Living Room Worship with United Pursuit Band - Oct. 6th

Touches of Grace

O, how precious, that from the Master's Hand come

Touches of Grace so sweet

They cause flowers to bloom.

Yes! And tears melt away beneath His shield of intimacy-

Years of aches and wounds drift by

Like drops of rain down life's plated windowsills...

Mixing and making oceans with joy and floods of delight

Intertwined for a rushing current of God's peace - for all to know.

O, the Peace of God alone.

That Love which shifts the ocean's tides

And changes darkness into light.

Beams peek from beneath crevices

Of drought and destruction- and darkness within.

To know the light has come is to see The Light Himself.

To know my Maker, my Father, my Friend,

Is to know Eternity without end.

To know Joy Himself is to see an end

To drought and destruction's rule in Men.

O, to go Home and be with Him,

Yet O, to see Him Yours again.

And so I wait...with expectation-

You are His Love and Destination.

Can't you see- and will you soon?

His goodness true and passion sure

Are yours to receive and revel in.

Receive and become Beloved once more.

A postlogue:

God,

Will you come and show Yourself with only my invitation?

Isn't this a two-way thing- a gift and invitation

To receive and believe and be known better than one's deepest desire or expectation-

and find within your depths of Love no boundary or limitation.

Freedom in its truest form comes at the point of Surrender.

"Jesus Paid It All" we sing, and Love covers every blunder.

Does it matter?

Will it change your heart as hard and bitter

As ice in the cold of winter?

Can you, will you, allow His Love to warm your deepest frozen members-

Like snow in Spring or ice that brings

Forth water most refreshing?

I cry out for you who cannot know

His Love without His Leading-

Please come to taste and see with me

God's Love that knows no ending.

The road that lies ahead promises

many adventures in the dreams of God...

...so I eagerly embark on the journey.

Asking for Love

I ask for LOVE...in many ways, everyday...

I'm asking for not just love...like 'I love cookies' kind of love...but PERFECT LOVE!

O, the joy of my heart to know You...I am being changed by your perfect love. It casts out fear of being unloved by friends, family, plain-'ole anyones-even You.

What was scaring and scarring me is now no more in Your presence.
In Your arms of Love.
I find rest here.

Sometimes the "spiritual love language of prayer" reminds me that it's fun to practice, "Take that you, Enemy!" types of elementary school days jaunts or even, "What you say bounces off me and sticks to you!" O! I DO like throwing the flaming arrows right back at him. Reminds me to keep my defenses ready...and that they don't have to be too hi-falootin. Just me-sized from God sized strength.

And meanwhile, I find that it's my joy to give Him praise. How beautiful that yesterday, I longed and cried, "Show me, Lord that you hear my cries," and today I've read Psalm 13:1-6 NLT:

"How long must I struggle with anguish in my soul, with sorrow in my heart every day? How long will my enemy have the upper hand? Turn and answer me, O LORD my God! Restore light to my eyes, or I will die. Don't let my enemies gloat, saying, 'We have defeated him!' Don't let them rejoice in my downfall. But I trust in your unfailing love. I will rejoice because you have rescued me. I will sing to the Lord because he has been so good to me."

Oh yes. This was You answering me...And asking me to "Praise You in this Storm"...May it be, O God...that I rest in Love with You.