Freedom

      One of the beautiful things about meandering is there is no set time to be any place in particular. As I was sitting in our glider in the yard I watched a blue jay fly around the yard. Stopping by to check out the closeness of our cat Tippy and to let him know in no uncertain terms he was being watched. Then off to the next tree, then the next and so on. As I watched a thought struck me. The bluejay was exhibiting total freedom within its domain.

The idea of freedom is not a manmade fabrication of great thinkers or focus groups. It is part of the creation we see around us. It is woven into the tapestry of creation. Why?  I believe it is because God who is the Creator acted freely when he/she created our world.

It was a conscience decision to create us and the world around us. There was no coercive force which pushed God to create the world or us. God is free therefore we are free because we are created in the image of God.

I have more to say about this but it is late till we meet again

Shalom

 Bro. James

Fresh Springs

The upwelling of fresh springs underneath the surface brings sustenance and renewal.  Quietly it brings life and refreshing to those within its’ sphere.

I have often thought this also should be the way of the Christian sojourner quietly bringing life to those within their sphere.  

Stagnant water stinks and has the stench of death around it.  Stagnant water eventually dries up in the heat of the summer sun.

Unfortunately, this is the way of many. When the heat from the trials and temptations come they evaporate, sometimes without even a remembrance they were there.

  Those living in the upwelling of fresh springs of the Holy Spirit may fade a bit in the enemies scorching heat. They do not dry up they persist and continue to spawn life carrying refreshment for those downstream. 

Journey

As I traversed the desert of my soul, at first all I saw was its harshness and death. Its starkness and emptiness were striking and unnerving. 

The air was constricting and heavy,pulling away life and energy.

It was our Golgotha the place of testing.

 After crossing through to the seemingly unending side with the marks of the desert suffering on my body I looked back to see what I had been through.

I was expecting to see all the pain, misery, trials, tribulations, betrayals, failures, disappointments, judgments and criticisms instead I saw a beautiful lush garden. 

Where had the desert gone?

As I stood in disbelief and wonder the fragrance from the Rose of Sharon wafted in my nose carried by the winds of the Spirit. It was sweet and full bodied even palatable. The air was alive with life. I could feel healing mixed with the air as it wrapped around my body, the marks of suffering immediately disappeared and my skin was as new soft, vibrant and incorruptible. There was no place for death.

 I walked the garden path further and the beauty was so indescribable that there are no earthly words to speak that convey the wholeness and completeness. I walked deeper into the garden

I could feel the vibrancy and fullness increase. .As I came around the corner I stopped and stood in absolute dumbstruck awe. Completely gobsmacked!

  I was struck by the total encapsulation of purity and energy of the triune God...It dropped me to the ground like a hammer blow... I could not look up, I could not stand, it was to overpowering.

 As I lay there my body vibrated from the energy and purity ... I could see the time that has past, what was before Adam and what has come since Adam. I began to cry openly deep heaving sobs.....  oh how this world has been marred by sin; our eyes have not seen the whole of it, nor do we understand the breadth and depth of it.  As I lay there watching the timeline pass in front of me my sobs turned to tears of joy and thanks I saw God's grace released through time. 

Thank you God for your grace which reinstated and heals us.

Blessed Triune God, keep us ever mindful of what lay ahead, lift our eyes heavenward and forward when we encounter everyday trial and temptations. How we love you and your ways.

We desire to be so full of your Holy Spirit completely saturate us that we drip with your holiness and fragrance. Come fill us Holy Spirit!

 . Season our words so  they may bring life and healing to those the wild goose brings us to . Help us to bring into this world your lush garden of life.

 Keep our eyes on the Christ that has given us life hope and meaning. Keep us pure in our love for you and each other. Help us remember we are the victor by your wholly magnificent grace, the enemy and his minions are under our feet.

To God is the Glory, blessed be the King of Kings hear the cry of our hearts Lord and gracious God.    Amen

Hidden

 Sometimes everything is nothing, conversely, sometimes nothing is everything.

As I sat praying one evening I saw a picture of a cocoon on a tree branch.

I replied what is this Lord? The Spirit said to me, what seems as nothing in the natural eye is actually a great work seen in the eye of God, and only to us on the hour of emergence.

Ruts

Within our Rut the stream of life flows always and predictable,

The walls of our rut keep the stream in place. Life is automatic, and we lose our sense of freshness, freedom and vibrancy. We have settled in for the comfortable and complacent, shying away from the risky and disruptive at all costs.

Sometimes God allows things to happen to the walls of our rut which causes or allows our stream of life to overflow the boundaries of our rut, we react in panic and distress. Sometimes it’s appropriate, but most time our anger and consternation comes to the forefront because we have been stressed by this overflow. We start binding the Evil one and his hierarchy because it certainly must be him. Only to look and see that it is Jesus sitting on the bulldozer, knocking down all the garbage and crap that we have constructed to keep in the water.

  We are forced to look around at our life, we no longer can hide in the “I am in control mode”, we have to look to the one who is our Help in times of trouble and wants to be in the good times*.  Now no longer can we be comfortable, or settled…  Here am I your servant __________, speak for I am listening.

James+

*(which at least seems like that when everything we are doing  is right because there are no problems, everything is flowing smooth and silky)

First Meditation

I have been meditating on a thought I have had

for a while.

 God doesn’t talk about the way he will work out

His words to us.

 Our life would be so much easier if God would say.

 “James, This is what is going to occur and this is

 how you are to go about it”. It may have happened

 somewhere , sometime, that I am unaware of.

 However, I’ll bet it is almost as rare as chickens’ teeth.

Why? Why does our heavenly Father/Mother

really force us  to search for the answer and direction?

  Is this what is meant,” Working out our Salvation”? I believe it is.

In our desire to find the answer or direction our

Father/Mother creates a multifaceted depth to

our walk that wouldn’t be there if it came easy.

Shallow rooted trees are the first to blow over in

a windstorm, the same with people. What binds

itself to the depth which God fashions in us? It

is Endurance, a mental/spiritual  toughness.

  We learn to endure the long hard and dark night,

 making us more appreciative of the daylight.

Depth speaks clearly of endurance one cannot exist without

the other.

 Perseverance is the soul mate of Endurance and Depth.

 It is the putting one-foot in front of the other, the

 “Keep on Truckin” idea

 (For those of you that were much hipper in

 the 60’s and 70’s ).

 It’s when the mud on the trail gets thick and sticky,

and every time you move your feet it tries to

suck your boots off. You keep moving your

feet, even if it is just a little wriggle trying to

free your feet you keep on, that’s Perseverance.

Sometimes we lose our shoes, but we keep on. I

think both Endurance and Perseverance are the

backbone of this. “Perseverance must finish its

work so that you may be mature and complete,

not lacking in anything”. (Jas.1: 4)

It makes us well-rounded and sometimes cranky people.

Earlier I spoke about our desire to find the

answer. We desire many things, however this desire

doesn’t stand alone as the motivator in these

things. It stands as a bond slave bound to the

love of and for our heavenly Father/Mother.

Obedience is the love child of this desire, this

union of Endurance and Perseverance. If you

have persevered and endured then you have

learned to listen. Obey means to hear.

Obedience is the yoke that Christ took on.

Obedience is a sometimes cruel and a demanding

taskmaster and sometimes she is a delight.

Nonetheless, she is inextricably linked to

Endurance and Perseverance. Obedience

sisters name is Discipline. Obedience depends

on Discipline to carry out her wishes the two

are inseparable. Discipline was at work with

Perseverance when the boots were being

sucked off our feet by the thick sticky mud

and we kept on going. Endurance was walking

through the cold squishy mud without

our boots. Obedience was the driving

force behind the trip through the mud

and to the goal.

Obedience is the answer to the question, Why ?

Discipline answers the question, how? Depth

takes Endurance and Perseverance and reflects

the beauty provided in our lives in the answer

to the question how.

“Blessed is the person who perseveres under

trial, because when they have withstood the test

they will receive the crown of life that God has

promised to those that love God”. (Jas 1:12)

Just some thoughts to think of next time

 you start wondering why we are forced to

search for answers instead of being given them

when God speaks. There is a reason we look

through a mirror darkly.