in the beginning
formlessness formed
emptiness filled
nothing covered nothing
yet everything covered everything
for God Himself was everything
and is everything
and will be everything
throughout all time
throughout all eternity
all of existence is traceable
back to His word
as life
was spoken
was breathed
was touched
into being
His love so indescribable
permeated all of creation
leaving His fingerprints
for every heart ever beating
to see
to feel
to touch
fingerprints of hope so hopeful
can be traced
in that first rainbow
and in every raindrop
colliding with
every sundrop to form
every rainbow stunning
ever arching over His world
since then and still to come
fingerprints of crimson red
can be traced on His cross
fingerprints of grace
of mercy
can be traced on
every heart
beating with the
pulse of His own life
of His own heart
fingerprints of victory over death
can be traced over all creation
for His fingerprints crushed
death's grip forever
His fingerprints meld with
our fingerprints
for we are His fingers
His hands
His love
His life
to every heart
beating today
beating tomorrow
beating ever
so what do we do with
our fingerprints covered
so lavishly with His own
fingerprints?
where do we want
our fingerprints so
lavishly covered with
His fingerprints
to be seen?
on campuses?
on ministries?
on programs?
on buildings?
on pastors?
on staff?
on music?
on worship?
on technology?
on organs or pianos?
please do not hear me wrong...
nothing is inherently wrong with
any of the above...
He uses the above
to reach hearts
needing His touch
yet when all is said and done
do I want my fingerprints
to be seen where only His
should be seen?
perhaps I am simply
in a season of questioning...
is His church in the visible realm
or perhaps in the realm
of the invisible?
is His church in the touchable
or perhaps in the fingerprint
touchable?
for if hearts love like Jesus...
loving the sinner
(for are we all not sinners?)
loving the outcast
(for are we all not outcasts?)
loving the broken
(for are we all not broken?)
if hearts welcome those hearts
who were welcomed by Jesus
would we not all be standing
with arms flung wide open
rather than trying to
determine
worthiness vs unworthiness
welcomableness vs unwelcomeableness
for really, are we not all unworthy
to be welcomed into His arms?
and in all actuality is it not a touch of love
a smile of love
a word of love
a gift of love
that which will radiate
with the warmth of colors blazing
causing those with hearts empty
to want that which fills our own hearts?
(and that will happen only if our hearts are
in fact filled with Jesus)
and our fingerprints covered so lavishly with
His fingerprints
will be His church
today is the first June 9 in my life
that I will not be able to say
happy birthday, dad
no balloons
no smiles
no cake
no hug
for even as dementia
slowly stole still he
loved a balloon
a smile
a cake
a hug
yet would I wish him back
into a body broken
a mind confused
a spirit longing for Home?
no and again no
my heart misses him so
yet everyday
in heaven is a
celebration
everyday...
and everyday lasts
forever
for there is no
night...
he dances
he walks
he runs
and
I believe he watches over
his precious wife
his children
his grandchildren
his great grandchildren
all with no worry
for heaven has no worry
no ~ he watches with joy
as milestones are reached
as new life begins
as hearts are
captured by Jesus
changed forever
beautifully ruined
in tenderness radical
for who can look
around at so many suffering
and not be brokenly broken
his heart always
broke for the broken
loved the unlovely
served the servant
his legacy lives on
in his children
in his grandchildren
in his great grandchildren
a legacy of love so
passionate
sacrificial
humble
tender
gentle
giving
happy birthday
dad
grandpa
great grandpa
you live on in us
forever!
four words impressed on
my heart for
months
be. ready. and. wait.
so I get the waiting part...
(in theory anyway)
waiting in anticipation
waiting in patience
waiting in stillness
waiting in peace
all easier said than done..yet I get it
be. ready.
what does it mean?
what does it look like?
He whispers to my heart
"to be ready, My child,
place your hand in Mine
allow your heart to beat
as one with Mine
turn your eyes to My eyes
feel the hush of My Spirit
fall over you
allow your heart to break
for all that breaks My heart
allow your spirit to admit
that you are weak
that you are broken
for then I can show Myself strong
in your weakness I am glorified
in your brokenness I am
taking you to higher heights
to deeper depths
for when you live in honest
vulnerable
oneness with Me
listening always
lifting empty hands
in worship and surrender
you will be ready for
any door I open
any place I lead you
any ministry I place before you
and wherever I bring you
I am there
My grace will sustain you
My strength will carry you
My love so furious
so tender
so glorious
will sweep you
off your feet
be. ready. and. wait.
be ready and wait
the paradox
the contradiction
for does not being ready
imply the waiting to be over?
and how can one be ready
when that for which one is to be
ready is in actuality unknown?
and how can one wait without
knowledge of that for which
one is waiting?
in the realm of humanness
in the strength of self
difficult at best
for human hearts love to know
love to plan
love to control
love to understand
yet nowhere in
be ready and wait
can this heart so human
find knowing
planning
controlling
understanding
oh so hard to open fists clenched
to bend low
with hands empty
with arms raised
in surrender sweet
to a plan
to a purpose
to His plan
to His purpose
yet is this not where true faith
is born and grown and matured?
and in all reality
that very place of
be ready and wait
is a place of beauty indescribable
for when one truly sits in that place
one is sitting in the presence of the One
who created and orchestrated that
plan and purpose so perfect
He pours Himself into the one
willing to be ready and wait
He refines
He renews
He refreshes
in the waiting
the LORD gave another message to
Jeremiah...He said "go down to the
potter's shop and I will speak to you
there" so I did as He told me and
found the potter working at his wheel
but the jar he was making did not
turn out as he had hoped so he
crushed it into a lump of clay and
started over...then the LORD gave me
this message..."O Israel can I not do
to you as this potter has done to his
clay? as the clay is in the potter's
hand so are you in My hand"
Jeremiah 18:1-6
