To get a touch from the Lord

' May the Lord bless his people with peace.' Psalm 29:11

What a glorious, magnificent 'God filled' sunset, glowing gold and filtered with golden particals that 'veiled' the mountains and valleys.

At the Aboriginal church we sing this song: 'To get a touch from the Lord is so real......'

It dosent matter how you feel or what sort of a day you have had, you must admit that a touch from the Lord reaches deep inside and blesses you.

Grace and peace from the Lord Jesus Christ.

Anne

Come, let us go up to the mountain

'Many people shall come and say, 'Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob: that he may teach us his ways and that we may walk in his paths. ' Isaiah 2:3

I think one of the most meaningful words outside the name of Jesus is retreat.Many of us had one at Galong last week.

Its not just about retreating from all that we do in daily life but its about retreating to regather to regather strength,

to regather rest,

to regather ourselves and to regather our relationship with God. To stop and take a step back and be still and hear what God wants us to advance with.

And in all of that the beauty of retreating is suddenly there are roses to smell and birds to see and the stillness of God's voice to hear.

Step aside awhile........with God.......and be renewed, refreshed.

Grace and peace from the Lord Jesus Christ

Anne

The Lord is the everlasting God

'The Lord is the everlasting God, the creator of the ends of the earth. Isaiah 40:28b

I wandered in the Garden, as the song goes, 'while the dew was still on the roses .'

I wandered amongst the mysteries of God

amongst the incense of new roses and the brilliant coloured sweetpeas

and new mown grass

to the melody of the garden birds

and I thought of this verse by Jane Armitage:

'O thou who gave us eyes to see

And love the sight so fair

Give us the grace to seek out thee

And see thee everywhere.'

Grace and peace from the lord Jesus Christ

Anne

I am with you always

' I am with you always.' Matthew 28:20

Imigery can be so strong .

Every time I see a flower growing in the crack of a path or out of a stone wall thoughts such as this come to mind:

'May you always notice

the (dazzling white) flowers

growing up between the cracks

and may your life be full

of little resurrections.' (Neil Paynter)

Grace and peace from the Lord Jesus Christ.

Anne

Prepare the way of the Lord

‘Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.’ Mark 1:3

I was touched by the early morning, so still, so quiet, with a blackbird breaking into the dawn, softly singing a solo with perfection on every note and I just sat and engaged ....... God and me..........a oneness.

It’s like the whole start of the day is on pause before it lunges into its business and strife.

As I sat, over and over in my mind roll the word from psalm 46:

‘ Vocate et videte quoniam ego-somdeus’
‘Be still and know that I am God.’

Did you know this is called the war psalm, said before engaging in battle?

I don’t think there is any better way of entering a new day than to be wrapped up in the love, protection and peace of God, prepared for anything...

Grace and peace from the Lord Jesus Christ.
Anne

The lost sheep

‘Which one of you, having a hundred sheep and losing one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the wilderness and go after the one that is lost until he finds it? Luke 15:4

Yesterday I was preaching about the Diaconate and mentioning stories of God’s love ..................................stories of the children from school.

After the service a man came to me, tears in his eyes and said, ‘You have made me cry.’

Immediately I apologised and sought to console him. ‘No, ‘ he said,’ it’s alright, it’s just that you have been one of only a few people who have said out openly from the pulpit, for all to hear, that there is a special place in God’s heart for people like my disabled son. ‘Today,’ he said,’ others now know I bring my son to church because God loves him.’

How often are we ‘welcoming and nice ‘but never so inclusive that we do not give hope? How often do we talk openly about those with less ability than ourselves, openly in the context of giving hope and affirming the loving and care of the parent.... as a very special gift from God, only given to special people? Ministry in our daily lives is about giving life to others.......we hold the treasure of the knowledge of life. Let us use it to be life givers.

‘This is just a wheelchair,’ says a seven year old girl with spina bifida. ‘God made us in his likeness, so I guess at one time God was in a wheelchair.’ (Creating an Inclusive Worship Community)
Grace and peace from the Lord Jesus Christ.
Anne

my mouth is filled with your praise

‘My mouth is filled with your praise, declaring your splendour all day long.’ Psalm 71:8

I am always stunned and in awe of the wonder of God’s creation.

Today I heard on the radio that scientists were able to look through a telescope and see a very distant planet for the first time.......it was so big that 1 million planets the size of earth could fit into it. What a mighty God!
And then
A few days ago I spend a glorious day with friends at the tulip farm wandering, sitting and relaxing amongst the glorious flower beds of beautiful colour and we were doubly blessed by a flock of red rump finches who settled on the grass near us.

What is this God that he can make universes, massive planets, beautiful coloured flowers and birds of every variety?

Alice Chapin wrote: ‘Blue skies with white clouds on summer days. A myriad of stars on a clear moonlit night. Tulips and roses and violets and dandelions and daises......bluebirds and .........
...................See how he loves us!

Look about you today and marvel at the glorious splendour and magnitude of our God.
Grace and peace from the Lord Jesus Christ.
Anne

A time to keep silent

‘A time to keep silence and a time to speak.’ Eccl 3:7

Listening.....intently.....listening.
Sometimes I listen deeply,
So deeply that the silence is loud,
So deeply that out of the silence
comes the still small voice
or more profound
a beautiful, richly coloured bird lands within inches of my sight......and God speaks.

Mother Teresa said: ‘God is the friend of silence. See how nature.....trees, flowers, grass.....grow in silence’

Grace and peace from the Lord Jesus Christ.
Anne

I will bow down toward your holy temple

‘I will bow down toward your holy temple and will praise your name for your love and faithfulness.’ Psalm 138:2

Often I am lost for words when I walk in the morning.

.......There is just me,

.......and those I take along in my prayers

.......and God.

And as the last of the night stars fade into the day,

the rising sun comes over the mountain top and colours the day in almost indescribable beauty, draping itself across the valley and paddocks.

.......It warms my heart

.......It stills me

.......It takes my breath away and

.......It takes my words

Leavening me in awe and I want to take my shoes off

.......and slowly

.......quietly

.......beautifully

A song comes into my heart.

The new day is created , new opportunities are opening up ....... I have sung, I have prayed, I have been in the presence of God ....... I am prepared to ‘be’ the gospel ....... and God knows my heart is blessed and I call it my Morning Prayer.

What is your experience of Morning Prayer?

Remember, any place is a good place to pray to God

Grace and peace from the Lord Jesus Christ.

Anne