Father,
Winter has
taken its toll, frozen the sap of me hard and immovable. Winter is now a guest
stayed far too long, and we are annoyed with her once funny antics and whims
and idiosyncrasies.
But today
the sun shone. Beams of light warmed my face and I am renewed. I walked today
and the wind blew gently on my face. I needed no coat. The air did not sting my
cheeks. And the stiffness of my body and my spirit softened. For a brief moment
pliable. And this quickening reminds me I am alive.
Thank you,
Father. Thank you.
But this
morning, Lord, I woke and the day has been full of sunshine, warm and bright on
my face. I feel the sap stir. Just a bubble. But this bubble is hope that says
winter doesn’t stay forever.
Joy bubbled today.
And I thought about Nehemiah—building the wall. How often his sap must have run
cold, thick. As he looked out at the city, the great city of God, and wondered
how the wall would ever be completed.
But he said
it. Nehemiah who had his men build with tools in one hand and weapons in
another. He declared the joy of the Lord is our strength.
Now, isn’t
that just like you, Almighty God? That you would put such an unexpected element
in the compound of strength? We expect fortitude and courage and stamina and
power. But joy?
That
wonderful, delightful unexpected ingredient.
The joy of
the Lord is our strength.
The joy.
Thank you
for the sap that rises in the trees. Thank you for sunshine. Thank you for
the quickening just when we thought our spirits would never stop hibernating.
Thank you
for joy.
Amen
Hello Tamera. So good to know you through your profile on the blogger. I am also glad to stop by your blog post "Sanctuary" and the post on it "Sap Rising". I like the verse you have quoted " Then have them make a Sanctuary for Me, and I will dwell among them" Exodus 25:8 . Wonderful sharing. Well I take this opportunity to share about the opportunity you can have of coming to Mumbai, India on a short term missions trip to work with us in the slums of Mumbai among poorest of poor to share the good news of Jesus Christ and give them new hope, life, future and purpose. I am in the Pastoral ministry for last 34yrs in this great city of Mumbai a city with great contrast where richest of rich and the poorest of poor live. We reach out to the poorest of poor with the love of Christ to bring healing to the broken hearted. We also encourage young people as well as adults from the West to come to Mumbai to work with us during their summer vacation. We would love to have you or young children come during your summer vacation. My email id is: dhwankhede(at)gmail(dot)com and my name is Diwakar Wankhede. Looking forward to hear from you very soon.
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