the morning was fresh
the air cool
5:58
the alarm not quite off
I had slid quietly
out of bed
to do my goat baby check
and the graciousness of my Lord
met me as usual
as I walked
the early
path
It is always
as I 'lift' my countenance
that I 'feel' Him
or maybe it is because I feel His countenace
that I lift mine
-------------
And it came to pass
in the fortieth year
in the eleventh month
on the first day of the month
that Moses spake unto the children of Israel
according unto all that the Lord had given him
in commandment unto them
The Lord said
you have dwelt long enough in this mount...
Behold
I have set the land before you:
Go in and possess it
-----------------
as I closed the barn latch again
the goatcheck done
no new young
Blue left in to guard
Sam out with me to check the trails
I lifted my face
He always amazes me
--------------------
the morning was new
the sun not yet risen
wispy grey clouds
disappearing on the low eastern horizon
the moon's soft glow sifted through the clouds in the southern sky
as I breathed in this morning gift of beauty to me
the moon rose above the grey
sat like a sun on a horizon
bright and half appearing
then seemed to burst the clouded sky
to give one last fullness
before the sun's rays cast golden
through the forest branches
-------------------------
Eduardo spoke of faith yesterday
and of what he has learned
through forty years of walking
mostly that we don't always 'feel' faith
...because faith does not 'rely' on what we feel
he shared
the Gospel of Mark
shared how the three women
that had come to the tomb
when they saw the stone rolled away
when they heard the angel's words
that Jesus was not there
the words that He was Risen
the words to go tell the disciples
that Jesus would go before them into Galilee
that they would see Him
Just as He had said unto them...
Eduardo shared
that they went out quickly
that they fled from the sepulchre
for they trembled
and were amazed:
then
neither. of. them. said. anything. to. any. man.
for. they. were. afraid.
this is Mark's sharing of what happened
in the early hours of that first Easter morning
He shared what was real in his heart
Jesus would change the fear
perfect love
casts out all fear
Faith is a gift from God
it does not rely on feelings
we may be afraid but it is as we believe God
that we 'see' clearly
Jesus went before them
to show Himself
to 'help' them believe
more blessed
He tells Thomas
who said he would not believe
until he put his finger in the holes
of Jesus' hands
more blessed
He tells Thomas
are those who have not seen
and
yet
believe
------------------
Faith makes us blessed
-----------------
Still it is a gift
----------------
that none may boast
----------------
I know my Redeemer Liveth
and as I walk my morning path
I 'feel' His presence
but
when I don't
He is still present
and He still holds me
and He still Liveth
I 'feel' His presence
but
when I don't
He still goes ahead of me
like He did for those three woman
who were in so much anguish
who were so terrified
who were so amazed
He goes ahead of us
to increase
our faith
to help us see
----------------
Then I said unto you
Dread not
neither be afraid
The Lord your God
Which goeth before you
He shall fight for you
Yet in this thing
you did not believe
the Lord your God
and so we remember
the forty years in the wilderness...
to know what was in our hearts
though
'His' heart
was to bring us into a good land
----------------
when we don't feel Him
He is still with us
and goes before us
to show us
the
Way
to show us a land
that when we have eaten and are full
we might remember
Him
that we might remember
to give praise
for the good land
that He has given us
it is not for bread alone
that we live
--------------------
Jesus came
to clear the guilty
that is all of us
and the Lord
The Lord God
is
merciful and gracious
longsuffering
and abundant in goodness and truth
Keeping mercy for thousands
forgiving iniquity
and transgression
and sin
we have found grace in His sight
because Jesus found us out
He came to clear the guilty
we are guilty no more
Jesus said
It is finished
only believe
we don't have to feel it
though some days I do
most days I do
but
on the ones I don't
those days I feel all alone
crushed
broken
abandoned
I just lift up my countenance
and meet His
He is Risen
He is Alive
God is with us
His mercies are
tender
His kindness
is loving
His suffering
is long
His love
is forever
Thy 'tender' mercies
Thy 'loving' kindness
The heart of God
my favourite things
----------------
He is no fool who walks with God ~
He will find life and find it abundantly ~
