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Sunday, September 16, 2007

Rooted in Christ


Like the mangrove, our roots planted in Christ grow deeply. He is the Provider and Protector of all, our El Shaddai, our God-all sufficient.


The roots of the mangrove create and shelter a complex ecosystem. Over time, mangrove trees nourish and replenish the soil, allowing other plants to form roots. These mangrove roots are the source of food and nutrients for both animals and micro-organisms. And, they "breathe air".


Therefore as you have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him, having been firmly rooted and now being built up in Him and established in your faith, just as you were instructed, and overflowing with gratitude. Colossians 2:6-7 (NAS)


photo/Mangrove in Roatan, Honduras/taken by Donna Oswalt July, 2007


Sunday, August 26, 2007

In the Wilderness

Thomas Merton writes in his book Thoughts in Solitude: The Desert Fathers believed that the wilderness had been created as supremely valuable in the eyes of God precisely because it had no value to men . . . God's plan was that they should love Him in the wilderness and that they could always look back upon that time in the desert as the idyllic time of their life with Him alone.

Holy Father ~
I fall on my knees in Your presence. You illumine my mind when darkness lingers. You protect my heart when doubt threatens. Your rescue my soul when uncertainty challenges. When I am weak, You strengthen me. When I stumble, You catch me. When I am weary, You hold me. In countless ways, You bless me! My prayers of praise, insufficient but whole-souled, applaud Your Glory. Still on my knees, I surrender my own desires and offer this prayer in the name of Jesus Christ, for He is Grace. Amen. ~dho


Doxology
To Him who can keep you from falling and bring you safe to His glorious presence, innocent and joyful, to the only God, our Saviour, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, authority and power, before all ages, now and forever. Amen.

Jude 1:24-25 (The New Jerusalem Bible)

Tuesday, July 17, 2007

Plant In Response to God

Live creatively, friends. . . Stoop down and reach out to those who are oppressed. Share their burdens . . . Make careful exploration of who you are and the work you have been given, then sink yourself into that. Don't be impressed with yourself. Don't compare yourself with others. Each of you must take responsibility for doing the creative best you can with your own life. . . sharing all the good things that you have . . . What a person plants, he will harvest. The person who plants selfishness, ignoring the needs of others - ignoring God! - harvests a crop of weeds. All he'll have to show for his life is weeds! But the one who plants in response to God, letting God's Spirit do the growth work in him, harvests a crop of real life, eternal life. So let's not allow ourselves to get fatigued doing good. At the right time we will harvest a good crop if we don't give up, or quit. . .
Galatians 6: 1-10 (The Message)

In the New Living Translation, verse 9 reads: So don't get tired of doing what is good. Don't get discouraged and give up, for we will reap a harvest of blessing at the appropriate time.


God of all ~
My soul falls to its knees before Holiness. Speechless in the presence of Your Majesty, I weep, for I do not know what to say. You always let me rest at Your feet.
You are the Power and Glory that charms me, yet sometimes I struggle to understand. You are the creative force that beats within my heart, races through my mind, surges inside my soul; yet, sometimes I ache with uncertainty. How do you want me to use these gifts?
I long for the Holy Spirit to reveal my harvest road. I long to plant in response to You, to grow through the Holy Spirit, to harvest a crop of real life. Holy Father, I long to reap a harvest of blessing and tell everyone it comes from You.
In the daily planting, let my heart be open to Your voice. Help me to not grow weary when the harvest seems far away. Teach me to find Your Seeds, to plant them with Eternal Hope, to nourish them with Living Water. Father, when the time is right, show me a harvest blessing. Amen.
~dho

Wednesday, June 13, 2007

All His glory and beauty come from within,
and there He delights to dwell.
His visits there are frequent,
His conversation sweet,
His comforts refreshing,
and His peace passing all understanding.
~ Thomas Kempis ~

Wednesday, May 09, 2007

Mysterious Love, Hope, Grace, and Peace

Holy Father ~
You are the Holy One that knows the depth of each of us. You are greater than all knowledge and all wisdom. You are I AM. What mystery!

Hear my heart, my desire to follow You. Hear the struggle in my words, my choices in the past . You also hear my silent thoughts of doubt and weakness. You hear my unspoken words of uncertainty and grief. What love!

We call You many names ~ Jehovah, Yahweh, El Shaddai ~ Healer, Sustainer, Provider ~ Love Most High, Good Shepherd, Jesus. You call us Beloved. You always know just where we fall, just where we break, just where we wander. What hope!

I come to the garden to pray. My prayers rise to heaven with the Spirit of Holiness. There is such comfort in knowing You already know the reasons, know the depth of need. There are times when I choose the easier path, the one that does not honor You. I neglect to mention Your name and constrain my words that would give You praise. I do not always put You first. I compromise, choose good not best. My intentions are not always worthy. Father, forgive me when I try to be You. Forgive the times when weakness wins and boldness flees. Forgive the times when silence speaks and courage hides. Forgive my doubt and hold my tears. I lay all this on the altar. Consume the wrong and renew my joy. What grace!

What kind of God lets us confess what He already knows? What kind of God listens to our petitions when He knows we will fail again? What kind of God forgives our mistakes just because we ask? What kind of God loves more than enough? What kind of God calls us Beloved? Oh, Mercy comes and whispers with tender words
~ My Beloved, you are Mine. You are forgiven. I will never let you go. Now, let's be about My purpose. There's a harvest waiting. I love you. Baruch Hashem Adonai! What peace! Amen. ~ dho

Friday, April 06, 2007

Glory Rising

. . . all of His followers began to shout and sing as they walked along, praising God for all the wonderful miracles they had seen.
“Bless the King who comes in the name of the Lord!
Peace in heaven and glory in highest heaven!”
But some of the Pharisees among the crowd said, “Teacher, rebuke your followers for saying things like that!”
[Jesus] replied, “If they kept quiet, the stones along the road would burst into cheers!”
But as they came closer to Jerusalem and Jesus saw the city ahead, He began to cry.
Luke 19:37-41 (NLT)

Crowds filled the roadside, children sang songs, and joyful cheers rang loud. As Jesus passed, the crowds waved palm branches. Many followers shouted God-songs for miracles and wonders they had witnessed, “Bless the King who comes in the name of the Lord! Peace in heaven and glory in the highest heaven!

Similar words had welcomed Jesus before this day. The angels announced the birth of the Messiah with Glory-songs and peace-filled praises. Suddenly, the angel was joined by a vast host of others – the armies of heaven – praising God: “Glory to God in the highest heaven,
and peace on earth to all whom God favors.
”*

Each time the world expected a different kind of savior, one who would be king, one who would deliver them from oppressive rulers. They hoped for political glory. But the Holy One came into the world as the Savior for all people, the King of kings, the Deliverer. He is the Hope that brings Eternal Glory. When Jesus saw the city ahead, He began to cry, mourning for His people, knowing God’s righteous judgment to come.


Anointed One,
You are Messiah and Savior and Son. Welcomed by angels singing
Glory to God in the highest heavens, the people were amazed but did not understand.
You are Prophet and Priest and King. Cheered by crowds shouting
glory in the highest heaven, the people were amazed but did not understand.
You are Christ and Redeemer and Risen Lord. Rejected by the world saying
Crucify! Crucify!, You amaze us with forgiveness and reconciliation.
You are Living Water and Bread of life and Prince of Peace. Cherished by believers telling Your Glory-story, You amaze us with provision and compassion.
You are Eternal Hope and Everlasting Faithfulness and Enduring Love. Defined by Glory rising
Peace be with you, You are Amazing Grace! Amen.
dho

* Luke 2:13-14 (NLT)

Wednesday, April 04, 2007

Holy Wind

You know well enough how the wind blows this way and that. You hear it rustling through the trees, but you have no idea where it comes from or where it’s headed next. That’s the way it is with everyone ‘born from above’ by the wind of God, the Spirit of God. John 3:8 (The Message)

Holy Wind

A mighty gust, some gentle breezes,
Either blows wherever it pleases.
In silence passing, roaring through,
Hidden still, this Wind chooses you,

From south to north or west to east,
From weak to strong or more to least,
Invisible, with power to
Break and mend, this Wind comes to you.

Quietly with intense yearning,
The Wind flames a fire burning
Within the soul, consuming dross
That calls repentance to the cross.

From south to north or west to east,
From weak to strong or more to least,
This Perfect Love endures each nail
Which reconciles and rends the veil.

Infinitely bolder than deep,
Broader than wide, higher than steep,
Holy Wind, hold each empty place,
Mend my soul with marvelous Grace.
~dho


Spirit of God,
Despite my sin - resume the call – define my heart!
Delight my mind – assume my sin – design my life!
Ignite the fire - consume the dross - refine my soul!
Invisible and Indescribable and Invincible! Take me now!
~dho

Thursday, March 22, 2007

Be Transformed and Renewed

. . . by the mercies of God: Take your everyday, ordinary life – your sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and walking-around life – and place it before God as an offering. Embracing what God does for you is the best thing you can do for Him. Don’t become so well-adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking. Instead, fix your attention on God. You’ll be changed from the inside out. Readily recognize what He wants from you, and quickly respond to it. Unlike the culture around you, always dragging you down to its level of immaturity, God brings the best out of you, develops well-formed maturity in you.
Romans 12:1-2 (The Message)

The Scripture above is more familiar in the translations that use phrases like living sacrifices and be transformed by the renewing of your mind, but The Message gives us examples of how we are to be these phrases. Becoming too much like the world is a constant danger for us. The power of the world entertains our imaginations, teases our thoughts, heightens our emotions. Darkness will always lure us down to its level of immaturity. So, how are we to be transformed? We must keep our focus on God, whose compassions . . . are new every morning; Great is Your faithfulness.*

Eternal Hope ~
I confess that darkness entices me, and each time, I rediscover its illusions of better and happier and wishful. Deceptively, the world veils the truth like a magician, distracting me with a maze of limited results. This is not hope!

The Word tells me to passionately wait and quietly hope** in God. I am to bring the things of my ordinary life and to offer them to the Holy Father. Lovingly and creatively chosen for me, God’s purposes are always best. I wait for Hope!

Transform me! Make me more like You; change me from the inside out.
Renew me! Find me where I am; pour out Your mercies everyday.
Teach me! Give me life lessons that grow faith; develop perseverance.
Refine me! Take my joys and my burdens; melt me into Your will.
Create me new everyday with Your unlimited possibilities!

You are Living Hope! Amen. dho

* see Lamentations 3:19-23 (NIV)
** see Lamentations 3:24-30 (The Message)

Friday, February 02, 2007

The Holy Potter

The LORD said to Jeremiah: Arise and go down to the potter's house, and there I will announce My words to you. Then I went down to the potter's house, and there he was making something on the wheel. But the vessel that he was making of clay did not turn out as he had hoped; so he remade it into another vessel, as it pleased the potter to make . . . Behold, like the clay in the potter's hand, so are you in My hand. Jeremiah 18: 2-4, 6 (NAS/NLT)

The Master Designer is creating a beautiful vessel! Somewhere, during some revolution of the wheel, the vessel begins to change, hard to say just how or why or when. Efforts to reshape the broken vessel do not go as hoped. Perhaps, the Potter will have to remake the original vessel into another vessel, one that pleases Him more.

Behold, like the clay in the potter's hand, so are you in My hand. We are clay in the Potter's hand, each of us being molded into a beautiful vessel ~ designed by Him, complete in Him and useful for Him.

He holds each of our broken vessels and longs to repair them. Knowing we are tenderly held in His Hand gives me great peace. I believe He takes us like clay, mends the broken parts and creates new vessels that will be better ~ stronger and braver, more compassionate, more generous ~ not perfect, but more graced!

Holy Potter ~
Take me in Your hand like clay, make me into a vessel that reflects Your Glory. Mold my words into deeds of kindness and compassion. Shape my heart with Love, my soul with Light. Glaze me with Grace. Put me in Your kiln and let the holy fire refine me, seal me forever. When anyone mentions the wonder of Your craft, I shall always praise the Holy Potter! I shall tell them of the Love and Light and Grace that comes only from Your hand. Amen!

~ dho

God, pick up the pieces.
Put me back together again.
You are my praise!
Jeremiah 17:14 (msg)

Tuesday, December 19, 2006

Christmas Prayer for Perfect Love

LORD, Creator of all ~
You made us and delight in showing us all the ways to find You ~ in the crisp winter chill, in the perfectly blue sky, in a brilliant pansy, in sincere laughter, in honest tears, in genuine, loving words, in careful remembrance. We long to feel You and to see You and to hear You and to know You in all our moments. We desire to reflect Your beauty and Your love in acts of goodness and offerings of love.

It is in seeking this desire to be more like You that we discover our humanity. Despite our best efforts, our generous offerings, our selfless intentions, You alone are Perfect Love. You alone can feel the weary heart. You alone can see the wounded soul. You alone can hear the silent prayer. You alone can know the deepest need.

Emmanuel, God with us, we come on bended knees seeking Perfect Love that came to earth centuries ago but dwells here still in Spirit, in Truth, in Hope, in us. We come to the sacred place within our souls reserved for You alone. You call our hearts to rest in the shelter of Perfect Love. You come and heal our wounds, hear our prayers, meet our needs. Perfect Love, You wear the robe of Grace. . . O come let us adore You . . . Rejoice! Rejoice! . . . Gloria! in excelsis Deo! . . . little Lord Jesus, Son of God, Christ, the newborn King, holy Child, King of angels. . . True God of true God, Light from Light Eternal . . . Prince of Peace. . . Savior. . .O come to us, abide with us, our Lord Emmanuel.
~dho 12/7/06

After Jesus was born in Bethlehem . . . a band of scholars arrived
. . . "We're on a pilgrimage to worship Him." Matthew 2:1-2 (msg)

Friday, November 24, 2006

Thanksgiving ~ A Season of Blessing

Offer prayers unceasing to Him, bless Him from morning to night. . .
Cornucopias of praise . . . Blessed GOD . . . the one and only wonder-working God!
Psalm 72:15,16,18 (The Message)