"...we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellence of the power may be of God and not of us. We are hard-pressed on every side, yet not crushed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed— always carrying about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body. For we who live are always delivered to death for Jesus’ sake, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh." 2 Corinthians 4: 7-11
Direction
Trust in the LORD with all your heart,
And lean not on your own understanding;
In all your ways acknowledge Him
And He shall direct your paths.
Proverbs 3:5-6
Me, my, mine…
Father, I want to know You, but my coward heart fears to give up its toys. I cannot part from them without inward bleeding, and I do not try to hide from You the terror of the parting. I come trembling, but I do come. Please root from my heart all those things which I have cherished so long and which have become a very part of my living self, so that You may enter and dwell there without a rival. Then shall You make the place of Your feet glorious. Then shall my heart have no need of the sun to shine in it, for You Yourself will be the light of it, and there shall be no night there. In Jesus' Name, Amen.
A prayer by A.W. Tozer, from The Pursuit of God
Happy birthday and thank you, A.W.
It is not what a man does that determines wether his work is sacred or secular, it is why he does it. The motive is everything. Let a man sanctify God in his heart and he can thereafter do no common act. All he does is good and acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. For such a man, living will be a priestly ministration. As he performs his never-so-simple task, he will hear the voice of the seraphim saying "Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord of hosts: the whole earth is full of his glory" (Isaiah. 6:3)
A.W. Tozer - The Pursuit of God (with thanks to N.K.)
I did not know
I did not know that I could feel real joy from unseen cause - I had not let my mind be still with clever thought on pause. I could not hear beyond my wants, my fantasies and fears - I did not sense the present peace for striving, strain and tears. I had not touched the heart of faith for I lacked humble poise - I could not take the emptiness below self’s faulty noise. I had not held the offered hope of imager, our role, but then the good news force of truth was poured into my soul. And now I taste true gratitude the more I cease to steer - in yielding up the reigns to God it's alright to be here.
A ditty from Wiltshire, England, 2.2.22
Mercy in the heavens
"Your mercy, O Lord, is in the heavens; Your faithfulness reaches to the clouds. Your righteousness is like the great mountains; Your judgements are a great deep; O Lord You preserve man and beast."
Psalm 36:5-6
The secret
The secret is Christ in me, not me in a different set of circumstances.
In the land of his affliction
In the land of his affliction the wise man bows down low, glad in humble posture that the inner light will glow. As darkness smothers senses, so the heart must guide the way - the furnace howls, the errors burn the smoke of doubt holds sway. Acquiesce? No, persevere he turns within anew, takes up the cross and drinks the cup, walks like the faithful few. On route he knows the refuge is to share the gifted load - in sorrow poured out prayerfully a lighter yoke bestowed. 25th July 2021, Wiltshire, England.
Justice
The law of the LORD is perfect, converting the soul; The testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple; The statutes of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart; The commandment of the LORD is pure, enlightening the eyes; The fear of the LORD is clean, enduring forever; The judgments of the LORD are true and righteous altogether. Psalm 19:7-9
Regeneration
Even though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is being renewed day by day. For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory, while we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal.
2 Corinthians 4:16-18
Being a walking question mark 