Filled

Filled with the fulness of Jesus today—

That is the longing for which I now pray.

Oh to be filled up my Savior with Thee,

Come Holy Spirit, and please fill up me!

Fill me with wisdom, with patience, and love,

Bless me I pray, with all gifts from above!

Make me a blessing to those at my side,

In all I do Father, please be my Guide.

Guard me from harming or hurting a soul,

Rather to help and give hope is my goal.

Use me or not as Your purpose shall be,

Only my God, with Your Spirit fill me!

If you were wearing Solomon's shoes...

If you were wearing Solomon’s shoes

What would you want? What would you choose?

If bright this morning, on your knees,

The Lord has asked you what you please

Would you have asked for wealth or fame? 

Or for a well-respected name?

Would you have asked a pleasant life—

Devoid of challenge, strain, or strife?

Would you have wanted something good

That still was not the best you could?

A life of ease or longer days?

Or human words of love and praise?

Or maybe skill for some nice task—

Would that be what you’d want and ask?

To sing like birds...or speak like gold

Or gain a talent yet untold...

Let not the good supplant the best.

For those who ask will still be blessed

When they delight themselves in Him,

Whose choicest blessings never dim

For God “will give that which is good”

And if this thing we understood,

We’d trust the plan He had in mind

And crave each gift that He designed 

We’d want to want what He would choose,

No matter what we’d gain or lose

For just as Solomon gained more

In seeking wisdom from God’s store

When we will seek Him first and best,

Then can be added all the rest,

For such will have it’s proper place,

When far eclipsed by Jesus’ face!

The Potter's Plans

I know that there are those anticipating my blogged updates from the other side of the planet and the other hemisphere...but I am still north of the equator, this side of the pond. Nevertheless it is due that this dusty blog come out of the coma it went into when yours truly plunged into the deep end of nursing school.

God does not see as humanity sees. (Amen?!) He doesn't plan like us either. Why would you? If your vision was not limited to time and space, and your plans had creative power, why formulate any idea only within the box of here and now? It wouldn't make sense. After all, what kind of plans would we devise?

What kind of plans would we devise,

Who have but mortal minds and eyes?

Who cannot see the greater scheme,

Nor conjure an immortal dream?

How would we plan from day to day

(When we cannot discern the way

That circumstances often take)

And not be left to our mistake?

Whose thoughts can think beyond this realm?

Whose arm can handle his own helm?

Whose goals are broad enough or high 

As His whose stars still trace the sky?

Could we record the sands of earth?

Or figure out the code of birth?

Could we design our very breath?

Or somehow stop the work of death?

Then how do we suppose we may,

Now orchestrate ourselves our way

And from a human point of view

Contrive a life that's worth debut?

How can we think that if we could,

We'd work things out just as they should,

Preventing all the bumps and rain,

And getting all we reckon gain? 

Do we forget that One whose heart

Has held us from the very start,

Whose fingers fashioned us -the clay,

Is also Potter of each day?

Do we now think that in His hands

Our life's in danger at His plans?

When every turn the Potter makes

Produces what He undertakes?

This is the One who's Authored life,

Who knows the controversies' strife,

Who walked this earth in Heaven's will,

From manger to Golgotha's hill

This is the One whose love would dare,

Almighty bonds to cut and tare,

And God from God Himself to break,

In my behalf, for His love's sake

Then how can we not trust to Him:

The future which we see so dim;

The turns beyond finite repeal;

When they are of the Potter's wheel?

And can we not discern and tell,

That He who "doeth all things well",

Does not forget His chosen clay, 

But purposely leaves it to lay?

That through each change the Potter's hand,

May work out that which He had planned

And one day to His Father bring,

A vessel fit to serve the King.

Philippians: 120 Hope

“According to my earnest expectation and my hope, that in nothing I shall be ashamed, but that with all boldness, as always, so now also Christ shall be magnified in my body, whether it be by life, or by death.” Philippians 1:20

With faith in what God’s doing,

And peace with what He’s done,

We can have this expectation-

That He’ll finish what’s begun.

Surrender is essential

For Christ to work His will,

But in yielding all to heaven,

Heaven can our hope fulfill.

What greater aspiration

Than this can there be found?

That Christ in me be magnified

And praise to God resound.

If this remains our longing,

Our aim, and confidence,

Then Christ and God that cannot lie,

Our hope will recompense.

So you see, the Savior’s working

Is both to will and do.

And when our hope is set on Him

It surely will come true. 

Philippians: 105 Fellowship

“For your fellowship in the gospel from the first day until now.” Philippians 1:5

There’s a friendship that goes deeper

Than just, Hi...I know your name.

It’s where brother is a keeper 

To the ones who some don’t claim.

It’s a friendship born in heaven,

It’s a service drenched in love.

It’s forgiveness more than seven—

Times the heart of God above.

It’s a fellowship of oneness,

With a burden for the lost.

It is fashioned with the impress

Of the one who paid the cost.

It’s where hearts are set on fire

And burn brighter day by day,

With the flame of God’s desire

Melting dissonance away. 

Philippians: 101 Submission

“Paul and Timotheus, the servants of Jesus Christ, to all the saints in Christ Jesus which are at Philippi, with the bishops and deacons.” Philippians 1:1

…the servants of Jesus Christ… 

What gave Paul and Timotheus, Abraham, Moses, David, Solomon, Job, Jacob, Daniel, John, James, Epaphras, and Peter, distinction as the “servant” of God? Is it any coincidence that these, among the strongest leaders for Heaven, are called servants?

Moses, the meekest man on planet earth; Job who trusted God, though he should be slain at His hand; Abraham who obeyed, not knowing the way that he went, and  who yielded to the command of God, though it should cost him everything. As in Hebrews, time fails to tell of them all. 

Their lives speak of submission: of bold acknowledgement that God is great, and I am not; of full surrender to the only One worth surrendering to; of simple, genuine obedience. It’s a sermon of subservience born of love for God —any other motive of action would have melted in the fire of their afflictions. The power of their lives was not from within. Their leadership did not begin with public posts and google+ counters. The strength of these giants grew out of quiet submission in the audience chamber of the King of kings. 

It is no different now. Submission is the foundation for leadership; subservience to God, prerequisite to greatness. Service, in fact, is not optional. Every choice we make carries with it the signature of the one we serve. 

Who is that for me? Or for you? Who is your master? Who has your thoughts? Who has your desires? Who has your talents? Who has your heart? Whose are you?

My prayer is that we would be the submissive servants of Jesus Christ.

Blessed are they...

Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness...

For all whose hearts are yearning food,
A table has been set
It's bounties fill the multitude,
With surplus yet unmet
But to receive of Heaven's fare,
A hungered you must be
Desiring in the meal to share,
Is for fulfillment key

For some it's thirst that overwhelms,
-That's never satisfied 
But there is water from the realms,
Of One who will provide 
This living, flowing stream of streams,
Holds more than worlds could need
But though it bountifully teems,
Thirst must compel indeed

A heart will not desire sup,
That knows no need of food
Nor will it seek a laden cup,
If thirst it's never viewed
Then give me hunger, grant me thirst,
That Lord, for You I'll crave
Oh may my soul's desire burst,
With longings that You gave!

...for they shall be filled. Matthew 5:6