God's Stones

When I was a child, we had a bucket of rocks on our fireplace hearth.  They were the weights that held up my mother's artificial green tree and kept it from toppling.  The bucket of beauties came from rivers in the Smoky Mountains, where we sometimes vacationed.  The stones' surfaces often caused me to run my small fingers over their outer character.  I well remember feeling their somewhat sandy texture.   

My interest in my mother's stones inspired backyard rock-hunting.  My family was blessed with a lot filled with Georgia red clay that was carpeted in Bermuda grass, and filled with tall, Longleaf pines, Dogwoods, Maples, and Oaks.  The shaded, hilly land provided many hours for jumping in piles of pine straw and digging for rocks.  I loved finding God's stones.  Their various textures, colors, and weights of  captured my childlike curiosity. 

My favorite find was white marble.  (I did not then know its name.)  Determined, I would dig until I noticed it's white glitter peering up at me through the fiery soil.  I would pry it from the earth with my stick-shovel and caress it with curiosity.  It looked so beautiful and made me think of purity and diamonds.  My eight year old lips proclaimed it "crystal," and I loved holding it and watching it sparkle.  Every time I found a "crystal" rock, I washed the red clay from it and saved it, thinking it really was something special.

My eight year old imagination did not comprehend how close to truth I was.  I recently learned white marble forms when very pure limestone rock is buried deeply and exposed to high heat and great pressure.  I now understand what I could not get then:  anything that goes through a lot of heat and pressure is special because of the deep, undisturbed process used in its formation.  "Crystal" is a marvel because of its forming.  It is also a marvel because it begins in a very pure state of limestone.

It is pure in its beginning, yet, incomplete.  It is formed through specific circumstances that change its nature. 

Purifying.  Burying.  Working.  Changing.  Forming.  Becoming.  Being. 

White marble and God's unlimited capacity for analogies provide our limited understanding with more than a lesson in geology.  The way of white stone is a study in soul truth.

God's loving heart works purity in our lives, and He chooses to place our sanctified souls in the fire and vice of testing.  The Father's omniscient eyes anticipate the coming crystal result that will sparkle with divine, diamond-like specks.  Snips and shards of Christ's character that combine to create God's special stones.  His keepsakes.  Worthy of washing and holding and loving and marvelling.  Stones of life.  God's treasured collection.  His own.

With this truth planted in my own soul's soil, I today cling to Jesus Christ, the Rock of my salvation.  And I long to learn of His character and search and dig for more of His truth. 

In the process of seeking and digging, however, I often become frustrated.  Time limitations, daily duties, and physical hindrances get in my way.  My "arms" tire.  My will grows weary.  It feels that I have little of me left to unearth the treasures I crave.  I wish for instant success in my search.  I want to see more now.  Know more now.  Love more now.  Be more now.

But the understanding character of Father God has patience with my way and likewise speaks stillness to my restless heart.  As I grow weary with the process, He says, "Be still, Andrea.  Know that I am God" (Psalm 46:10, NIV).

Be still.  Like white marble.  Unmoved in waiting.  Unshaken in surrounding storms.  Yet, changeable with God-designed elements that will one day make me glitter in the sun. 

While waiting for the glittering reflection of Jesus, I pray for abandoned surrender, and sometimes I must search for it just as I search for Christ's reflection.  I not only need surrender to the final formation, but also surrender to the process that will get me there. 

And prayer, with whole heart, will keep me in His earth, planted in the place He has destined for design, so that I will get there and find Jesus' reflection.  

We can all find rest in His destined place.  We find that rest when we relax and let the process of Christ's forming work within us.

It sounds so simple.  Not!

When I was in labor with my sons, I well remember the words of the nurses.  They would gather close to me and strongly encourage.  "Don't fight the pains, Andrea."  I struggled with their counsel.  It was hard to let go.  My own nature wanted to fight against the intensity I felt in my body. 

As well, my carnal nature fights against the intensity of God's process, but as I stand on Philippians 4:13, I am able to do what is unnatural.  "I can do all things through Christ Who strengthens me."

We are all in a formation process.  And prayer is one important element that guides our transformation.  Friend, would you join me in prayer?  Would you mind if I approached the throne of grace for you today?  This very moment, as I write these words, I sense our Father's enormous love for you.  You, one very special stone, who are His child.

Dear Father God, I seek you with a heart of praise for your processes.  It is your love, Oh, Lord, that buries us in the hot, dry, weighty places.  It is your eyes of love, Oh, Lord, that comprehend the glittering reflection of your Son that is and will be in each of us. 

 I pray for my friends.  Each one is a choice offering.  Each life is so individual.  Each need is so particular.

Yet, you know, Oh, Lord.  Yes, you know each one.

 I ask You to fill your beloved with peace, with grace, with comfort, with trust, with faith, with joy.  Jesus, let us experience the power of Your holy presence that lifts us from our ache to our knees and to our feet.  May we all be overwhelmed with the realness of Who You are and the power of divine love that we have yet to know fully. 

 I ask You, Jesus, Who suffered for our liberty and healing, to strengthen, edify, and encourage each one who was destined to read here today.  Yes, Lord, You have set your love on her or him.  You care so much more than we can now know.  You care about things that seem small and things that are great, and nothing is too hard for You.  

Lord, You are good.  Your mercies do not fail.  They are new to us each day.  And we thank you for them, for Your merciful nature gives us hope in every circumstance.  Your grace, Father, gives us patience with the process, and please let it be so in all our lives.  

In the name that is above every other name and with faith in His name,

Amen.

Thank you for the honor of praying for you, and thank you for being here with me and for me.  You are precious in the sight of God. 

Shining Together with You as His Living Stones,

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GOD HAS A TREE

“God will not permit any troubles to come upon us, unless He has a specific plan by which great blessing can come out of the difficulty.”

Peter MarshallThe soft glow of light came through a single window. Though faintly seen, it gave relief. I was tired and eager for a soft bed, but my heart leaped with excitement to see the gleam of a lamp through the panes. A rush of anticipation seized my thoughts. To walk to the door. To tap on its hard wood. To hear its familiar creak as it widely opened. To see my mother's small frame standing in her tiny kitchen. To hug her neck and see her rejoice as she held her our little sons. To walk in and inhale the purity of a place that alone could feel so safe and smell so unmistakably distinct. To be home.

Through our early years of long distance living, the same scenario played again and again. Jeff and I would plan the day. We would set a leaving time, a particular hour, and anxiously await departure like two wrens perched two minutes from dawn.

It was a joyful time of forward thinking and living! The hope of soon-to-come distilled our loneliness and added life to our lives. Yes, we had our own sweet nest, which we so loved. And our call to the ministry was without regret. The sacrifice of nearness of extended family was ours to make, and we did so willingly, by God's grace, with joy, and in peace.

But how grateful we were for those few moments of the special soothing presence of mothers, grandmothers, brothers, and sisters and others. It was ease and removal of pain for two young lives who had come to know the grief and stress of bearing God's call; for while our baptism of ministry fire had brought new mothers, and brothers, and sisters, it had also brought new knowledge of the ways and means and labor in God's vineyard. That some well-meaning or not so well-meaning people say and do hurtful things.

We soon came to realize that such was part of our sacrifice. That if God so allowed bitter words, He was only using them for a sweet purpose. And that the cross was our only hope for removing the stinging acid that could eat away our souls.

No one enjoys the thought of drinking from Marah. God's chosen people were dismayed and murmured against Moses when a three-day journey in the desert brought them to that bitter place. Thirsty, dry, exhausted, they discovered waters that seemed an oasis but were quickly declared sour. It may have seemed to them a cruel gesture. They must have hastily remembered the sweet waters of the Nile, widely known for its pleasant, smooth taste.

And the Israelites didn't waste a moment. Their complaints about Moses' leadership were vociferous. "'What are we going to drink?' they demanded."

He didn't know. Didn't have a clue. But, Moses turned to God. He realized his helplessness. The wilderness life was new to him, too. And Moses knew the company was too tired to continue. There was no other source. BUT GOD!

In response, in faith, Moses, lifted his voice to the Lord, and God heard him and showed him a piece of wood, a tree. Moses threw the wood into the water, and the molecules of the bitter were altered. It became sweet, drinkable liquid, perfect H2O. And their thirsty, parched bodies were satisfied.

Now, I have to confess to you that I can feel no judgement toward the Israelites when I read Exodus chapter 15. I am not sure I would have responded any other way than they. No, it's not very spiritual, but had I and my family been without water in a vast nomad's land for three days, my patience would have been thin. In my thirst and desperation, I, too, would probably have cried and complained. I can only hope and pray that I would have ultimately lifted my soul to God as my source.

A sermon by Charles Haddon Spurgeon speaks to our need to always realize God as our source. And, within that sermon, his remarks about Marah are so timely for us. He talks about the humanness of the Israelites and their struggle with the flesh, their failure to have faith in Him who had just delivered them from the power of the Red Sea.

Yet, Spurgeon also speaks of our deeper need for grace in trials. For the necessary of sweet in bitter. The voice of wisdom while waiting. The lifted hands of faith in a dry place. The source of hope that turns troubled waters into palatable drink.

We must have a flow of the living liquid of life. We must all spiritually survive. But when bitterness challenges us, when words of others pierce our hearts; when we have financial loss; when there's little money for the doctor and nothing in our bank account for medicine; when we see the tread showing on our tires and our children need new shoes; when God in silence dwells; when drained from ministry; when a sudden shock wave collapses the world around us; it is at these points of testing we most need the cross of Jesus. We must cry to God to show us sweet wood.

As I read the thoughts of Spurgeon about Marah, I found his words so compelling. "As soon as we have a prayer God has a remedy. The remedy is near at hand; but we do not perceive it till it is shown us. 'The Lord showed [Moses] a tree.' The tree had been growing for years on purpose to be used. God has a remedy for all our troubles before they happen to us."

Praise God! Rejoice in those words! They are not just for his 1871 listeners, but they are for you today! God has grown wood for you, dear friend. Its sweetness is there, and your faith, your precious voice lifted to Him in prayer will reveal its place and purpose.

That God would so plan our steps amazes me! We have a heavenly Father who allows our trials and in His omniscience sees our future desert places. In seeing, God plans. Makes our ways of escape. Personally, in forethought, God plans our paths of deliverance. He plants the seeds for our pieces of wood. God, dear ones, crafts our destiny.

It is all set in order. And when our Marah moments come, our desperate disposition leads us to choice. Die from despair, drink the bitter before us, or cry to God with every ounce of energy and faith we have and wait for his tree.

Be encouraged today, dear friends. If a vast, dry desert has led you to Marah, do not give up. Do not despair. Do not give in. God has a tree. He grew it for you. For this time. For His purpose. For your good. Accept it. Place it in your bitter water. Then drink its life. It will heal your soul. Dry your tears. Soothe your weary voice. And make alive your desert place, so your way is perfect.

Quote from C.H. Spurgeon from biblebb.com

Scripture reference in Exodus 15 is from NLT.

God's Warp and Weft

"Life is a tapestry: We are the warp; angels, the weft; God, the weaver. Only the Weaver sees the whole design."

Eileen Elias Freeman

What a beauty it was! I eyed it at a scant distance. Lain on an old pine table, it inspired a sweet little corner at a cozy antique shop in Guntersville, Alabama. Unreservedly, I walked down the narrow aisle, never removing my gaze from its loveliness. As it then lay before me, I touched its graceful edges, brushed my fingers against the woven texture, and marvelled at the thought and skill that created such wonder and wove a tale of an elegant French maiden.

The tapestry was there for all eyes. Unfurled for all to see, to touch, to praise. A date declared its true antique quality. The skillful design and careful handiwork claimed its precious price. One too steep for my little cottage budget.

Moving on from the valuable piece, I continued my search for simpler things with painless prices. But I did not forget its beauty and rarity. The tapestry found a small spot in my heart for its elegant sense. My desire was not to buy, but to regard what I learned about costly treasures of art and artisans past. I hoped that it was destined to hang in a period home. Owned by one who would appreciate its worth and painful undertaking.

As precious as it was, the tapestry was only one among many costly items I saw that day. And as costly as those and many other worldly goods are, they are worthless when brightened by eternal light. How can they compare to nonmaterial life? The beauty of our Artist and His tapestries. Real life and lives. Creation unseen to human vision. Authentic authenticity. What really matters.

God's craftsmanship in our lives appoints the real priceless. His work in us threads and toils. We are privileged to be His weft and warp. We live in rich, unmerited favor, and God is surely weaving us together. We are, each one, becoming His glorious tapestry, a work of worship, a testimony of Christ's triumph, God's own hands carefully crafting, taking strand after strand, placing them in His divine loom, putting all together, knowing presently the finished work that will be.

Linen, cotton, wool, silk, gold, and silver. All are beautiful. All are needed. All are treasured. All are esteemed. All are costly. Not one strand should be lost or debased. For the completed creation will in time acclaim the artistry and glory of its Creator.

When complete, what joy the creation brings to its Artist! God, through careful, meticulous work on His divine loom, reveals threads of grace, weaves expressed love, portrays His power, yields colorful compassion, teaches the worth of peace and patience, illustrates unceasing prayer, exhorts all who wonder at its interlocking pieces of pain, speaks to all who hear its hidden themes, brings to reverence all who marvel at the miracle.

Like tapestries of old, we are each a symbol of royalty in our world. When others view us, they view the work of our King. Humanity looks for remarkable details. They expect excellent rapport. And our worldly culture sees us as peculiar creations. Sometimes they look for beauty. Oft times they look for fault. Tend to search for forgery. Crave to find false. And those critics turn from us grieved when pricked by our purity, the real within us.

And that real within us, like tapestries from history, serve well. Centuries ago, those aristocratic beauties were commonly removed from castle walls, and with ease, moved from place to place as their masters desired. They were used for comfort in cold, for insulation, for solitude, for banners of battles, for illustration of God's word, and, in time, some were sadly burned for their costly gold and silver threads.

Our Master Weaver considers all threads costly. His work is perfect. His work is tireless. His work is love. Going on and on, He weaves, assumes the warp-work, customizes His art, like the ancient earthly craftsman who invested more than a month in just one square yard of his tapestry. Day, weeks, months, years passed before the weaver's glorious task was completed. And when done, the back of said work was hardly varied from the front. The seen mastery was a mere reflection of the unseen toil of its artisan.

Dear friends, "we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them (Ephesians2:10). You are his art. You were created for His glory. You were ordained to walk God's way. And, the Greek meaning of key words in this passage allow us even deeper revelation of God's handiwork. To fully see yourself, the miraculous, God's tapestry, notice the mighty meanings.

• Workmanship = poiema = fabric; a design made by an artisan; God is the master designer

• Created = ktizo = to form from pre-existent matter or out of nothing; to form spiritually

• Good = agathos = excellent, distinguished, upright, happy, honorable

• Works = ergon = labor, performance; the work Jesus was sent to fulfill on earth

• Prepared Beforehand = proetoimazo = used only twice in the NT, refers to glory and good

• Walk = peripateo = to tread all around; be occupied with

What illumination! Dear friends, we are His chosen fabric. You have been designed completely by Him, who is the Great Artisan. Our heavenly Father has taken us, each one, with all the nothingness and all the somethings in our lives, to spiritually form us according to His desire to make us a most distinguished work. As he crafts us and works with our abilities and weaknesses, the work of Christ is accomplished through us. And this work of Christ that we do, which He determined in prehistory, is done for your good, the good of others, and the glory of God.

As God's tapestry, you are so important! Grasp the reality of His creative work in your life! Everywhere you go, whatever you do, find joy in being His masterpiece, humbly thank God for His labor of love in you, and glory in Christ's cross, which renders you the honor of His skillful hand.

Scripture is from NKJV

Greek Word Study is from The Complete Word Study Dictionary, New Testament, Zondervan Publishing

I was very humbled and sweetly surprised to receive this award from Lidj, of Crown of Beauty. Lidj is filled with such love and passion for the Lord, and her love for others is evident through her writing and precious smile. Please visit her at http://www.mla-crownofglory.blogspot.com/.
You will be uplifted and inspired by her creativity and sensitivity, and you will find joy in spending time perusing her post and learning of her life.

The rules that go with this award require listing 7 things you love that show your creativity, then link back to the person who gave you the award, and pass it along to 7 other bloggers.

Here are my 7 loves . . .

I love practicing the presence of God. What a daily challenge it is to find Him in all and to keep a heart of prayer. It is truly a lifetime task, but without it, I am empty and life is vain.

I love spending time with my family and finding ways to make them happy and comfortable. Spending time with my husband, talking with my sons, and playing with my grandchildren are the highlights of my life. Being present for them all is very important to me. If I can entertain my grandchildren, bake a cake, or help my husband with church tasks, I find such joy!

I love working in my church, attending services, and worshiping with God's people.

I love writing and hope and pray to do so with a heart for God.

I love playing the piano and hope and pray to do so through the anointing of the Holy Spirit.

I love reading, allowing the wisdom and words of the scriptures and books to sink into my heart, flood my mind, and transform my life. The symbolism and beauty of literature is a tool in the hands of the Lord when read through His eyes.

I love making my cottage house a home. It's fun to find vintage treasures at thrift stores and out-of-the-way places. I love being inspired by decorating books and magazines; then, taking that inspiration, along with books, lace, fabric pieces, and old things and renewing a room with a little romance.

Now, I would like to pass the Kreativ Blogger award along. Choosing particular bloggers is quite a task for me, as I love everyone so much and think you are all very deserving! Listed below are a few among many of my deserving, inspiring friends.

Jennifer at http://www.quailandmanna.blogspot.com/
Jo at http://www.abritintn.blogspot.com/
Kathleen at http://www.sassygranny.blogspot.com/
Kim at http://www.thevictorianparlor.blogspot.com/
Lady Pamela at http://www.ladypamelascottage.blogspot.com/
Rebecca at http://www.rebecca-gatheryerosese.blogspot.com/
Sue at http://www.quiltmamasue.blogspot.com/

Please take some moments to visit them. You will find great inspiration from their beautiful blogs! God bless all!