SABBATH SNAPSHOTS: INSIDE AND OUT

8/12/12 Sanctuary—a sacred place, a quiet place, inside or outside where one can meet with God. The natural beauty of God’s creation can often draw us into His Presence. Though awed, we can be still and worship regardless of all that is going on around us.

That’s my definition---this week’s pictures reveal clearly where my words fail.

Church of Abraham Lincoln, Springfield, IL. In the sanctuary stands the pew of the family.

A welcoming sanctuary

Trinity Episcopal (1637) where I knelt & prayed for bereaved friends.

Established by Jesuit missionaries in 1670 on Mackinac Island, MI.

Little Stone Church near the Grand hotel where I read aloud Psalm 51. "Create in me a clean heart, O Lord, and renew a right spirit within me.

Mission Church

Cedarburg, WI

Sunday morning parking on an island that allows NO motorized vehicles

Spire proclaiming the cross is a harbor welcome to Mackinac Island.

Reminders of my "Me and Thee" chairs---the purple one must belong to Him. After all, a King is royalty.

Great sanctuary to behold a sunrise

Kingly Prayers Needed

1/23/10 The Kate-William betrothal is on every one’s tongue. A royal wedding is planned this spring for Prince William and “commoner” Kate Middleton. “First Commoner to Marry Heir to Throne in 350 Years” is how the Atlanta Journal Constitution put it. It’s big news not only because everyone loves a royal wedding but because he is 2nd in line to the throne of one of the most powerful countries in the world. He could presumably be seated on the throne within my (and your) lifetime. That’s big. Big because though the monarch's authority over the Church of England is not strong, the position is still very relevant to the church. Possibly prayer could connect the monarch and the church in more than a symbolic capacity. That would be really BIG.
So what should one pray for a future king? Years ago, I purchased a Common Book of Prayer for a mere £1, from a little antique store in Horley, England.

The Book of Common Prayer is a permanent feature of the Church of England's worship, much loved for its beautiful language and its source for rituals and ceremonies. Since this book is a model and inspiration for worship throughout England and is also foundational for the tradition of common prayer for morning and evening, I thought this would be a good place to begin praying. These prayers, now even available on-line, are taken from scripture and some are the confessional prayers of King David himself in Psalm 51. The apostles’creed and Lord’s prayer are included as well.

Though the copy I have includes prayers for King George, Prince William’s great-great grandfather, my prayer is that the future King and his betrothed will add prayer to their daily agendas. Maybe just picking up The Common Book of Prayer will be a good, familiar place to start. Praying together could certainly be a great beginning for their own relationship as well as preparation for the future monarchy. Long live King Jesus!

J is for…………….Jehovah

12/24/09
J is for Jehovah-Rophe---The Lord our Healer ---He has been a healer for me in such a BIG way this year not only physically but emotionally and spiritually as well. First and foremost, in the eyes of others, the Lord has healed my infirmities in miraculous ways with a correct though rare diagnosis, involvement of Dr. Louis Carter visiting from mission field in Africa & teaming up with Dr. Burrus from Memphis to find a “team” for me, my “Dallas team” headed by the incomparable Dr. Richard Ha, and the rest of the story that has taken 240+ blog entries. Yet, before that healing would even begin the Lord began to deal with me spiritually and emotionally. Emotionally I had been “leveled many years before. Try as I might, I could not seem to let go of the hurt and embrace forgiveness---though I kept trying. I so needed to give up a bitterness and hurt that had held me bondage for 20+ years. Sometimes it would spew up like something about to boil over on the back burner. When it did, those nearest and dearest to me could get burned and the anger/resentment had absolutely nothing to do with them----But God……had me accept a church teaching assignment in October '08, because the date was convenient. Then I found out that the topic was, “ Forgiveness.” Because of the anguish of my heart and the fear and trembling that overtook me, I camped out in Psalm 55 and then Psalm 73 because “my heart was embittered and I was pierced within.” But it wasn’t until I came into the sanctuary of God….(v.17) with a broken and contrite heart that He restored completely the joy of my salvation and renewed a steadfast spirit within me. (Psalm 51) Praise to my Jehovah-Rophe for healing me emotionally and spiritually so that 2 ½ months later I could face the physical trauma that lay ahead.

J is for Jehovah -Nissi---Yesterday, I realized that as He is my banner, and I become His banner as well when I name His name as part of my own, thus having Christian as my moniker.
J is for Jehovah-Jireh Christmas is as much about the cross as it is about the manger. According to Hebrew translations, Jehovah-jireh or Yahweh-yireh, can be rendered the LORD will provide", with "LORD" taking the place of…….He is my “substitutionary atonement” ( a Jim Fleming term) taking my sin upon Himself that I might be declared righteousness.

J is for Jehovah -M'Kaddesh---The “Lord who Sanctifies” and sanctifies and sanctifies---this is a continual process in my life and He is not “done” with me yet.
J is for Jehovah-–Shalom-- The Lord our Peace---Tonight is Christmas Eve and because of my Jehovah Shalom, I can “sleep in heavenly peace” knowing that my Jehovah-Shammah (the Lord who is there) is present.