God's house

' I love thy house O God, wherein thy honour dwells.' (Hymn)
Yesterday I stood on the side of the  roadway, stunned and in awe of the great beauty of God unfolding before me. I think he must have had his best pastels and paints out just for this sunset and it wasn't only me beside the road, many others driving past were compelled to also stop and just take in this breath taking event as God painted the sky starting with mountain tops and sweeping to the plains. For me it was especially stunning as I was viewing it from the site of my new home to be.
As the pastel blues changed to pink and then red then orange I felt that warmth deep inside that only comes from God and I found myself asking the question Where is God's house and I knew I was in it.
Stanislaw Kennedy says:
'Teach me your ways so that I may hear you in the silence, see you in the emptiness, taste you in the fruits of the earth, touch you in the gifts of creation.'

Grace and peace from the Lord Jesus Christ.

Anne, servant of the Lord.

I saw 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 puddle of life giving water by the roadside.
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 through a crimson autumn leaf.
I saw it in the Blue Wren as he 'hopped' across the lawn.
I saw it in the single crystal raindrop hanging like a gem on the end of a leaf'
I saw it in the wrinkled and 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 the 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

The unexpected sacred moment

'From the fullness of his grace, we have all received one blessing after another.' John 1:16
I was reading an article in the paper about the 'comeback' of lake George, a commentary on its  formation and behaviour and how it fills and empties mysteriously. At the moment it is filling for the first time for many years, then deep in reading its history were the words......' I look at the shimmering waters and can imagine Jesus walking across it.' I was taken back. There was something unexpected yet appropriate, something sacred yet wrapped in the secular, something  'out of the blue' in that line and I was left with those words given to a newspaper writer and for the world to read.  How powerful a witness in just a few words, for Jesus. How wonderful to see God present in all things.
God wants us to see all things, to hold nothing back. He wants to express himself in all things and make himself known in all ways.
Live while you live the Epicure would say, and seize the pleasures of the present day;while you live the sacred preacher cries, and give to God  each morning as it flies; Lord in my view let both united be; I live in pleasure when I live in thee. (Phillip Doddridge)
Grace and peace from the Lord Jesus Christ.
Anne, servant of the Lord.

God's love

'The great love of God O how lavishly given.' (Hymn)
God's love is indeed lavishly given, it is everywhere you look, if you look, in so many shapes and forms.
Have you seen God's love lately?
In the beauty and detail  and colour of the birds
In the perfume and detailed beauty of the flowers
In the glistening dew drops on a leaf
In the fine detail of a butterfly
What a wonderful God we have who lavishly gives his love, his great love.
Grace and peace from the Lord Jesus Christ
Anne, servant of the Lord.

The Grace of our Lord Jesus Christ.....' (APBA)

The disability group was chosing its favourite songs amidst much noice and anticipation and we had just finished singing 'Jesus Saves'(Colin Beauchanan) with great gusto when amidst the racket came the small voice of a three year old. 'Please, please, can we sing 'Amazing Grace how sweet the sound that saved a wretch like me?' There was total silence, you could have heard a pin drop as  the impact of her request colided with the words of the song. A sacred moment that still gives me 'goose bumps' every time I think of it.  It is such a privilage to serve others in serving Christ and I never know who receives the greatest blessing. In this case it was us all within ear shot of this small voice.
Grace and peace from the Lord Jesus Christ.
Anne, servant of the Lord.

'All for Jesus. All I am and all I have....' (Christian song)

I saw a man and his wife arrive at church and I instantly recognise him as one of the clients from the Day Hospice I am involved with at another church. I have a lovely friendship with this man  and his wife and he always welcomes me at the Day Hospice with a 'high 5.'  Curious, I asked in my delight at seeing them why they had come to church. His response was 'we wanted  to come and see 'high 5's church.' They stayed for two services and lunch and the special gathering with people with disability that followed. This man had been isolated in community for many years and gradually was 'touching life' again.

How blessed are we that can enable others to come and see....................all for Jesus.
Grace and peace from the Lord Jesus Christ.
Anne, servant of the Lord.

' Nothing will be able to separate us from the Love of God.' Romans 8.39

 One of the things I do in my ministry with the older people is to always include the familiar. Familiar liturgy, familiar hymns, a familiar words of hope and assurance that speak to them personally. I think there must be nothing worse than being isolated from community and all it holds, especially faith community and feeling like all there was is lost.

I recall hearing this story of a little girl in a refugee camp in Rwanda. She arrived at the camp on the back of a truck and  an enquirer asked the soldiers what happened to her. One soldier replied. 'The same as everyone else. She ha no one left.' And, said the enquirer, ' What is that she is singing?' The soldiers said. ' It is something about a person called Jesus.'  A closer listen revealed the words.......' Jesus loves me this I know, for the bible tells me so.'

With nothing in her world left, everyone she loved gone she still knew, from the familiar taught in her life that there was one relationship that could never be taken from her.

' Jesus loves me this I know......'

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

The soul is on its knees

' He was praying in a certain place and one of the disciples said to him.' Lord, teach us to pray.' Luke 11:1.

There is something about Winter
The bare trees in the morning fog
The deep red of the sunrise on a cold winters morning
The white as white crisp frost crunching underfoot
and the transparent cobwebs washed with dew drops hanging on a fence
and amidst it all the last of the brilliance of colour of the passing autumn.

There is one thing I have learnt in my day to day life that wherever you are, whatever you see, whatever you do, is all prayer on the breath.

Victor Hugo said:
'Certain thoughts are prayers
They are moments when, whatever the attitude of the body
the soul is on its knees.

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

'Happy are those whose strength is in you, in whose heart are the highways to Zion.' Ps 84:5

I am often fascinated by bridges. They say so much about bringing life, about access and stand as symbols of hope. They have a strength that endures. When thinking of our own lives, a bridge from Christ to us, us to Christ and us to others  carries that same felling of bringing life, of having access and presenting as symbols of hope. There is such opportunity for us all to' be' as bridges' Several funerals in the past few weeks of people on the very edge of faith, just needing  help to cross the bridge to Jesus has brought access, hope and life.
Grace and peace from the Lord Jesus Christ.
Anne, servant of the Lord.

foxes and birds

'And Jesus said to him.' Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests;but the Son of man has nowhere to lay his head.' Luke 9:58
I had never thought of Jesus as being 'homeless,' of having no where permanent to call his  home. No where to go to take off his sandals and recline on a favourite cushion  and just 'be' at the end of the day. Friends willingly accommodated him in his itinerant ministry, but he had no home. He ministered, he prayed and he walked everywhere. (no rushing!)
I know in 'temporary homlessness' and blessings of friends who open their homes to me how hard it is to function in 'homlessness' and through that God has given me a true insight into the suffering, trauma, stress and chaos of  homeless people on our streets and those in detention centres. Its amazing how, with eyes open, God continues to teach us.

Grace and peace from the Lord Jesus Christ.

Anne, servant of the Lord.

Autumn. God's love

'Accept my offerings of praise O Lord.' Ps 119:108

For me the morning is where I have the free mind and heart to meditate on the things of God and what a special thing that is, that one on one with God. It warms the heart by his presence.

I love the autumn confrontation of beauty, breathtaking revelations of multiple colours of his glory. I look from tree to tree with a sense of 'there he is, there he is and there he is over there also.' Its wonderful to capture his Spirit this way, its fuel for the day.

Look about , don't lose the moment of the Spirits refreshing in a rush to get to yesterdays unfinished work. Pause a moment with God.

Thank you God for giving us much more than we expect.

Grace and peace from the Lord Jesus Christ.

Anne, servant of the Lord.

all God;s creatures

' Is not he your Father who created you...' Deut 32:6

I watched as God went through the rhythm of the morning creation, tucking away the stars, and drawing a curtain of light over the night revealing what promises to be a glorious Autumn day and I watched a cluster of kookaburras on a power line just quietly listening as one was softly chuckling, then there was a couple chuckling and the next moment they burst in raucous laughter. (Try not to laugh your self when that happens!) and I thought of a song I want to teach the disability group at church:

' All God;s creatures have a place in the choir, some sing low and some sing higher, some just clap their wings, their paws, whatever they have got. All God's creatures have a place in the choir.' (Celtic Thunder)

How wonderful to see God in the morning when there are no distractions, no noise of a busy day, just the wonder of him in his creation all about us just for our seeing and hearing.

Grace and peace from the Lord Jesus Christ

Anne, servant of the Lord.

Shine for Jesus

'Christ is risen. he is risen indeed. Alleluia. (APBA)
We have had much time to reflect on the events of Holy Week and Easter, the highs and lows of Jesus life during that period and there should now be a renewed sense of purpose for Jesus.
I came upon a truck that had jack knifed across the road and a couple of anxious drivers attempting to stop the oncoming traffic before there was a greater accident. Getting out of my car I asked was there anything I could do thinking they might ask me to phone for help or stop the traffic, but no, on seeing me walking towards them one of the men rushed over saying. 'You are just what we need right now,pray for us that we get out of this mess quickly!'

What an honour, what a blessing to be recognised as one of Christ's own. What an honour, what a blessing to shine the light for Jesus.

In me Lord, let there be light.
Anne, servant of the Lord.

Gethsemane

Then Jesus went with them to a place called Gethsemane; and he said to his disciples, sit here while I go over there and pray.'....he was grieved and agitated.Then he said to Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, 'Stay with me and remain awake with me.' Going a little further he threw himself on the ground and prayed.'My Father if it is possible let this cup pass from me; yet not what I want but what you want.' Then he came to the disciples and found them sleeping. Matt 26:36-40.

I stood in the garden of Gethsemane and I was silent. The gnarled old olive trees reflected something ancient, something knowing, you could feel it. You could sense the Spirit hovering in that place and all I can say is we need to stay awake with Jesus. We need to stay awake for Jesus.

Grace and peace from the Lord Jesus Christ.

Anne, servant of the Lord.

solid rock

' The stone the builders have rejected has become the corner stone.' Luke 20:17

Breathtaking misty blue mountains,the first of autumn fog in the valley, trees emerging like ghostly figures and a naked tree, dead, yet alive with bird life, a chorus of calls filling the still morning and heralding in the day as the golden orange horizon turned to pink then blue. And I said 'Here you are God, and here am I.' And my morning prayers were caught up like a fragrance in the dew of the new day.

The only true way we can make a difference for Christ is to be close to him, to have his name constantly in our hearts and on our lips so he is the cornerstone of our lives and our actions.

Grace and peace from the Lord Jesus Christ.

Anne, servant of the Lord.

the scroll of the book

' Then I said, 'Here I am ,in the scroll of the book it is written of me.'Ps 40:7

I stood in the small synagogue in the Nazareth village surrounded by time and history and God thoughts,and there before me was a table and on the table was a scroll, an ancient scroll. As I stared transfixed I had this incredible sense that I was standing on Holy Ground as I saw in reality things I had only previously read and heard of. The scroll was like a time capsule connecting the then and the now.

And I again make that promise to God to continue to do his will, with delight.

Sacred places, sacred spaces, sacred thoughts in the presence of God that warm the heart and affirm the faith. Where are the spaces you find God? Where is your faith affirmed and your heart warmed?

Grace and peace from the Lord Jesus Christ.

Anne, servant of the Lord.

Lent

'Blessed is the one who stays awake.' Rev 16:15

The day covered the mountains of grandeur in a veil of soft blue morning mist and there it hung its beauty and I was riveted to the spot, fixed in wonder at the start of a day already filled with heaven. There was peace and there was quiet and there was awe and and I knew it was God.

Lenten meditation for me is an exciting meeting with God. Its rebuilding our relationship. Its soaking in his love.

How are you spending your time with God this Lenten season?

Grace and peace from the Lord Jesus Christ.

Anne, servant of the Lord.

I love thy house Oh God, wherein thy honour dwells.'

'Tend the flock of God......' 1 Peter:5:2

I look at the elderly seated in anticipation of the commencement of the service, stooped, bent, frail, and I am so blessed. Here are the encourager's, here are the survivors of life, here are the keepers of the stories, here are the tried and tested, here are the faithful. No matter what life has served up, no matter the losses, they have kept the faith.

Treasure those in your care and seek the ones who are lonely and isolated. Let them know they are blessed and a blessing.

I read this quote: 'The treasures of earth are free and full of surprises.'

Grace and peace from the Lord Jesus Christ.

Anne, servant of the Lord.

Comfort from God

'Your rod and your staff they comfort me.' Psalm 23:4

Many of our days can be floored with little fractures of despair or worry. They can pull us down. they can distract us from enjoyment, they can take us away from our trust in God.

We often cant avoid the issues in our days but we dont have to go them alone. God is there with us, even in the fractured bits. (or perhaps even more so) Now that is a great comfort.

When we do fall into fractures in our day, know that Jesus is there, open arms, waiting to comfort us. That's a nice word, comfort. It gives me images of wrapped in a warm blanket and held tight.

'Between the cracks of daily life I find you waiting...you slip into my life like night and day, like stars and sunshine. I know that you are God.' (Mecrina Wiederkehr)

Grace and peace from the Lord Jesus Christ.

Anne, servant of the Lord.

Rain, and more rain

'The rain fell, the floods came.....' Matt 7:25

The absolute magnitude of God's creative work continues to amaze me. I don't think there is a dry piece of land in the country at the moment from the persistent falling rain over the past days yet God's creatures knew it was coming and prepared for it. Have you seen the ants nest, built up high with dirt, a protective wall for the nest against the flood around them?I often think when its dry and I see these tiny ants preparing for something I yet can't see or feel that it must be a bit like Noah building the ark in a dry and parched land with much bewilderment and amusement of those about him. What an amazing God we have and just as amazing our God given ability to see his handy work if we are looking. But, more so, how must God feel when he knows we see it!

Open our eyes Lord to the wonder of your world.

Grace and peace from the Lord Jesus Christ.

Anne, servant of the Lord