A day known by Him since the beginning of time

This new day You give to me

From Your great eternity

This new day now enfold

Me in Your loving hold

But as for me, this is my prayer to You, at the time You have set, O LORD: “In Your great mercy, O God, answer me with Your unfailing help. Answer me, O LORD, for Your love is kind; in Your great compassion, turn to me.” Psalm 69:14/18

Give us today our daily bread.

Lord God, almighty and everlasting Father, you have brought me in safety to this new day: Preserve me with your mighty power, that I may not fall into sin, nor be overcome by adversity; and in all I do direct me to the fulfilling of your purpose; through Jesus Christ my Lord. Amen.

Last night, as I settled onto my quite-hard-as-plywood bed, a huge peace enfolded me. Over and over, throughout the so-very-full day, God had spoken to me with clarity and consistency: break every chain. The time is now. I am at work even now.

And the story ended with me high up on the Rock, sturdily embedded in the middle of the huge hilly field overlooking the sea. Much like the scene from coastal Spain that serves as my desktop background. Except in this story, my Lord Jesus sits next to me, His arm comfortably around my shoulders as we watch the crashing waves below. And the word from the prophet asked for wisdom for today, wisdom as deep and true as the ocean, His wisdom.

And may this wisdom fill me to overflowing today, as I walk into His perfect timing: But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial and sincere.  And a harvest of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.

Not as the world gives

Happy is the man who reads this prophecy and happy are those who hear it read and pay attention to its message; for the time is near. Revelation 1:3

Well I sure wasn’t too happy yesterday sifting through a dozen commentaries. I am pretty sure that there are fewer things that make me sadder than the Church squabbling, and labeling each other “smarmy.” And yet, I sense that God wants to guide me through this Revelation, and humbly I seek His truth: But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, He will guide you into all the truth. He will not speak on His own; he will speak only what He hears, and He will tell you what is yet to come.  I don’t imagine that it will all be as neat and tidy as my childhood memories with color-coded arrows tracking up and down the movements of Christ and His angels. But may I pay attention to its message.

Grace and peace be to you from Him Who is and Who was and Who is coming, from the seven Spirits before His throne, and from Jesus Christ the faithful witness, first-born of the dead, and ruler of kings upon earth. To Him who loves us and has set us free from our sins through His own blood, who has made us a kingdom of priests to His God and Father, to Him be glory and power for timeless ages, Amen.

Who is and Who was and Who is coming. Reaching out in all directions beyond what the mind can conceive, He offers me grace and peace. He is willing and He is ready and He is able. In this I can rest.

And first-born Jesus who loves me and has set me free, free indeed, through His own blood. No greater love than this, that one lay down his life for his friends.

And as His friend, let me do what He commands: This is what I command, that you love one another.

I have told you these things, so that in Me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.

Amen.