TO VERY SPECIAL FRIENDS
As the title implies- I'm going to write about something very different today.
1 Kings 19:1-9
1 Now Ahab told Jezebel everything Elijah had done and how he had killed all the prophets with the sword. 2 So Jezebel sent a messenger to Elijah to say, "May the gods deal with me, be it ever so severely, if by this time tomorrow I do not make your life like that of one of them."
3 Elijah was afraid [a] and ran for his life. When he came to Beersheba in Judah, he left his servant there, 4 while he himself went a day's journey into the desert. He came to a broom tree, sat down under it and prayed that he might die. "I have had enough, LORD," he said. "Take my life; I am no better than my ancestors." 5 Then he lay down under the tree and fell asleep.
All at once an angel touched him and said, "Get up and eat." 6 He looked around, and there by his head was a cake of bread baked over hot coals, and a jar of water. He ate and drank and then lay down again.
7 The angel of the LORD came back a second time and touched him and said, "Get up and eat, for the journey is too much for you." 8 So he got up and ate and drank. Strengthened by that food, he traveled forty days and forty nights until he reached Horeb, the mountain of God. 9 There he went into a cave and spent the night.
In my loneliness and bitterness, there've been many many times where I've felt like I want to drown, where I'm just in over my head. When the people you trust the most disappoint, and those whom you've given all to treat you as if a stranger- when the assurances of the Lord seem questionable and doubtful, and the road looks long; the journey, turbulent and the sky, overcast. At times, the road God calls us to walk is so full of struggles and difficulty, and the simple truths of my childhood faith seem so unbelievably fantastic.
Those are the times when the Lord sends His angels who come alongside as encouragers and ministers- sometimes to rebuke, to admonish, to discipline, to sympathise, to mourn, to weep, to encourage, to uplift, to listen, but above all- to love. These are my very special friends- the food and drink that God sends along to nourish and provide for. It blows me away to think that He who governs the universe cares for me, and in His tender mercy and love, comes to us saying, "Get up and eat- the journey is too much for you" when we're spent and broken.
Sometimes, friends too can disappoint and hurt-and the feelings of isolation and loneliness are strengthened when one's expectations are too high. Forgetfulness, ignorance, insensitivity, distraction, selfishness, fickleness are equally a part of human nature. For these things, we pray prayers of grace to cover over these, and grace to live each day with the heart to love instead of to be loved. As St. Francis prayed, "O Divine Master, grant that I may not seek to be consoled as to console, to be understood as to understand, to be loved as to love." Yet this heart of unselfish love too fails every so often, and we feel that we really have no more grace to love this way. But then, in His timing, He sends the gifts of temperance, charity and faith that we need to get through each day. And His timing is always perfect. And yet somehow, the slightest grateful gesture of a dear one is again enough to inspire the heart to greatness and noble endeavour, and the most ambitious project, more than enough bring the broken heart to tears.
Thank you dear Lord, for friends who give us the gifts of love- who lift us up when we have no strength to carry on. Even young men stumble and fall indeed, but those who hope in the Lord will be renewed. Lord, renew us as we are broken and weak. Send those whom You will as Your ministers of love- send friends who will point us to You and be the expression of Christ's love in the church. Help us to count our blessings and gifts- even when we feel as though we have none- we have so many. Thank you for friends Lord, even You did not walk this earth alone. In Jesus' name, Amen.
To that dear friend who made me weep tears of joy-I thank you for your friendship. Do be patient with me- it takes a little while to go from water in wine.
thank god for you all.
1 Kings 19:1-9
1 Now Ahab told Jezebel everything Elijah had done and how he had killed all the prophets with the sword. 2 So Jezebel sent a messenger to Elijah to say, "May the gods deal with me, be it ever so severely, if by this time tomorrow I do not make your life like that of one of them."
3 Elijah was afraid [a] and ran for his life. When he came to Beersheba in Judah, he left his servant there, 4 while he himself went a day's journey into the desert. He came to a broom tree, sat down under it and prayed that he might die. "I have had enough, LORD," he said. "Take my life; I am no better than my ancestors." 5 Then he lay down under the tree and fell asleep.
All at once an angel touched him and said, "Get up and eat." 6 He looked around, and there by his head was a cake of bread baked over hot coals, and a jar of water. He ate and drank and then lay down again.
7 The angel of the LORD came back a second time and touched him and said, "Get up and eat, for the journey is too much for you." 8 So he got up and ate and drank. Strengthened by that food, he traveled forty days and forty nights until he reached Horeb, the mountain of God. 9 There he went into a cave and spent the night.
In my loneliness and bitterness, there've been many many times where I've felt like I want to drown, where I'm just in over my head. When the people you trust the most disappoint, and those whom you've given all to treat you as if a stranger- when the assurances of the Lord seem questionable and doubtful, and the road looks long; the journey, turbulent and the sky, overcast. At times, the road God calls us to walk is so full of struggles and difficulty, and the simple truths of my childhood faith seem so unbelievably fantastic.
Those are the times when the Lord sends His angels who come alongside as encouragers and ministers- sometimes to rebuke, to admonish, to discipline, to sympathise, to mourn, to weep, to encourage, to uplift, to listen, but above all- to love. These are my very special friends- the food and drink that God sends along to nourish and provide for. It blows me away to think that He who governs the universe cares for me, and in His tender mercy and love, comes to us saying, "Get up and eat- the journey is too much for you" when we're spent and broken.
Sometimes, friends too can disappoint and hurt-and the feelings of isolation and loneliness are strengthened when one's expectations are too high. Forgetfulness, ignorance, insensitivity, distraction, selfishness, fickleness are equally a part of human nature. For these things, we pray prayers of grace to cover over these, and grace to live each day with the heart to love instead of to be loved. As St. Francis prayed, "O Divine Master, grant that I may not seek to be consoled as to console, to be understood as to understand, to be loved as to love." Yet this heart of unselfish love too fails every so often, and we feel that we really have no more grace to love this way. But then, in His timing, He sends the gifts of temperance, charity and faith that we need to get through each day. And His timing is always perfect. And yet somehow, the slightest grateful gesture of a dear one is again enough to inspire the heart to greatness and noble endeavour, and the most ambitious project, more than enough bring the broken heart to tears.
Thank you dear Lord, for friends who give us the gifts of love- who lift us up when we have no strength to carry on. Even young men stumble and fall indeed, but those who hope in the Lord will be renewed. Lord, renew us as we are broken and weak. Send those whom You will as Your ministers of love- send friends who will point us to You and be the expression of Christ's love in the church. Help us to count our blessings and gifts- even when we feel as though we have none- we have so many. Thank you for friends Lord, even You did not walk this earth alone. In Jesus' name, Amen.
To that dear friend who made me weep tears of joy-I thank you for your friendship. Do be patient with me- it takes a little while to go from water in wine.
thank god for you all.
posted by leb at 6:51 PM
2 Comments:
=) hey bro,
i'm glad u are feeling somewhat better. we all are going through our valleys together. and i thank God for your presence with me in my walk and i hope that we can do the same for u. just email any prayer requests k? and from time to time i'll email u to check on u too. take care brother. =)
EEEWWWWWWWWWWWW. i'm gonna smack you caleb yap i hate that picture........
Post a Comment
<< Home