WATCHWORD:
These weapons can break down every proud argument against God and every wall that can be built to keep men from finding him. With these weapons I can capture rebels and bring them back to God and change them into men whose hearts’ desire is obedience to Christ. 2 Corinthians 10:5
That is what is meant by the Scriptures which say that no mere man has ever seen, heard, or even imagined what wonderful things God has ready for those who love the Lord. 1 Corinthians 2:9
“If I can?” Jesus asked. “Anything is possible if you have faith.” Mark 9:23
Meditation:
Power of the Past
One beautiful afternoon I sat on my front porch marveling at the graces that God has given me, and, I would guess, the same could apply to you. At this stage in our lives the better question may be, what is God doing through us, through what we do day by day, with family, our friends and an endless parade of graces that come to us through the simple act of living according to what God has provided.
My mind turned to certain individuals that in the course of my growing up, my work, my aging, individuals that naturally entered my life, and had an impact. Each a gift of their presence and then they moved on with their lives. Like the wake of a passing boat, the memory of their presence remains.
I was thinking of a lovely soul, the memory of whom had faded until I picked up a little book that she had written, a book of poetry, not many pages but filled with the fingerprints of her life. For a time she lived near me, in our little community. She was a teacher, a marriage counselor, a lover of words and for a brief period a publisher of the local newspaper. As I read some of her poetry, a vivid memory of her life came to me: Twelfth Night gatherings for food, fun, music, and stories. A highlight, offering a proper close to the advent season.
One thought leads to another, which is true for each one of us. We will leave a wake, memories that others will possibly recall. What will constitute the memories of your life or mine in the minds of friends and loved ones? Would they know or remember how Christ was a key to the life we lived?
As I read my friend’s poetry I remembered her welcoming character and her imagination. And it brought to mind glimpses of my own life journey and reflected how moments returned and found their way to present time. A backyard sandbox on Lawson Ave, Steubenville, Ohio in the 1930s. A child’s sandbox, the perfect setting to transform imagination into roads and a village and, as it turned out, the first glimpse of a wonderful and blessed place and story called Middle of Nowhere.
God given imagination to be poured out onto the pages of my friend’s little book. God gifted my imagination, dictating story, reflecting life in another book. Life moments, all graces from our Lord, informing direction and character as we live. Imagination and its twin grace, remembrance, each an amazing gift God and the certainty that God is a creator God, and not a critic. For that we are grateful and give Him praise and honor. Amen.
Poetry as Love:
What matters now is that you are here as I am here. What matters now is that there is still a now for us in which we stand together, though closer to the edge of that mysterious sea — far closer than in those days when we worked in the sunny inland, somehow raised the children, and fought our battles in open fields far, it seemed, from the crash of wave on shore and the path’s drop-off at land’s end.
Though it was in our tears, we were heedless, still, of the salt taste on the winds already blowing inland from that sea — too vast, too final, for any crossing but by love. — Paula Sheller Adams
Prayer of Gratefulness:
Heavenly father, we lift our hearts and voices to You in praise and gratefulness. There is none like You. From Your great mercy we have received life, and imagination, and hope. We joyfully yield our lives to the lordship of Jesus. Through Him we have overcome. Give us the strength to complete the course You have chosen for us. Fill our hearts with joy. Open our eyes to see the majesty of our God and King. Let the earth be filled with the praises of our God, in Jesus’ name, amen.
