“Therefore I am now going to allure her; I will lead her into the wilderness and speak tenderly to her. There I will give her back her vineyards, and will make the Valley of Achor, [bitterness] a door of hope. There she will respond as in the days of her youth, as in the day she came up out of Egypt”
(Hosea 2:14-15).
Anointed approval from his Father greeted Jesus during his Jordan baptism. Then he was led immediately, by the Holy Spirit, into the desert to be taunted by the devil. His Father trusted Jesus. He was in preparation for the days that lie ahead when,not only the devil, but others and circumstances would come against him.
What if my perspective, when set apart and needing the grace to persevere was to take better notice of the One who is always with me reminding me of his faithfulness? Could his purposes thus be better realized?
I know I am grafted into the Vine and therefore ready to also be faithful. I refuse to be wrenched away from the nourishment available when in barren places. His abundance never runs out. He is abundance!
When what he has to convey to me is received, we both rejoice as my hope is restored.
Praise
Held steady in your grace-filled, wellspringed Presence
is gift enough when set apart.
from “Feathered Whispers from God’s Heart”
Lynn L. Severance
Yesterday, our church was blessed by a Gospel band. Their performance was amazing! The church was filled with God's presence and love.
ReplyDeleteMelissa - a Gospel band certainly can be 'alive' with joy and pass it along to others filling, as you say, a space (church) with an awareness of God and his Presence. I hope the memory of it lasts a long time.
DeleteHugs - Lynn