)

BREAD AND WATER DIET

In the past, a prisoner's diet often included a "bread and water diet" as  a physical disciplinary measure. Result was often malnourishment.

In Scripture, Christ is described in bread and water terms. With Him we will never be malnourished. "Bread of Life" & "Living Water." Not to discipline but to encourage. Truth which believers can depend on ....a spiritual gift from above, received in our innermost being. A spiritual nourishment of daily bread and living water which which one must seek daily.

A spiritual diet of sorts to be passed along i.e. shared with others! 

Think of an artesian well spilling over.

Today may we allow the flow of the Spirit deep in our hearts, to bubble up & gush forth to others to comfort and encourage them. 

*in web view of this entry, click on living water label to see other entries.

SOVEREIGNTY OF GOD!

GOD'S SOVEREIGNTY *is His authority and control. His control means that everything happens according to His plan and purposes. 

Our triune God's sovereign control is the loving and gracious oversight of the king of creation and redemption. Many see it as a pathway to peace, especially in the midst of grief and life-threatening struggles.

I appreciate Soup Campbell's succinct sharing with a local pastor recovering in ICU as the sole survivor of an airplane crash on a trip which he had planned.

"He is or He ain't!" (Soup Campbell)

The pastor, overcome with sadness and guilt, weeps!

Soup repeats. "He is or He ain't!"

It's not the end of the story but the "pathway to peace" began!

*https://www.crossway.org/articles/series/key-bible-verses/