I am sure you would find it a bit odd too – seeing a wee girl, not much older than three, wandering alone in a meadow of wild flowers. It’s not the kind of scene you see every day, especially when only moments before you were sitting behind your desk in your air-conditioned corner office where you work as an accountant. Linear. Left-brained. Logical.
Nevertheless, that is where Mr. Lloyd Hermison found himself that hot July day. With his index finger, he pushed up his glasses which immediately slid down his excessively sweaty nose. It was truly sweltering hot, and his three-piece suit was not at all appropriate attire for a jaunt in a meadow.
Bewildered and somewhat dazed, Mr. Hermison watched the tot aimlessly meander through the field of brilliant colour. Her long golden hair fluttered freely in the gentle breeze and she wore a gleeful smile. Her grin grew wider and erupted into a giggle when she saw Mr. Hermison. Much to his dismay, she immediately and enthusiastically bounded toward him. Mr. Lloyd Hermison, the fearless suburban accountant, turned on his heels and ran for his life. He could handle a lot of things – but little girls chasing him through mysterious meadows was not one of them. Considering the hot sun overhead and the fact that he had last exercised in 1991, he did not get far before he decided it might be prudent to stop running and face his tiny foe.
He turned around and she was right behind him, offering up a bouquet of daisies. However, when he looked down into her eyes, he reeled back as if he had been slapped, for there was a look of familiarity about her; she looked like him. The little girl smiled and held up the bouquet, saying a single word… “Daddy?”
Mr. Hermison screamed, “No! No! You can’t be! We got an abortion!”
“Mr. Hermison? Mr. Hermison? Are you o.k.?” The secretary’s voice sounded far away. “Mr. Hermison?”
Mr. Lloyd Hermison awoke from his dream with a startle and knocked his coffee over onto his paperwork. A post-it note stuck to his cheek when he lifted his head from the desk.
“Are you okay, Mr. Hermison?” the secretary queried again.
“I… I’m just… I’m okay. But please cancel my appointments today. I need some time to myself. And, ummm… You know what happened between us three years ago? Maybe we should talk about it sometime.”
The secretary’s face softened with empathy. She lowered her voice and said, “Lloyd, I’ve been forgiven. I met Jesus and He has taken away my shame – He forgave me and one day I will see our little one in heaven.”
Mr. Lloyd Hermison cried like a baby. “I saw her today. She’s beautiful.”
Sunday, November 08, 2009
Saturday, November 07, 2009
Go Up
I was only one of a multitude of people. You were there too. We all were. We awoke every morning to the sound of the trumpet insisting we begin our work. This morning felt no different. As I wiped the sleep from my eyes, I looked up to the top of the hill. The castle. It seemed to shimmer with light as the sun reflected off of its towers and parapets. Or maybe it wasn't the sun. The castle appeared to have its own light, radiating a white glow that made the sun look a dim shade of yellow. Even the walls around the castle were studded with jewels inlaid in gold. I could only imagine what kind of riches were inside.
As I wiped the sleep from my eyes, I imagined the King on His throne, living in the middle of that opulence. My imagination soared. What if I was of noble birth? What if I was summoned by the King to live in the glorious light of His presence?
Now I was really dreaming. I shook my head to wake myself up. I looked around at the shoddy conditions in which I lived, then stuck my head out of the rickety door of the shack that I called home. Everyone else was already making their way down the path to the fields we worked every day. I shuffled my feet along the dirt floor to the basin to wash my face. There was no need to change my clothes. The rags I wore were the only clothes I had.
As I walked down the dusty path, I watched the multitude of people who walked ahead of me. Every day, we walked down this dusty path. Every day, we toiled to grow food in dusty fields that never produced quite enough, and whose fruit never tasted good. For a moment, I longed for something... something better. Again, I shook my head to clear my thoughts. The fruit didn't taste good? I had never thought of that before. Why should I concern myself with the flavour when I hardly had enough to fill my belly?
I began my work. It was not fulfilling, but then again, it never was. We lived and worked at the bottom of the hill. We were the lowest of the low, and the layout of the city reflected this clearly.
Our city was set on a hill. At the top of the hill was the castle where the King dwelled. I could not possibly describe it. For one thing, I had never been anywhere near it. I could see the spires reaching high into the blue sky, and it always seemed to shimmer with light. I could see the most lush, brilliant green trees around it and vines with fruit growing up to the top of the highest tower. To divide the King's living quarters with the rest of the city, a magnificent wall had been built. There were gates into the King's area, but they could not be opened except by decree of the King. I only knew this to be true, for from where I stood, I could not see those gates.
Below the castle was the hub of the city, where I could only assume the middle class lived and worked. I had never seen this for there was a wall between us and them. This wall was not inlaid with jewels. It was made of large grey bricks. I leaned on the wall, wiping my sweaty brow. Dusty perspiration dripped into my eyes, and I tried to blink away the grit. Sometimes I felt hopeless when I looked at this wall, and today was no exception. Why was I at the bottom of the hill? It seemed unfair. All the people living on the other side of the wall were living in affluence simply because they had been born there. Why was the wall here? It had a gate but it, like the gate to the castle, could only be opened by decree of the King. To my knowledge, it had never been opened. The hinges appeared to be rusted shut and I wondered if it could open at all. There had been rumours as long as I could remember that one day, that gate would open, and...
A trumpet blast interrupted my thoughts. Normally, a trumpet announced the end of the work day, but I could tell from the position of the sun and the lack of hunger in my belly that the day was still young. And it sounded different... louder... clear... it sounded like LIGHT. Once more, the trumpet blasted and then a voice gently, assertively commanded, "Open." A scraping, grating sound filled the air. My heart jumped within me and for a moment I forgot to breathe.
The gate! It was opening!
The sea of people of which you and I were a part paused for a moment. Is this real? Is this really happening? The story we had heard from childhood was not a myth? Is it possible that we might be free?
Then, as if with one movement, we rushed for the gate. It seemed to take forever, yet no time at all. Once we were through, we looked about in silence and awe. The first thing I saw was that there were jewels strewn haphazardly about. Lying on the ground, sitting on tables, hanging from trees; necklaces, rings, bracelets, and silk and satin robes were everywhere. I began to slowly walk toward a tree ornamented with golden necklaces. Then I realized -- there were no other people here!
The only people I could see was the crowd who just came through the gate. Where was everyone? Is it possible there was no one else in this city but us? Were these jewels here for us? Weren't we the lowest of the low? Maybe there was no one better than us after all. Maybe all of humanity was at the bottom of the hill. Maybe we had believed a lie all this time that we were not worthy... that there must be others better than us who deserved more. Maybe WE were meant for this! I ran to the nearest tree with a gleeful shout. We all seemed to come to the same conclusion at the same time and there were a few minutes of joyful chaos as we clamoured for the riches we saw around us.
I put on a gold coloured silk robe and arrayed myself in various items of splendour; sapphire earrings, pearl necklaces, jade bracelets studded with various stones, and diamond rings. I looked down at my hands, which only minutes before had been hard at work. They were calloused and grimy; the rings and bracelets appeared out of place. I suddenly felt self-conscious, and quickly lifted my eyes to see if anyone was watching me. A man nearby who had just discovered a chest of gold coins lifted his head with a look of disbelief and our eyes met. Our eyes spoke of the wonder around us, yet our voices remained mute. What could I say? What could he say?
As my new surroundings became familiar, I realized that there was plenty of time and plenty of riches. My desire to hoard these treasures faded, my heart began to slow to its normal pace, and my mind began to ponder. I sat down on a grassy hill beneath a gold-laden tree, watching the activity around me. Then I had a thought that made me sit up straight. Just before the gate opened, I had heard a trumpet blast and a voice. It was the most breathtaking, beautiful voice I had ever heard. The authority in that voice was almost terrifying, yet it was comforting. I knew I had heard that voice before. Maybe not audibly, but there was a familiarity about it that made every cell in my body desperate to please the one to whom that voice belonged. I realized that the gate could not possibly have stood against the command to open. I knew that absolutely nothing in the world could stand against the authority of the one who had spoken.
There was one thing that baffled me: Where was the one to whom that voice belonged? I knew for certain that I would recognize him, even though I had never seen him before. Where was he?
I tried to remember the stories that I had been told since I was a child. They were stories of freedom. But I could not recall anyone telling me what happened after the gate opened. Freedom. No one had ever defined the term for me, but somehow I knew I must meet the One for whom my whole being longed, or I could not be free even in the midst of these riches.
I wondered if I was being selfish. I was in beautifully landscaped surroundings, more spectacular than I could ever have dreamed about. I was also surrounded by unspeakable riches. What else could my heart desire? I found myself speaking out loud to the voice which had commanded the gate to open. "I am so grateful. Thank you. But what I really want is YOU. I'm sorry if I'm asking too much. But I want to know who you are."
I held my breath, almost expecting an audible answer. But I didn't even hear a whisper. I exhaled, and suddenly a peace that I had never felt before washed over me. It didn't matter as much where I was... I felt that I could even have been at the bottom of that hill again and it would have been alright, as long as I felt that peace.
I stood up and looked around me. The scene had changed somewhat. No, not the treasure. It remained the same. But the people... Most people were still milling about, looking at their new surroundings. But some were fighting over their treasure. Two men were fist fighting over a purple silk cloak that lay in a heap beside them. They trampled on it as they wrestled, and it began to look more and more like the ragged clothes they wore before coming through the gate. Behind them, hanging on a fence, were many purple silk cloaks that were identical to the one they were fighting over. I shook my head in disbelief. There were outbreaks of fighting all over.
There were some people, however, who were sitting or standing calmly and peacefully. Peacefully... Yes, when I looked at them, I could see the same peace radiating from them that I was experiencing. And I knew that they were also anticipating the arrival of the Peace-Giver.
Only a short time passed when we heard the same trumpet blast again. "Open," was the command that came forth, and my heart leapt within me with anticipation. I knew that I was soon to see the giver of the command. In the distance, the gate to the King's quarters opened. No one moved to pass through the gate. We knew that was not to be.
Suddenly, through the gate emerged a chariot. The horses were whiter than snow, the chariot was made of pure gold and it was inlaid with diamonds. But those seemed pale compared to the One who was driving the chariot. It was He! The Prince! The horses galloped down the hill toward us. Those who had been fighting amongst themselves appeared terrified. Some fainted where they stood and others even ran down the hill and back through the gate of their captivity. Most people stood unmoving, wondering what could possibly happen that was more exciting than what had already taken place. Those of us with "the peace" knew... This was the Prince of Peace! We were to meet Him! Joy unspeakable flowed through me. My heart danced and my face almost hurt from the smile that I could not contain. I knew at that moment that He was coming for me.
The Prince stopped in front of us. In a voice that all could hear, He said, "Follow Me." My feet were propelled by my heart's desire to be near Him. "I'm coming, I'm coming! Thank you!" I shouted with glee. The chariot raced toward the east, and effortlessly, I kept up. I did not look around me. I could only focus on the One who had given me the command. He left a trail of love behind Him and I basked in it as I walked. I knew I was not the only one who followed, but I was only truly aware of He and I. We reached a wall that ran south to the bottom of the hill, and to the north, to the King's quarters. The Prince stopped and turned to face us.
"Hail, Prince of Peace!" I shouted, and several others echoed my salute. "But aren't You the King?" asked someone to my left. "I AM" He replied. I felt confused for a moment. Wasn't He the Prince of Peace? He looked at me kindly, and responded to my thoughts. "I AM." I looked up into His eyes, and was so overwhelmed that I could not stand. I fell to my face and worshipped Him. "You Are! You Were! You Forever Will Be!" All those who were there fell before Him. I was unaware of the passing of time. It could have been hours, days, or minutes. I wanted to worship forever.
Then He spoke. "Crumble." The wall before me collapsed into fine dust. "Follow Me" said the Prince, the King. Then He climbed off His chariot and took my hand.
When the dust completely settled, I saw before me a river. It was wide and the flow was fast. It was a deep, sparkling blue, and shone with a light that came from the river itself. It flowed down from the top of the hill, and continued as far as I could see. I desired so badly to jump in. I knew that in that river, was life. True life. But I didn't want to let go of my Prince's hand. "I will never leave you", He assured me. Uncertain, I looked up at Him. One glance into His eyes, and I knew that He could only speak truth, and with no more hesitation, I plunged into the depths of the river. I sank, but never reached the bottom. When I bobbed to the surface, I saw that all the grime and dirt I had accumulated over the years was washed clean. My skin was fresh and new. The jewels I had adorned myself with were also gone. I knw that I would not need them at my destination. I looked up. My eyes followed the path of the river up the hill. I saw it go under the jewel studded walls of the King's quarters. I saw it enter the castle, then the throne room. I then saw, with the eyes of my heart and by revelation from the Prince, that the source of this River of Life was the throne and the One who sat upon it. "Go up", urged the Prince, "Go up."
As I wiped the sleep from my eyes, I imagined the King on His throne, living in the middle of that opulence. My imagination soared. What if I was of noble birth? What if I was summoned by the King to live in the glorious light of His presence?
Now I was really dreaming. I shook my head to wake myself up. I looked around at the shoddy conditions in which I lived, then stuck my head out of the rickety door of the shack that I called home. Everyone else was already making their way down the path to the fields we worked every day. I shuffled my feet along the dirt floor to the basin to wash my face. There was no need to change my clothes. The rags I wore were the only clothes I had.
As I walked down the dusty path, I watched the multitude of people who walked ahead of me. Every day, we walked down this dusty path. Every day, we toiled to grow food in dusty fields that never produced quite enough, and whose fruit never tasted good. For a moment, I longed for something... something better. Again, I shook my head to clear my thoughts. The fruit didn't taste good? I had never thought of that before. Why should I concern myself with the flavour when I hardly had enough to fill my belly?
I began my work. It was not fulfilling, but then again, it never was. We lived and worked at the bottom of the hill. We were the lowest of the low, and the layout of the city reflected this clearly.
Our city was set on a hill. At the top of the hill was the castle where the King dwelled. I could not possibly describe it. For one thing, I had never been anywhere near it. I could see the spires reaching high into the blue sky, and it always seemed to shimmer with light. I could see the most lush, brilliant green trees around it and vines with fruit growing up to the top of the highest tower. To divide the King's living quarters with the rest of the city, a magnificent wall had been built. There were gates into the King's area, but they could not be opened except by decree of the King. I only knew this to be true, for from where I stood, I could not see those gates.
Below the castle was the hub of the city, where I could only assume the middle class lived and worked. I had never seen this for there was a wall between us and them. This wall was not inlaid with jewels. It was made of large grey bricks. I leaned on the wall, wiping my sweaty brow. Dusty perspiration dripped into my eyes, and I tried to blink away the grit. Sometimes I felt hopeless when I looked at this wall, and today was no exception. Why was I at the bottom of the hill? It seemed unfair. All the people living on the other side of the wall were living in affluence simply because they had been born there. Why was the wall here? It had a gate but it, like the gate to the castle, could only be opened by decree of the King. To my knowledge, it had never been opened. The hinges appeared to be rusted shut and I wondered if it could open at all. There had been rumours as long as I could remember that one day, that gate would open, and...
A trumpet blast interrupted my thoughts. Normally, a trumpet announced the end of the work day, but I could tell from the position of the sun and the lack of hunger in my belly that the day was still young. And it sounded different... louder... clear... it sounded like LIGHT. Once more, the trumpet blasted and then a voice gently, assertively commanded, "Open." A scraping, grating sound filled the air. My heart jumped within me and for a moment I forgot to breathe.
The gate! It was opening!
The sea of people of which you and I were a part paused for a moment. Is this real? Is this really happening? The story we had heard from childhood was not a myth? Is it possible that we might be free?
Then, as if with one movement, we rushed for the gate. It seemed to take forever, yet no time at all. Once we were through, we looked about in silence and awe. The first thing I saw was that there were jewels strewn haphazardly about. Lying on the ground, sitting on tables, hanging from trees; necklaces, rings, bracelets, and silk and satin robes were everywhere. I began to slowly walk toward a tree ornamented with golden necklaces. Then I realized -- there were no other people here!
The only people I could see was the crowd who just came through the gate. Where was everyone? Is it possible there was no one else in this city but us? Were these jewels here for us? Weren't we the lowest of the low? Maybe there was no one better than us after all. Maybe all of humanity was at the bottom of the hill. Maybe we had believed a lie all this time that we were not worthy... that there must be others better than us who deserved more. Maybe WE were meant for this! I ran to the nearest tree with a gleeful shout. We all seemed to come to the same conclusion at the same time and there were a few minutes of joyful chaos as we clamoured for the riches we saw around us.
I put on a gold coloured silk robe and arrayed myself in various items of splendour; sapphire earrings, pearl necklaces, jade bracelets studded with various stones, and diamond rings. I looked down at my hands, which only minutes before had been hard at work. They were calloused and grimy; the rings and bracelets appeared out of place. I suddenly felt self-conscious, and quickly lifted my eyes to see if anyone was watching me. A man nearby who had just discovered a chest of gold coins lifted his head with a look of disbelief and our eyes met. Our eyes spoke of the wonder around us, yet our voices remained mute. What could I say? What could he say?
As my new surroundings became familiar, I realized that there was plenty of time and plenty of riches. My desire to hoard these treasures faded, my heart began to slow to its normal pace, and my mind began to ponder. I sat down on a grassy hill beneath a gold-laden tree, watching the activity around me. Then I had a thought that made me sit up straight. Just before the gate opened, I had heard a trumpet blast and a voice. It was the most breathtaking, beautiful voice I had ever heard. The authority in that voice was almost terrifying, yet it was comforting. I knew I had heard that voice before. Maybe not audibly, but there was a familiarity about it that made every cell in my body desperate to please the one to whom that voice belonged. I realized that the gate could not possibly have stood against the command to open. I knew that absolutely nothing in the world could stand against the authority of the one who had spoken.
There was one thing that baffled me: Where was the one to whom that voice belonged? I knew for certain that I would recognize him, even though I had never seen him before. Where was he?
I tried to remember the stories that I had been told since I was a child. They were stories of freedom. But I could not recall anyone telling me what happened after the gate opened. Freedom. No one had ever defined the term for me, but somehow I knew I must meet the One for whom my whole being longed, or I could not be free even in the midst of these riches.
I wondered if I was being selfish. I was in beautifully landscaped surroundings, more spectacular than I could ever have dreamed about. I was also surrounded by unspeakable riches. What else could my heart desire? I found myself speaking out loud to the voice which had commanded the gate to open. "I am so grateful. Thank you. But what I really want is YOU. I'm sorry if I'm asking too much. But I want to know who you are."
I held my breath, almost expecting an audible answer. But I didn't even hear a whisper. I exhaled, and suddenly a peace that I had never felt before washed over me. It didn't matter as much where I was... I felt that I could even have been at the bottom of that hill again and it would have been alright, as long as I felt that peace.
I stood up and looked around me. The scene had changed somewhat. No, not the treasure. It remained the same. But the people... Most people were still milling about, looking at their new surroundings. But some were fighting over their treasure. Two men were fist fighting over a purple silk cloak that lay in a heap beside them. They trampled on it as they wrestled, and it began to look more and more like the ragged clothes they wore before coming through the gate. Behind them, hanging on a fence, were many purple silk cloaks that were identical to the one they were fighting over. I shook my head in disbelief. There were outbreaks of fighting all over.
There were some people, however, who were sitting or standing calmly and peacefully. Peacefully... Yes, when I looked at them, I could see the same peace radiating from them that I was experiencing. And I knew that they were also anticipating the arrival of the Peace-Giver.
Only a short time passed when we heard the same trumpet blast again. "Open," was the command that came forth, and my heart leapt within me with anticipation. I knew that I was soon to see the giver of the command. In the distance, the gate to the King's quarters opened. No one moved to pass through the gate. We knew that was not to be.
Suddenly, through the gate emerged a chariot. The horses were whiter than snow, the chariot was made of pure gold and it was inlaid with diamonds. But those seemed pale compared to the One who was driving the chariot. It was He! The Prince! The horses galloped down the hill toward us. Those who had been fighting amongst themselves appeared terrified. Some fainted where they stood and others even ran down the hill and back through the gate of their captivity. Most people stood unmoving, wondering what could possibly happen that was more exciting than what had already taken place. Those of us with "the peace" knew... This was the Prince of Peace! We were to meet Him! Joy unspeakable flowed through me. My heart danced and my face almost hurt from the smile that I could not contain. I knew at that moment that He was coming for me.
The Prince stopped in front of us. In a voice that all could hear, He said, "Follow Me." My feet were propelled by my heart's desire to be near Him. "I'm coming, I'm coming! Thank you!" I shouted with glee. The chariot raced toward the east, and effortlessly, I kept up. I did not look around me. I could only focus on the One who had given me the command. He left a trail of love behind Him and I basked in it as I walked. I knew I was not the only one who followed, but I was only truly aware of He and I. We reached a wall that ran south to the bottom of the hill, and to the north, to the King's quarters. The Prince stopped and turned to face us.
"Hail, Prince of Peace!" I shouted, and several others echoed my salute. "But aren't You the King?" asked someone to my left. "I AM" He replied. I felt confused for a moment. Wasn't He the Prince of Peace? He looked at me kindly, and responded to my thoughts. "I AM." I looked up into His eyes, and was so overwhelmed that I could not stand. I fell to my face and worshipped Him. "You Are! You Were! You Forever Will Be!" All those who were there fell before Him. I was unaware of the passing of time. It could have been hours, days, or minutes. I wanted to worship forever.
Then He spoke. "Crumble." The wall before me collapsed into fine dust. "Follow Me" said the Prince, the King. Then He climbed off His chariot and took my hand.
When the dust completely settled, I saw before me a river. It was wide and the flow was fast. It was a deep, sparkling blue, and shone with a light that came from the river itself. It flowed down from the top of the hill, and continued as far as I could see. I desired so badly to jump in. I knew that in that river, was life. True life. But I didn't want to let go of my Prince's hand. "I will never leave you", He assured me. Uncertain, I looked up at Him. One glance into His eyes, and I knew that He could only speak truth, and with no more hesitation, I plunged into the depths of the river. I sank, but never reached the bottom. When I bobbed to the surface, I saw that all the grime and dirt I had accumulated over the years was washed clean. My skin was fresh and new. The jewels I had adorned myself with were also gone. I knw that I would not need them at my destination. I looked up. My eyes followed the path of the river up the hill. I saw it go under the jewel studded walls of the King's quarters. I saw it enter the castle, then the throne room. I then saw, with the eyes of my heart and by revelation from the Prince, that the source of this River of Life was the throne and the One who sat upon it. "Go up", urged the Prince, "Go up."
Friday, April 17, 2009
Dreams
Please take the time to watch the following utube video before reading the blog post - start to finish. It is well worth your time!! You will probably have to hit your back button on your browser to get back to the blog.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9lp0IWv8QZY
I have watched Susan Boyle’s video at least ten times. And I cry every time. It is parabolic. It is the symbolic epitome of what Jesus has done for me.
These are some of the lyrics to the song that she sang:
I Dreamed a Dream
There was a time when men were kind
When their voices were soft
And their words inviting
There was a time when love was blind
And the world was a song
And the song was exciting
There was a time
Then it all went wrong
I dreamed a dream in time gone by
When hope was high
And life worth living
I dreamed that love would never die
I dreamed that God would be forgiving
Then I was young and unafraid
And dreams were made and used and wasted
There was no ransom to be paid
No song unsung, no wine untasted
But the tigers come at night
With their voices soft as thunder
As they tear your hope apart
And they turn your dream to shame
I had a dream my life would be
So different from this hell I’m living
So different now from what it seemed
Now life has killed the dream I dreamed
This blog post is dedicated to all of us who have had our dreams turned to shame, for all of us who have been visited by “the tigers at night”. For those of us whose dreams were so vivid and bright and possible when we were young… but they somehow disappeared, got lost, were stolen, or were trampled underfoot by the misdeeds of men and the destructive work of the enemy of our souls.
“Life has killed the dream I dreamed.”
My personal experience has shown me that “life” is not always kind. But our lives are not destined to end the way of this song. There is no pain, no wound, no trauma that God cannot restore. It is never too late. What the enemy tried to steal and kill and destroy is the very thing that God wants to heal, restore and make whole. What is that dream? What is that purpose that God created you for?
Susan Boyle’s voice was held captive for 47 years. But when her time came, she shone before millions of people. It is your time to shine. Be brave. Has “life” crushed you? Have your dreams (or maybe even the very essence of who you are) been ripped to pieces? Are the things that should be bringing you joy, bringing shame and reproach instead? Has your heart been broken? It is time to find yourself. It is time to walk past the fears and the prejudices and the past and your circumstances that have held you captive. Isaiah 54:4 says, “Do not be afraid; you will not suffer shame. Do not fear disgrace; you will not be humiliated. You will forget the shame of your youth and remember no more the reproach of your widowhood.” There comes a time that those things that have haunted you need to be put aside. It is time to look forward. It is your turn to shine. Don’t worry what anybody may say. Don’t listen to the jeering, taunting voices around you or within you. It’s time to take your stand.
God is in the business of restoring the impossibly shattered heart, of healing the mortal wound, of curing the incurable. Jeremiah 30:12 and 13 says, “This is what the Lord says: Your wound is incurable, your injury beyond healing. There is no one to plead your cause, no remedy for your sore, no healing for you. Why do you cry out over your wound, your pain that has no cure?” Two verses later, in Jeremiah 30:17, the Lord says, “But I will restore you to health and heal your wounds!” What is impossible for man is God’s specialty. So, dust off that dream and pull it out of the deep recesses of your inner closet. Put your life and your dreams into the hands of your Heavenly Father, the One who created you and put those dreams in you before you were even conceived. This is your day. When asked what advice she would give to those who want to pursue their dream, Susan Boyle said, “Just do it.” Yeah. Just do it. And then sit back and see what the Lord will do through you. No one was laughing after Ms. Boyle sang her first note. Take your stand. Just do it. God will showcase you for the sake of His Name.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9lp0IWv8QZY
I have watched Susan Boyle’s video at least ten times. And I cry every time. It is parabolic. It is the symbolic epitome of what Jesus has done for me.
These are some of the lyrics to the song that she sang:
I Dreamed a Dream
There was a time when men were kind
When their voices were soft
And their words inviting
There was a time when love was blind
And the world was a song
And the song was exciting
There was a time
Then it all went wrong
I dreamed a dream in time gone by
When hope was high
And life worth living
I dreamed that love would never die
I dreamed that God would be forgiving
Then I was young and unafraid
And dreams were made and used and wasted
There was no ransom to be paid
No song unsung, no wine untasted
But the tigers come at night
With their voices soft as thunder
As they tear your hope apart
And they turn your dream to shame
I had a dream my life would be
So different from this hell I’m living
So different now from what it seemed
Now life has killed the dream I dreamed
This blog post is dedicated to all of us who have had our dreams turned to shame, for all of us who have been visited by “the tigers at night”. For those of us whose dreams were so vivid and bright and possible when we were young… but they somehow disappeared, got lost, were stolen, or were trampled underfoot by the misdeeds of men and the destructive work of the enemy of our souls.
“Life has killed the dream I dreamed.”
My personal experience has shown me that “life” is not always kind. But our lives are not destined to end the way of this song. There is no pain, no wound, no trauma that God cannot restore. It is never too late. What the enemy tried to steal and kill and destroy is the very thing that God wants to heal, restore and make whole. What is that dream? What is that purpose that God created you for?
Susan Boyle’s voice was held captive for 47 years. But when her time came, she shone before millions of people. It is your time to shine. Be brave. Has “life” crushed you? Have your dreams (or maybe even the very essence of who you are) been ripped to pieces? Are the things that should be bringing you joy, bringing shame and reproach instead? Has your heart been broken? It is time to find yourself. It is time to walk past the fears and the prejudices and the past and your circumstances that have held you captive. Isaiah 54:4 says, “Do not be afraid; you will not suffer shame. Do not fear disgrace; you will not be humiliated. You will forget the shame of your youth and remember no more the reproach of your widowhood.” There comes a time that those things that have haunted you need to be put aside. It is time to look forward. It is your turn to shine. Don’t worry what anybody may say. Don’t listen to the jeering, taunting voices around you or within you. It’s time to take your stand.
God is in the business of restoring the impossibly shattered heart, of healing the mortal wound, of curing the incurable. Jeremiah 30:12 and 13 says, “This is what the Lord says: Your wound is incurable, your injury beyond healing. There is no one to plead your cause, no remedy for your sore, no healing for you. Why do you cry out over your wound, your pain that has no cure?” Two verses later, in Jeremiah 30:17, the Lord says, “But I will restore you to health and heal your wounds!” What is impossible for man is God’s specialty. So, dust off that dream and pull it out of the deep recesses of your inner closet. Put your life and your dreams into the hands of your Heavenly Father, the One who created you and put those dreams in you before you were even conceived. This is your day. When asked what advice she would give to those who want to pursue their dream, Susan Boyle said, “Just do it.” Yeah. Just do it. And then sit back and see what the Lord will do through you. No one was laughing after Ms. Boyle sang her first note. Take your stand. Just do it. God will showcase you for the sake of His Name.
Thursday, March 12, 2009
Confident Kids!
Well, I am glad I'm raising kids with a good self-esteem and confidence in their abilities...
One of my boys came to me the other day and said, "Wow, Mommy. I can hardly believe my head is this small. How can it fit my huge brain inside of it?"
Yesterday, I heard one of my boys telling the other one, "I always had a goal to be a genius by the age of 7. I'm right on target!"
I thank God that He, indeed, has given me bright boys. It was my dream come true when I went looking for them after I got off the treadmill and discovered that my 7 year old was reading from a science encyclopedia about the geology of Canada to my 6 year old, and they were enthralled with it! I know that being smart doesn't make a person wise, so it is my prayer everyday that as they get 'smarter', they also gain godly wisdom!
One of my boys came to me the other day and said, "Wow, Mommy. I can hardly believe my head is this small. How can it fit my huge brain inside of it?"
Yesterday, I heard one of my boys telling the other one, "I always had a goal to be a genius by the age of 7. I'm right on target!"
I thank God that He, indeed, has given me bright boys. It was my dream come true when I went looking for them after I got off the treadmill and discovered that my 7 year old was reading from a science encyclopedia about the geology of Canada to my 6 year old, and they were enthralled with it! I know that being smart doesn't make a person wise, so it is my prayer everyday that as they get 'smarter', they also gain godly wisdom!
Thursday, March 05, 2009
2 Corinthians 1:10
2 Corinthians 1:10 says, "He has delivered us from such a deadly peril, and he will deliver us. On him we have set our hope that he will continue to deliver us."
I can say personally that God has, indeed, delivered me from deadly peril in the past. More than once, in fact. Sometimes it seems that when particular "perils" run through my mind, I need to be delivered from them again. But because He has brought me this far, I can hold onto hope that he will continue the work that He has begun. 2 Corinthians 2:10 is my theme these days, and I have personalized it: He has delivered me from such a deadly peril, and he will deliver me. On him I have set my hope that he will continue to deliver me.
There is an old song that goes,
He didn't bring us this far... to leave us
He didn't teach us to swim... to let us drown
He didn't build His home in us... to move away
He didn't lift us up... to let us down
We are never without hope. He holds us in His hands.
I can say personally that God has, indeed, delivered me from deadly peril in the past. More than once, in fact. Sometimes it seems that when particular "perils" run through my mind, I need to be delivered from them again. But because He has brought me this far, I can hold onto hope that he will continue the work that He has begun. 2 Corinthians 2:10 is my theme these days, and I have personalized it: He has delivered me from such a deadly peril, and he will deliver me. On him I have set my hope that he will continue to deliver me.
There is an old song that goes,
He didn't bring us this far... to leave us
He didn't teach us to swim... to let us drown
He didn't build His home in us... to move away
He didn't lift us up... to let us down
We are never without hope. He holds us in His hands.
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