we wait...
babies and children and
women and men
buried under buildings
crushed as the
earth shook
we wait...
blood mixes with
water as salty
as our tears
as lives here on
earth end so brutally
simply for whispering the
name of Jesus
and they now stand before
Him as He whispers their names
we wait...
children abused
in ways unspeakable
babies die of hunger while
mothers watch through tears
lives cut short in violence
anger begets anger
and all appears hopeless
and we wait...
but for what do we wait?
"Wait patiently for the LORD.
Be brave and courageous.
Yes, wait patiently for the LORD."
Psalm 27:14
but what does it mean to wait?
and how do we wait
when tragedy surrounds?
is it possible to wait and act
simultaneously?
gently He whispers
to my heart,
"My child,
live small
live grace
live humble
and your vision
will grow only sharper
your perspective
will only widen
your joy
will only multiply
your resources
will stretch further than
you ever dreamed possible
when you dare to step where
logic is inapplicable
close your eyes, My beloved
see with the eyes of your heart
see that
I am holding this world
yes, this very universe,
in the palm of My hand
from the snail so broken
for whom little tears fell
to kingdoms rising and falling
mountains erupting
ground shaking
oceans surging
I know all
I hold all
I love all
to your eyes so human
this seems a paradox
for why? why do I allow the
unthinkable to happen when I
have all power to change outcomes
before they even happen?
live small, My child
for as you live smaller
you will see Me become
bigger
out of smallness
worship and wonder
passion and compassion
will grow
and you will be changed
and as you change
others will change
as you reach out to help
the least
the broken
the hurting
the neglected
the unwanted
the abused
the orphan
the widow
others will see
and stretch out
their own hands
and love is multiplied
over and over and over
My hand holding all
has penned the story
from before time began
and when you cannot see My hand
trust My heart
"By giving Me that to which
you most tightly cling
you are truly giving
Me you."
barely a whisper above the
quiet roar of life
but I heard
and perhaps
more importantly
I listened
for how often must this heart
hear the word
surrender
before realizing He
refers to everything
so easy for this heart to
make exceptions
perhaps even manipulate
in order to keep that which seems
utterly impossible to do without
perhaps even calling it
necessary for Kingdom work
and pride has
crept in
so subtle
as to keep this
heart unaware...
for since when is
anything I have or do
necessary for
Kingdom work?
so once again I surrender
surrender all to Jesus
"here I am
down on my knees again
surrendering all
find me here
Lord as You draw me near
desperate for You
I surrender
drench my soul
as mercy and grace unfold
I hunger and thirst
with arms stretched wide
I know You hear my cry
speak to me now
I surrender
I want to know You more
like a rushing wind
Jesus breathe within
Lord have Your way
Lord have Your way in me
like a mighty storm
stir within my soul
Lord have Your way
Lord have your way in me
I surrender
I want to know You more"
Hillsong
every grace is a gift
every gift is a grace
if only I will look with
eyes wide open
look for the gifts
in the intricate
in the detail small
look for the lace in the trees
so often I see the entire forest
barely noticing trees individual
let alone branches and leaves
forming lace so delicate
patterns interweaving
intertwining
in the miraculous
for is not the
miracle true
found in the everyday?
when I allow this heart
these eyes
to rush through each day
I miss the grace
I miss the gifts
I miss the lace
the lace so subtle
the design so elusive
is perhaps seen most
clearly through the
eyes of a child
for is it not when we
are most hurried and harried
that little eyes seem to see
that dandelion waiting to be loved
that rollie pollie waiting to be touched
and we pull and push onward
perhaps the greatest blessing
I have found in grandmahood
is the joy in the simple
delight in the obscure
dancing in the rain
coloring in the night
figurines breakable
now become fairies with wings
oh to be sure a broken arm here
a wing missing there
but the gift is the grace
and the grace is the gift
and I am able to see the
lace in the trees
oh how I wish I had stopped
more often when my children
were young
to embrace the everyday
the ordinary
for therein lies the grace~gift
hidden within the lace
if only we will close
our eyes so we can see
give and you will receive
you will be given much
pressed down shaken together and
running over it will spill into your lap
the way you give to others is the way
God will give to you Luke 6:38
the widow gave her last...her all
two copper coins
leaving nothing to sustain
nothing on which to live
Jesus was watching
others came giving that amount
multiplied over
and over and over
yet none gave as she gave
she gave sacrificially
she gave to the very last
she gave
and Jesus was watching
He said she had given
so much more than those
giving much...
for they gave little out of much
while she gave much out of little
she had given her all
and Jesus was watching
my heart cannot help but question...
she gave her all
she gave everything
she left having been blessed
in the eyes of Jesus
but then what happened?
was she blessed in the material
so as to have food to eat?
clothes to wear?
a place to call home?
were blessings tangible to touch
running over into her lap?
or were the blessings in the
realm of the unseen...
blessings of the heart
blessings woven
intricate
exquisite
patterns
all throughout the heart
blessings painted with colors
shimmering
splashing
illuminating even
shadows of heartache
blessings bringing everlasting joy
to her heart forever
perhaps this is the blessing?
the gift?
joy unspeakable?
for what more could the
heart grateful need than
joy in any and every circumstance
whether in plenty or in want
contentment sweet
wrapped in a blanket
interlaced with His love
so whether the widow
received blessings to be seen
or blessings to be unseen
she was blessed...
because she gave
Jesus watches always
He sees all
He knows all
and the giving heart
will be blessed
