Jesus, O Jesus, come and fill our lives

O let the Son of God enfold you with his Spirit and his love......TIS 655
That is such a lovely hymn and I found myself humming  it this morning when I woke up and it brought to mind a glorious sunrise that I has seen recently. It swept across the sky like colourful streamers across a ballroom ceiling just hanging, waiting for the dance to begin. Ribbons of bright colours of brilliant orange layered with pastel pink and blue.......a breathtaking sunrise.
I heard a man ring into the local radio station saying: 'I just caught a glimpse of the rising sun in my rear vision mirror.'  Two thoughts crossed my mind when I heard his words. May we never see the risen Son in hindsight and may others see the risen Son in us today.
Grace and peace from the Lord Jesus Christ.
Anne, servant of the Lord

Kingdom building.

At the works of your hands I sing for joy. Ps 92:4
Our attitude and how we see our purpose in life has a lot to do with how we go about our daily life. About how we see things, how we do things especially how we see our attitude with God and our journey as followers of Jesus. I read this profound saying: Two stone cutters were asked what  they were doing. The first said, ' I am cutting this dammed stone into blocks.' The second replied:'I am on a team building a cathedral.(anon)
How do you approach your daily life?
Grace and peace from the Lord Jesus Christ.
Anne, servant of the Lord.

St Saviours Cathedral Goulburn

The lantern of your life

Come let us walk in the light of the Lord.Isaiah 2:5
Early this morning I was reflecting on those words.
It seemed the country side has stood still, almost empty, not a sound, even the early birds were still asleep yet I knew that within the hour the light would come and every living creature and plant would start  responding to the new day. Its like that with the light of Christ. We know that it too will move and filter into dark places and will reflect on each of us as 'light bearers'  as those who carry  the light of Christ into places of need be it through action or the word or the breath of our prayers. I have a mission statement for my nursing ministry to some of the most vulnerable in the community who struggle with the daily  issues of just living. It says: please bless the ones who have no hope and show me how to help.
Macina Wiederkehr Says: Bathed in morning light, pray that the lantern  of your life moves gently this day in all those places where light is needed.
Grace and peace from the Lord Jesus Christ.
Anne, servant of the Lord.

Light filters into dark places.

Peace deep into the soul.

How sweet the name of Jesus sounds in a believers ear. It soothes his sorrows heals his wounds and drives away his fears. (John Newton Hymn)
This is one of the most asked for hymns from the older people in the nursing home. It brings a true sense of peace that goes deep,deep into the soul. I think of all the names that come to mind  that are encompassed in the name of Jesus and I come up with: redeemer,saviour, friend, master, comforter, healer...........
Lee Self says:
I try to encompass all your names but they slip from my grasp.
When I hold nothing, I hold you
When I hold you, I holdeverything.

Grace and peace from the Lord Jesus Christ.
Anne servant of the Lord.

Deep, deep peace

The face of God

The Lord has decided the number of stars and called each by name. Great and mighty is our Lord. Psalm 147:4-5
I saw it in the sky as the night stars  tucked themselves behind the glorious sunrise.
I saw it in the sun as it shone like millions of crystals on the frosty ground.
I saw it in the mist hovering over the ground.
I saw it in the 'top knot' pigeons dancing on the lawn and the tree full of feeding cockatoos
 I saw it in the single drop of water hanging like a gem stone on the end of a leaf.
I saw it in the wrinkled and life worn face of the elderly lady.    I saw it.
I saw the face of God and my soul sang How Great Thou Art.
World famous musician Pablo Casolas said:  I find God in the smallest of things and in the largest of things. I see God in colours and designs. No two things are alike, no two voices are the same. Who but God can do that?
Be blessed by the face of God today in all you see.
Anne, servant of the Lord

 I saw God in the mist

Glory and power

The heavens declare the glory of God: the skies proclaim the work of his hands. Psalm 19:1
It is so powerful and humbling to be aware of God's presence in our every day life and catch a glimpse of his work. On one occasion I recall being  in a rural setting where kangaroo and birds of many varieties were in abundance. As I sat on a granite outcrop at dawn, half way up a hill I surveyed a panorama of deep blue rolling mountains, distant ones snow capped, green hills and rabbits almost at my feet and God graced me with a brier bush full of blue wrens. I wrote in my notebook: Today I have been blessed at the start of the day with a chorus of kookaburras and I have been among  God's treasures. For me he opened the lid of his treasure chest and let a few come out and as I thanked him yet again, in a breath taking response he gave me one more of his treasures, a beautiful blue orchid, among the granite and the brier. I thought of  our powerful mighty God who created rugged mountains can also create a delicate wild orchid. Little do we realise sometimes that the glory and the power of he who made the universe lies hidden in a flower.
Grace and peace from the Lord Jesus Christ
Anne, servant of the Lord.

Kookaburra sits in the old gum tree

for Jesus

For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life. John 3:16
                  I read somewhere that we should make a pulpit of every  circumstance.
 Those words draw me to think beyond the familiarity of the church and into the community where I recall seeing crowds of 1.000's watching a cricket match and amidst all the waving banners was one that boldly quoted John 3:16. And as I watch football something stirs deep inside me when I see the big burly men run onto  the field  with several of them making the sign of the cross. Yesterday afternoon's football  drew attention to the commentators who were trying to discern a scripture quote written on a wrist bandage of a player. The quote was Isaiah 41:10 which was thought to be a message to a person called 'Izzy'. (  'Do not fear for I am with you, do not be afraid for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my victorious right hand.' The commentators  were saying 'Whats that he has written on his wrist bandage.That's a biblical text isn't it? Who was Isaiah ? He wasn't one of the disciples. No I don't know I will have to look it up when I get home'.Imagine the impact these shows of faith have on thousands of viewers of sport. If they are familiar with the quote they will feel blessed to have seen it displayed in such an arena. If they are not familiar with it they will go looking for it when they get home or on the spot using Google. Wow, what a witness and I wonder how much do we show our faith in the arena of the community?
Grace and peace from the Lord Jesus Christ.
Anne, servant of the Lord

Let your light shine.......for Jesus 

Pods of life giving water

He made water flow for you from flint rock. Deut 8:15
I was watching the raindrops fall into the bird bath outside my window. As they rippled to the edges, one after the other they fell, pods of life giving water that rolled off the edge and onto the ground below. Raindrops full of nourishment, so small yet so vital to life.

Filled with the life giving, living waters of Jesus we too becomes 'pods of nourishment'  that spill over into those God puts in our path day by day. May these 'pods of nourishment'  overflow and strengthen  May not one drop go to waste.

Grace and peace from the Lord Jesus Christ.
Anne, servant of the Lord

Life flourishes with living water

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I believe because...

It was you who set the boundary of the earth; you made both summer and winter. Psalm 74:17
Sometimes its just the little things that speak to us of God. A bulging raindrop on the end of a gum leaf , just hanging there. A tight flower bud, waiting expectantly to burst into a bouquet of beauty. A small brown wren with a touch of blue coming in his tail, a sign of his impending rich blue to come. A butterfly beautifully crafted, a fragile creation of incredible beauty. Phillip Brooks wrote:  ' All the world is an utterance of the Almighty. Its countless beauties, its exquisite adaptations all speak to you of Him.  I like gospel music and  one song (sung by Elvis) goes like this: 'When I hear a new born baby cry or touch a leaf, or see the sky, then I know why I believe,'  There is always the sacred
presence before us. We just need to take the time to see it.presence before us.
Grace and peace from the Lord Jesus Christ.
Anne, servant of the Lord.

South Australian flowering  Eucalyptus.