My beloved spoke, and said to me:
Rise up, my love, my fair one,
And come away.
For lo, the winter is past,
The rain is over and gone.
The flowers appear on the earth;
The time of singing has come,
And the voice of the turtledove
Is heard in our land.
Song of Songs 2:10-12
The year 2009 is going to be a very special one for me and my family. I can just sense it.
Although the new year is not even two weeks old, there are already a number of indicators.
On New Year's eve, the five of us gathered around our last meal for the year. We thanked God for the year that was ending, and each of us took turns to speak and declare what good things we were expecting to happen in the months ahead.
With Ernie gone, I realize that I am now the official head, the one my children look up to as the spiritual covering, of our family. It is a very important role, one for which I have asked God to lead the way.
One clear message that God spoke to my heart that evening was the beautiful passage in Song of Solomon which I quoted above. The winter is past, the rain is over and gone, the flowers appear on the earth, the time of singing has come.
Somehow, these words touch my heart... makes it leap! It is the promise of spring after the dark and cold season of winter.
Winter isn't over yet, I can still feel the icy blast of the north winds. But the hope of springtime gives me a feeling of warm comfort. Yes, there are good things coming my way.
I will be in Manila for two weeks, starting today. I took the dawn flight out of Bacolod City this morning.
It's been cold and rainy the past days. When we landed in Manila, the ground temperature was 23 degrees Celsius. That's much colder than usual, and I felt cold under the corduroy jacket that I had on. Nevertheless my spirit felt warm.
I came here because I needed to be away from my daily concerns to spend much precious time alone with God.
The passage says, "Rise up... and come away..."
It is an invitation, and I welcome it. There are many things I want to hear from God: a confirmation of the plans I am making for this year, and a much-needed sense of direction. I also want to stay close to God my heavenly Father for warmth and comfort. I need to ask Him a few questions.
After breakfast this morning, Obedient One and I went to Victory Christian Fellowship. There was an awesome time of worship, followed by an exhortation by Pastor Manny Carlos.
The passage he spoke on was another confirmation of what I had already been sensing.
And come away.
For lo, the winter is past,
The rain is over and gone.
The flowers appear on the earth;
The time of singing has come,
And the voice of the turtledove
Is heard in our land.
Song of Songs 2:10-12
The year 2009 is going to be a very special one for me and my family. I can just sense it.
Although the new year is not even two weeks old, there are already a number of indicators.
On New Year's eve, the five of us gathered around our last meal for the year. We thanked God for the year that was ending, and each of us took turns to speak and declare what good things we were expecting to happen in the months ahead.
With Ernie gone, I realize that I am now the official head, the one my children look up to as the spiritual covering, of our family. It is a very important role, one for which I have asked God to lead the way.
One clear message that God spoke to my heart that evening was the beautiful passage in Song of Solomon which I quoted above. The winter is past, the rain is over and gone, the flowers appear on the earth, the time of singing has come.
Somehow, these words touch my heart... makes it leap! It is the promise of spring after the dark and cold season of winter.
Winter isn't over yet, I can still feel the icy blast of the north winds. But the hope of springtime gives me a feeling of warm comfort. Yes, there are good things coming my way.
I will be in Manila for two weeks, starting today. I took the dawn flight out of Bacolod City this morning.
It's been cold and rainy the past days. When we landed in Manila, the ground temperature was 23 degrees Celsius. That's much colder than usual, and I felt cold under the corduroy jacket that I had on. Nevertheless my spirit felt warm.
I came here because I needed to be away from my daily concerns to spend much precious time alone with God.
The passage says, "Rise up... and come away..."
It is an invitation, and I welcome it. There are many things I want to hear from God: a confirmation of the plans I am making for this year, and a much-needed sense of direction. I also want to stay close to God my heavenly Father for warmth and comfort. I need to ask Him a few questions.
After breakfast this morning, Obedient One and I went to Victory Christian Fellowship. There was an awesome time of worship, followed by an exhortation by Pastor Manny Carlos.
The passage he spoke on was another confirmation of what I had already been sensing.
Yes, the Almighty will be your gold
and your precious silver;
For then you will have your delight in the Almighty,
and lift up your face to God.
You will make your prayer to Him,
He will hear you,
and you will pay your vows.
You will also declare a thing,
and it will be established for you,
so light will shine on your ways.
and your precious silver;
For then you will have your delight in the Almighty,
and lift up your face to God.
You will make your prayer to Him,
He will hear you,
and you will pay your vows.
You will also declare a thing,
and it will be established for you,
so light will shine on your ways.
Job 22:25-28
It was hard to believe that the words could be so direct and so specific... and yet they were!
Pastor Manny spoke on what it means to be a child of the king, and to live in God's kingdom in this world constantly battered, tossed about, and swept along, by bad news.
God's kingdom is the best news we have ever received. "This is the year of favor," he said, "the day of vengeance of our God...
to comfort all who mourn,
to console those who grieve in Zion,
to give them beauty for ashes,
the oil of joy for mourning,
the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness...."
Pastor Manny spoke on what it means to be a child of the king, and to live in God's kingdom in this world constantly battered, tossed about, and swept along, by bad news.
God's kingdom is the best news we have ever received. "This is the year of favor," he said, "the day of vengeance of our God...
to comfort all who mourn,
to console those who grieve in Zion,
to give them beauty for ashes,
the oil of joy for mourning,
the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness...."
The fig tree puts forth her green figs,
and the vine with the tender grapes give a good smell.
Rise up, my love, my fair one,
and come away. (Song of Solomon 2:13)
and the vine with the tender grapes give a good smell.
Rise up, my love, my fair one,
and come away. (Song of Solomon 2:13)
With words like those being so specifically given, I am really looking upward and forward to what God will bring about this new year.
This is my season of hope, my season of healing, my season of spring!
(If you want to read more on healing, John Whitener II has an insightful post about Pain and Thanksgiving here.)
This is my season of hope, my season of healing, my season of spring!
(If you want to read more on healing, John Whitener II has an insightful post about Pain and Thanksgiving here.)
4 comments:
Have a beautiful time with Jesus and Obedient One. May the Holy Spirit pour Himself out on you, in you, and through you. May He give you clarity and focus, as the peace that surpasses all human understanding floods your soul!
With much Love...
I am excited to see this year unfold for you and your family...in Jesus Christ! What a beautiful thing!
You certainly are on the path to a new beginning this year. With God directing your steps and giving you confirmation which way to turn. He will sustain you and encourage your transition to this bend in the road.
I loved this post, too. It is so amazing that, even though we are a world apart, God is speaking much of the same things.
God has shown my husband and I, too, that this year is the end of some struggles we have been going through. And we see it. Spring is already arriving, though summer is not yet here. Yet, with it, and with the newer revelations of living for Him that we've been given, we sense a new responsibility to obey and follow and continue always to trust, even as the fullness of summer comes to us. I feel like I'm speaking in parables, yet I don't know how to explain it any further. All I know is that God is moving! It's not in huge front-page-news revivals, and I don't necessarily believe it will be. It's a very gentle yet very strong undercurrent, moving through those of His people who are truly willing to be obedient and to trust, and it's carrying us deeper with Him...to a place that will, I believe, be instrumental in His kingdom in the end times. I am so grateful to be a part of it!
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