Wordless and Known

If we don't know how to pray or what to pray, it doesn't matter. He does our praying in and for us, making prayer out of our wordless sighs, our aching groans. He knows us far better than we know ourselves. That is why we can be so sure that every detail in our lives of love for God is worked into something good. Romans 8:26-28 (The Message) 

Holy Father, I've told You the things of my heart ~ my thankfulness for Your unending love, my willingness to be obedient to You, my love for my family and friends. What joy and goodness You have given to me, over and over and over! My soul sits by the window and looks out at Your ocean of blessings. Your Grace, like the waves, splashes over me, again and again and again. Like the wind, my wordless sighs come to You - unseen, but known. Amen. ~dho

Charles E. Poole writes in his book Beyond the Broken Lights, "We have made it through, by the grace and goodness of the One who is always up to more than we know. All those times when God was doing less than we hoped, God must have been doing more than we knew. Amen." 

Essential Commitment

 God faithfully reminds, “I’m committed in love to you.” Jeremiah 3:12 The Message

The unconditional love God promises exceeds my mind. “I’m committed in love to you” can be said by folks who should mean it or maybe mean it at the time, but something changes. While some are friends or neighbors, some are business partners or marriage partners, we live in a society that is full of “casual partners”. Sometimes, even family members become casual acquaintances. How rare to have a loyal and trusted long-time, loving relationship! God’s commitment to love reveals an essential characteristic of His nature.

As people, flawed and fragile and fickle, we frequently have a problem with our hearts and ‘scatter our charms’ (Jeremiah 3:13) or our loyalties, our honesty, our sincerity, our trustworthiness. I like to believe I am a person who commits and does not waiver, but life proves otherwise. Most of us, if we are honest, drop the ball. God, however, never waivers, never falters. God always remains ‘committed in love to you.’ There is great comfort in knowing that nothing can separate us from God’s love. We can walk away from God, but He remains faithful, forgiving me, inviting me back. God desires a relationship with us. -dho

Spring Shouts!

Oh, visit the earth, 

ask her to join the dance!

Deck her out in spring showers,

fill the God-River with living water . . .

scatter rose petals down Your paths,

All through the wild meadows. . .

Set the hills to dancing. . .

Let them shout, and shout, and shout!

Oh, oh, let them sing!

Psalm 65: 9, 12-13 (the Message)

As the season of new beginnings calls to us in the splendor of His Glory, may our thoughts take notes on the wonders of the Earth-Tamer, Ocean-Pourer, Mountain-Maker, Hill-Dresser. . . Dawn and dusk take turns calling, "Come and worship."

(Psalm 65:8)

God, mark us with grace and blessing!

Psalm 67:1 (the Message)

-dho

Easter Thoughts!

Jesus said: “I am the resurrection and the life. Those who believe in Me, even though they die like everyone else, will live again. They are given eternal life for believing in Me and will never perish. John 11:25-26 NLT

Easter Sunday is full of joy, praise and hallelujahs that celebrate once again Extravagant Love! His love not only precedes us, it exceeds us. Resurrection marks the transition between life and overcoming death. His resurrection bears the marks of His Passion for mankind. This Everlasting Grace conquers the spiritual death. With certainty we find our Blessed Assurance even in the darkest times. The resurrection of Jesus restores life, offers new life to all, and gives enduring peace. Holy, Holy, Holy; Holy is the LORD. Christ is risen. Christ is risen indeed.

Holy One, such love wraps my life with assurance of life, and Grace weaves my life into Your community of believers. Mark me as Yours; restore my soul. Hallelujah to the Love Most High! - dho

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Copyright 2013 by Donna Oswalt/