Oh, that I had wings

Oh that I had wings…

“Oh, that I had wings like a dove!

I would fly away and be at rest;

yes, I would wander far away;

I would lodge in the wilderness,

I would hurry to find a shelter

from the raging wind and tempest.”

Psalm 65: 6-8 E.S.V.

From time to time, most of us, have sighed and wished that we too could spread wings and fly away, to find that place of peace; far away from the noise of our enemy; from grudging anger, that we don’t deserve, from, those our friends, who are at loggerheads with one another… and strive with all their might to draw us into their noisy, vindictive quarrels. We just want to …. fly away…

I woke up at 5:15am this morning with just such a thought, and turning over, it seemed to me, I turned into the arms of the Lord.

There is no better, safer place to fly, when troubled, than to the Lord. Like Noah who put out his hand to take in the returning dove with olive twig in its beak – the Lord is always eager to draw us quickly into the Ark of his presence – to his heart.

Now, King David was a man of war, but not I think from choice, we read of the time when he had his enemy in his grasp but did not kill him (1Samuel 26) after all the writer of Ecclesiastes tells us, there is a time for war, and a time for peace – a time for every matter (E.S.V.) under heaven – and so, I believe it is with most of God’s people. Blessed are the Peacemakers, but their task is not easy, except we have a Lord and God who understands and in whose welcoming arms we find not only consolation but when our mind and heart are stilled, wisdom, guidance: so, having rested awhile, we take flight once again, on eagle’s wings.

“Strive for peace with everyone, and for the holiness without which no-one will see the Lord.”

Hebrews 12: 14

It is so easy, Lord,
To lose heart,
And wish to be 
The other side of the sea,
Putting oceans, wildernesses, mountains
In between us and them -
Strengthen us Lord, 
Weary, troubled,
We look for you 
And will find you 
When we seek,you with all our heart.

We desire to come
Like Noah’s Dove, bearing our
Twigs plucked from 
The Olive tree

Then Good Lord,
With kindly hand bring us
Into your heart
To rest awhile;
Then send us out again
Bearers of Good News,
The Peace of Christ to the world.

Amen

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Rainy Day Roses

Rainy Day Rose

We can grow

We can learn

We can make progress forward

This is my first post in quite awhile. No, I haven’t been ill with Covid. I have been busy and so tired, it has been so difficult to put one foot in front of the other. I am so grateful to the Lord for his patience and being so close at hand through it all.

I have learnt first hand the truth of those words of Paul the Apostle in 2 Corinthians 12.9… the power (strength) of the Lord Jesus is made perfect in weakness.

We can still grow …. in grace, in courage, in faith.

We can still learn …. first hand, that the Lord never leaves us or forsakes us.

We can make progress forward … even if we cannot take a step from the house.

Little by little will get us there.

Oh most, wonderful,

Most patient and loving God,

Your love refreshing as rain on sad, dusty roses,

Restores, refreshes and fills us with new purpose…

Because…

In our weaknesses…

It is your arm which holds and supports.

Thank you for holding us up when our own strength will not,

Truly, your compassion and mercies will never fail us,

Amen

Jean

Now stepping forward …

Joyfully, you will draw water

‘Look, He is the God of my salvation

“ Look, He is the God of my salvation

I shall have faith and not be afraid,

For Yahweh is my strength and my song,

He has been my salvation’

Our God is a faithful God and abides by His word. He has promised never to leave us or forsake us. In times of health or sickness, poverty or wealth, He abides with us still.

The verse above is Isaiah 12:2. A familiar passage, perhaps worded a little differently in the New Jerusalem Bible … but it rings true how many times has our Lovely Lord made haste to come to our rescue. Even an ordinary little life, like mine has proved this to be the case. When I have called, He has heard, and that is my testimony.

‘Joyfully you will draw water from the springs of salvation ‘

Once, and truly upon a time, the Lord Jesus tired by his journeying came to a well and sat himself down to rest. The well was deep, He had no bucket or water jar. The water looked cool and inviting to a weary thirsty soul.

Yes, that’s right, our Saviour knows what it is- to feel weary and thirsty. God when coming to abide with us knew what weariness, thirst and hunger were. So when a woman from the town came along to draw some water, He asked for a little help, a drink of water.

‘Joyfully you will draw water from the springs of salvation ‘

Read the story for yourself in John’s Gospel ch. 4

Jesus Talks With a Samaritan Woman

4 Now Jesus learned that the Pharisees had heard that he was gaining and baptizing more disciples than John— 2 although in fact it was not Jesus who baptized, but his disciples. 3 So he left Judea and went back once more to Galilee.

4 Now he had to go through Samaria. 5 So he came to a town in Samaria called Sychar, near the plot of ground Jacob had given to his son Joseph. 6 Jacob’s well was there, and Jesus, tired as he was from the journey, sat down by the well. It was about noon.

7 When a Samaritan woman came to draw water, Jesus said to her, “Will you give me a drink?” 8 (His disciples had gone into the town to buy food.)

9 The Samaritan woman said to him, “You are a Jew and I am a Samaritan woman. How can you ask me for a drink?” (For Jews do not associate with Samaritans.[a])

10 Jesus answered her, “If you knew the gift of God and who it is that asks you for a drink, you would have asked him and he would have given you living water.”

11 “Sir,” the woman said, “you have nothing to draw with and the well is deep. Where can you get this living water? 12 Are you greater than our father Jacob, who gave us the well and drank from it himself, as did also his sons and his livestock?”

13 Jesus answered, “Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, 14 but whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give them will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life.”

‘Joyfully you will draw water from the springs of salvation ‘

As we go through life there will come opportunities for drawing water for thirsty souls just as the Samaritan woman did for Jesus. Use your water jar.. share your testimony she did with great success verse 39 in the same chapter tells us that many Samaritans in her town came to believe, and to trust in Jesus because of her words of testimony.

And Jesus?

Well Jesus, gave His words of testimony of the things Our Father did and said, all the time.

“I was born for this, I came into the world for this, to bear witness to the truth” (John 18; 37)

‘Joyfully you will draw water from the springs of salvation ‘

Amen Lord, So let it be.

Tree

“Whosoever does not bear his cross and come after me cannot be my disciple”

Luke 14. 27

It’s just a tree. Gnarled, twisted, battered by the winds… but still standing.

A bit like you and I have often felt….

We all endure our share of storms in one way or another, we all get conflict and some of us at some point in life will know pain and agony in our mortal bodies, some will fall victim of wrong doers, some will be found guilty of a crime they didn’t commit… do you remember the story of Joseph?

Joseph sold into slavery by his brothers out of envy. Joseph falsely accused by his master’s wife and turn, turn again promoted to high office and power by Pharaoh, Joseph who became the rescuer of those same brothers and his fathers whole family. Joseph who being begged for forgiveness by those same brothers, said simply this:-

“You meant evil against me, but God meant it for good”

I have been reflecting on the picture because I see Jesus Body borne on the cross in it…. I think I shall go on reflecting on it for a very long time and praying that when troubled, and when assailed by that oft asked question

“Why me Lord? What have I done to deserve this?”

That I shall remember these words also:-

“All things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.”

Romans 8.28

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Father,

If you would,

Give me Grace, and fortitude

That blown about in the Gales of Conflict,

To just hang on and take it. Courage,

Lord to withstand Howling Storm – bitterest grief

And pain of every kind.

Grant me the sweet, sweet, love and compassion

Of Joseph, and of other Cross Bearers before me

Most of all, grant that I also may be ‘conformed’

To the image of your most dear son,

That most Beautiful of men,

My Saviour

Thy Son,

Jesus Christ

always Jean

Like an apple tree among the trees of the woods,

So is my beloved among the sons.

I sat down in his shade with great delight,

And His fruit was sweet to my taste.

Song of Solomon 2:3

All scriptures are from NKJV

The Testimony of a Tree

One Life Lived and Given for All

What kind of year have you lived through since this time last year?

What would the label read on the branch if you drew up a Diagram of your life so far?

Lately, because of the slowing down in the pace of life for me, my memory has been throwing up all kinds of shoots, memories of every kind… but in all of them, no exceptions, “there has been that of God”

Some memories have been of people who have crossed over the River, before me. Some have been of places, some of buildings, houses .. some of those changed beyond recognition now. I am a woman who is grateful for the gift of years and thankful for the presence and comfort of God in times when life was rough and tough and downright painful.

This week many throughout the whole world will be seeking in times of quiet and prayer to catch a glimpse of Jesus during His last precious days with us. I have found that Jesus is living out my life with me.

Jesus is the sap. The life-blood of the tree

Without Jesus I would have had no life at all. Without Him there would be no living .. no life.

At that day ye shall know that I am in my Father, and ye in me, and I in you

John 14. 20 KJV

I am not a preacher. I have done and will do what I can. What I am is blessed, all that I have is the life that I have been given, the life that I have been given is Eternal Life, thanks be to God through our Lord Jesus Christ.

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The illustration is a page in one of my oldest bibles (a lot collected through the years) the bible printed in 1954 is a KJV Thompson Chain Reference Bible… the page shows the recorded events in the life of Jesus as a Tree.

With all my love and blessings for Eastertide and always

Jean

Once the storm is over

Once the storm is over

What will the world be like, once the present Pandemic is over?

Some are dreading the future. For the very many it will be a case of rebuilding the lives they once had, reclaiming lost livelihoods and overcoming problems of physical and mental health. Doubtless the few may come out if it all in much better shape than many; there is that saying, “it’s an ill wind that blows nobody good” – there have always been those few that come out of a crisis better than when they went in..

“Once the storm is over, you won’t remember how you made it through, how you managed to survive. You won’t even be sure whether the storm is really over. But one thing is certain; when you come out of the storm, you won’t be the same person who walked in. That’s what this storm is all about. – Haruki Murakami

I don’t believe that I will be the same person who said goodbye to so many aspects of my own personal life last March, I think they are lost in the storm, but not my faith. Indeed my faith and inner convictions have grown stronger – there has always been something about a storm at sea which has grown strength and trust in the sailors.

“Hardships often prepare ordinary people for extraordinary destiny – C.S. Lewis

There is that about starting over and rebuilding which has always been good for the soul.

“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future – Jeremiah 29: 11 N.I.V.

No. Starting over and rebuilding never easy, but essentially those Israelites who went into the storm and exile in Babylon were not the same persons who came out but their knowledge of the LORD and trust had changed them for the better, the lessons learnt in adversity may bring us tears but “joy surely comes in the morning”

Let’s keep following and walking with the Lord, looking up and not down, keeping eyes fixed on the Throne of God, not allowing them to stray.. that way we can walk on water even in these days and times.

Put your hand in the hand of the man who walked on the water

Lord in whose hands are all our days and our times,

Bring us to know

That your grace is enough for us.

Always Jean

To Wait is to Hope For, To Expect

The Other Side

“Carrying His own cross, He went out to the place of the skull, (which in Aramaic is called Golgotha”

John 19.17

To wait is to hope for, expect Colonel Cook’s handwriting told me… not sure what it was I did hope for in those days, but am sure that I did expect that my prayers would be heard and answered. In fact I was convinced that they would be. There was a solid reality behind those words of Jesus concerning asking, seeking and knocking.

Yet, I asked myself what did Jesus, Himself hope for,expect?

Well, he did not expect that life for him would be easy, comfortable and without its sorrows. He accepted whatever it pleased his Father in heaven to send or give. As a young woman he impressed upon me that I should do the same following Jesus meant accepting a share in difficulties, uncomfortable and sorrowful experiences.

Young people these days do hope for, and expect so much more than I did, in the worldly, material sense; I get the impression that it is common to believe that following Jesus, today is to be able to “have it all” in the worldly sense and still be a “celebrity” in the discipleship game.

We can’t.

First principles still apply.

“Whoever does not take up their cross and follow me is not worthy of me. Whoever finds their life will lose it, and whoever loses their life for my sake will find it”

Mark 10. 38 (N.I.V,”

Not the kind of thing which people wish to hear anymore, and even less popular the Bible Teaching on Holiness. The Teaching of the Beatitudes has sadly become simply “beautiful words” to read but not to practice. I think that is a deep sorrow for many Christians who find themselves labelled with all kinds of hurtful and discriminatory words, yes in this modern age of our where all kinds of discrimination are legislated against it is still possible, and highly likely that the faithful, devout, meek, gentle, kind sincere soul will be spoken against, called names and persecuted because they have committed the crime of following Jesus.

Gracious Saviour

You did teach us to expect our share of troubles in the world

You did tell us that in you we would find peace:

Give to us courage, endurance in the waiting and always your gentleness, love and forgiveness in times of opposition and persecution.

For love of us, your tears flowed in Gethsemane’s Garden:

For love of us, you accepted the Cup your Father placed into your hands.

Help us to do the same.

Amen

Always, Jean

To wait is to be alert

Waiting For the Bridegroom

At that time the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. Five of them were foolish and five of them were wise. The foolish ones took their lamps but did not take any oil with them. The wise ones however took oil in jars along with their lamps. The bridegroom was a long time in coming, and they all became drowsy and fell asleep.

Matthew 25: 1-5 N.I.V.

As a small girl Tuesdays and Thursday evening at 5 o’clock precisely I would be told ok to walk up the short lane to the bus stop at the top of the hill and arrive there at the same time as the big red bus. My favourite uncle would step down and we would walk back down the lane hand in hand together.

Sadly, life as a grown up and as a Christian has not always gone according to the same plan and pattern. There have been times of waiting and disappointment. Waiting, keeping awake and being prepared these are all things which the Lord Jesus speaks about. They are things which we barely hear; as human beings we tend to be drowsy and fall asleep a lot.

I cannot, remember now, the word which was preached that night but turning the bookmark over I can still read Col Cook’s precious note to me, concerned with the small verb ‘to wait’ and the first point he makes is ‘be alert’

“Be dressed ready for service and keep your lamps burning, like servants waiting for their master to return from a wedding banquetl

“Because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him.

Luke 12. 35: 40

There is no clock to tell me when my Master, the Bridegroom will arrive no one to slip my arms into my coat. I must be on the watch for myself and make sure that what I need against His coming is at hand.

Lord who calls me,

Whose love draws me on,

Let me attend to Your Word and wisdom,

Keeping awake, alert and ready for I would

Not miss Thee for all the world and all the worlds,

My beloved, come.

Always, Jean❤️

Fellowship and Wisdom’s Fruit

Father, may they be one in us. John 17.21 JB

Jesus prayed for all of us

“May they all be one,

Father, may they be one in us,

As you are in me and I am in you,

So that the world may believe it was you who sent me.

John 17.21 JB

I have a long history of worshiping the Lord in Church and of being part of God’s family. It has not always been in the same family home with the same branch of the family; but it has always been in God and He in me. He has carried me along, sheltered and warmed me as we journeyed and I have known only warmth and welcome amongst brothers and sisters … whatever the name on the church sign board.

These recent days, I have been remembering different ones from those fellowships and spending a little time reflecting on their generous sharing of fellowship, time and wisdom.

Col. Cook and his wife had been Missionaries in the days when China did not warmly welcome Missionaries; and I knew somewhere, I still had a precious bookmark carefully tucked away, but where? So began a careful search of bibles, and books, I have many. It took 3 days of searching; in between other tasks but finally I found it.

Wisdom’s Fruit

My fruit is better than fine gold:

What I yield surpasses choice silver

Proverbs 8:19 N.I.V.

I cannot find a version of the Bible which uses the word gifts rather than fruit (other than the NLT. which was not in print in 1970s) – perhaps one of my readers can throw some light on that. Certainly this dear man and his wife blessed me with the fruit of wisdom harvested in their long years of serving the Lord in a difficult place. They never preached down at me, simply gave the gift of friendship and understanding.

Now I have reached their age, and I hope and intend to offer friendship, warmth an open heart and listening ear to any young person seeking to learn and know Jesus better.

Lord, you are the one who nurtures and cares for us

Lord, you are the one who carried us, and carries us

All the days of our life;

Giving us Wisdom’s fruit, ripened through the years,

Now grant us Grace,

That each heart may be

A welcoming place –

For you,

And that we may be truly one.

Always, Jean

I bless the Lord for the Gift of Years.

A Portrait of the Master

Image from Stained Glass Window

All my life, so it seems to me, and I have been talking to the Lord more years than I can recall, I have wished to own a picture of Jesus, the Real Jesus. A picture I could keep safely treasured away, and take out from time to time just to – well – I leave you to finish this sentence. Because chances are if you are taking time to read this article your desire has been my desire.

The Lord reminded me this morning that I have in fact been gazing on His face a very long time with these words,

“Who sees the face but sees in part,

Who reads the Spirit which it hides, sees all,

And needs no more.

Thy life in my life, Lord,

Give thou to me;

And then in truth,

I may forever see

My Master’s face.”

William Hurd Hillyer.

Everyone who loves and prays has an imprint of Christ on their heart it cannot be otherwise for God will never fail to notice and to pour out His Spirit on those who truly seek His Face. True, it is a matter of sitting still and allowing God the artist to work ~ but God has the time and is patient and will persevere with us to make His work within us perfect, complete… while I was musing, the Spirit bought me back in time, “Don’t you remember?”

I was a young woman with a lot to learn, and with little time to sit still and come to the Lord … so the Lord came to me. I looked, as the scripture stories say, and Jesus sat on the chair by my bedside. In my vision Jesus wore a long brown coat, not white and that puzzled me and has been pondered over much down the years. He said nothing, Not a word. His face spoke all… gentle, full of concern, concern and care. Now I know, that concern was for what the future held for me. He sat very upright, dignified… a little sadness I saw, sadness as a Teacher might be sad for all the hardness of the world His students would have to face… do you remember these words from John’s Gospel, chapter 15.18-19

“If the world hates you, you know that it hated Me before it hated you

If you were of the world, the world would love its own, yet. Yet because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you”

N.K.J.V.

I have pondered, over and over again why the Lord said not a word. But could I have borne words from my Lord then? Would I have known what to do about an instruction? Could I have carried an instruction out? But nevertheless without audible words He was speaking… “who reads the Spirit which it hides, sees all”

To be spiritually minded is life and peace …(Rom, 8:6)

Lord as I sit, still, attentive quiet,

So I look on you and you in me;

Help me, then to be content to gaze on you,

Even as you gaze on me.

Jean

p.s. No, the Jesus I saw in my vision did not have blonde hair. He was in fact, very dark.