Hope in God Endures

I do not believe that sheer suffering teaches. If suffering alone taught, all the world would be wise, since everyone suffers. To suffering must be added mourning, understanding, patience, love, openness and the willingness to remain vulnerable. ~ Anne Morrow Lindbergh

Why are you in despair, O my soul?
And why have you become disturbed within me?
Hope in God, for I shall still praise Him
For the help of His presence. . .
Deep calls to deep at the sound of Your waterfalls;
All Your breakers and Your waves have rolled over me.
The LORD will command His lovingkindness in the daytime;
And His song will be with me in the night,
A prayer to the God of my life. Psalm 42:5,7-8 NASB

The soul must remain willingly unguarded in its struggle with suffering, not for the lessons of despair, rather hope. It is hope that reaches into the chaos and rescues us. Lindbergh's description of suffering is more about hope than despair. If hope prevails, God must have access to our suffering souls, and it is only in our willingness to remain vulnerable that He can offer lessons on mourning, understanding, patience and love. While not bound by time, His Grace is released in our praise, released by His presence, released through His unfailing love, released with our prayers. Hope in God endures. ~dho

Faithful Father ~
I come into the Holy of Holies! On my knees, my head
bowed in reverence, I ask for wisdom and understanding.
Sometimes my faith seems weak as circumstances crowd
around me and threaten to come between You and me.
Forgive me when the noise of the world drowns out Your
voice, when the chaos inside my heart closes the door to
Your beauty, when the ramblings of my thoughts interfere
with Your desires. In my weakness, I need You more than
ever. Let me love with a tender heart. Fill me with hope. 
Come with me - wherever I must go. Remind me of Your 
unforced ryhthms of grace. In Your loving arms I can always 
find rest from the world. In the name of Jesus, Amen! ~dho

To Abide

I'm still in Your presence, but You've taken my hand. You wisely lead me, and then You bless me. Psalm 73:23-24 MSG

 Holy Father,

Everlasting Light forgive my redundant thoughts. Unfailing Love rescue my reluctant heart. Extravagant Grace fill my repentant soul. Goodness surrounds my every moment, exceeding my vocabulary. You continue to weave an extraordinary tapestry with sacred threads, torn remnants, and random fibers. All are being woven together by Your Light and Love and Grace. What a masterpiece You are creating - thread by thread, moment by moment, possibility by possibility. Gratitude shouts Hallelujah! A thousand Hallelujahs are not enough. On my knees, LORD, find me on my knees, for You are Great and worthy to be praised! Your presence delights my soul, encourages my spirit, mends my wounds, shows me truth, offers me peace. Lord, be my strength, my shield, my joy! I long to abide in Your presence. Amen. ~dho 

Fullness of Your Grace

"Invigorate my soul so I can praise You well,

use Your decrees to put iron in my soul.

And should I wander off like a lost sheep - seek me!

I'll recognize the sound of Your Voice."

Psalm 119: 175-176 (The Message)

The Great Provider always comes with the right provision, at the right time, in the right way. Grace floods the valleys, and I am lifted up to You, the Love Most High. It is here my soul shouts a thousand Hallelujahs* but never enough for the fullness of Your Grace. Amen. ~ dho

* Psalm 96:4 (The Message)

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