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)

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

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)

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)

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)

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)