And the fire on the altar shall be kept burning on it;
it shall not be put out.
And the priest shall burn wood on it every morning,
and lay the burnt offering in order on it...
A fire shall always be burning on the altar;
it shall never go out.
- Leviticus 6:12, 13
For thus says the High and Lofty One
Who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy;
" I dwell in the high and lofty place,
With him who has a contrite and humble spirit,
To revive the spirit of the humble
And the revive the heart of the contrite ones.
- Isaiah 57:15
"But on this one will I look:
On him who is poor
and of a contrite spirit,
And who trembles at My word."
- Isaiah 66:2
But we have this treasure in earthen vessels
that the excellence of the power
may be of God and not of us.
We are hard pressed on every side, yet not crushed;
we are perplexed, but not in despair;
persecuted, but not forsaken;
struck down, but not destroyed--
always carrying about in the body
the dying of the LORD Jesus,
that the life of Jesus also
may be manifested in our body.
- 2 Corinthians 4:7
Or do you not know that your body
is the temple of the Holy Spirit
who is in you,
whom you have from God,
and you are not your own?
For you were bought at a price;
therefor glorify God in your body
and in your spirit, which are God's.
- 1 Corinthians 6:19, 20
It has been a beautiful month... and it has been a beautiful year. With this post, I bid good-bye not only to the month of December, but also to the year 2013.
I look back to the year that is ending with much thanksgiving to my Abba Father, for in the past twelve months, His presence never left me.
And I look forward to the New Year 2014, welcome the next twelve months with much hope and expectation in my heart.
The name I give this month was gently placed on my heart ten days ago as I was thinking of the best possible word to sum up what this month has been like.
Significant... because it names not only this month, but the year as it comes to an end. It is also the prophetic word that I carry into the new year.
S a n c t u a r y .
The word is so special that even as I slowly typed those letters, I sensed the peaceful and reassuring presence of my Abba Father... a holy quiet around me.
This is a noisy world in which we live... especially the country where I come from. Blaring horns from the buses and cars on the thoroughfares, loud music in the malls, crowded sidewalks, jam-packed trains... hawkers in the commercial downtown districts selling their wares, numerous billboard signs...
Domestic wrangling and bickering... mumbling... complaining.
Then on a global scale, there's the sound of gunfire, soldiers marching, political doubletalk, religious intolerance and bigotry.
It's not just the external noise I'm talking about. There's the lack of inner quietness, the loud conflicting voices of prejudices, discontent, worries and anxious thoughts, the never ending list of to do's and personal agenda.
And... many are drowning in the sludge of toxic cyber garbage without being aware of it.
With all this continuous assault on our senses, we all of us are in deep need of down time to recover and maintain our sanity.
This is what the weekly Sabbath is for.
But how many of those constantly exposed to the din and the barrage, both the internal and the external kind, take time to give themselves that much needed space?
It's just the way the enemy would have it.
But there is a means of escape.
We really have to learn from Jesus, and be intentional at pulling ourselves away on a regular basis, and receive cleansing, if we are to overcome this diabolic battle for our souls.
So I have come to truly appreciate the peace and quiet of the neighborhood and city where my sister and her family live. Here in their lovely home, I have savored the serenity of a room I have been privileged to call my own these past four months.
The room is spacious, and there is a study desk available. But on the carpeted floor beside my bed by the window is the special place where I have often met with my Abba Father - my little sanctuary where God speaks, not in a loud voice but in a gentle whisper.
From this vantage point I see the sunrise every morning, and the early rays of the sun shine on me as I greet the new day.
Cloudy winter afternoons like today, are beautiful from this window too!
Many details of my four-month extended stay in the US will warm my heart for a long, long time:
the afternoon walks around the neighborhood... with friendly neighbors smiling and waving their hand in greeting when they pass by while driving in their cars, walking their dogs, or out on an afternoon run like me...
the awesome sunsets and cloud formations...
the Sunday morning worship services at the Rivermont Presbyterian Evangelical Church with the anointed preaching by Dr. Clay Smith, the beautiful choral and instrumental numbers, and which has revived my appreciation for the classic hymns of my Christian faith...
the visits to Kroger, the Fresh Market, TJ Maxx, Barnes and Noble, the library, not to mention the dentist...
the sumptuous meals we have eaten at Hibachi Japanese Resto, Lee's Garden Chinese food, Milan Indian cuisine, and Ruby Tuesday...
or soft tacos and fajitas at the Mexican Taqueria, a bowl of chili at the quaint Texas Inn, pizza and soft pretzels at Sam's Club, biscuit with gravy at McDonalds, juicy hamburgers at Cookout, a blizzard at Dairy Queen...
the long walks we have taken at the Blackwater Creek Bikeway...
the drives to enjoy the autumn foliage along the scenic Blue Ridge Parkway...
the delicious meals lovingly prepared at home...
fruits (apples, pears, blueberries, strawberries, kiwis, grapes), nuts, cheeses, and Greek yogurt to my heart's delight...
the late night movies we have watched on the large screen at the cozy basement with the fireplace...
sleeping comfortably under a thick blanket to keep me warm on a cold night...
waking up to a lovely rainy morning...
Yet this unassuming quiet corner in my bedroom will always be one of the special places that have made my stay in this beautiful country so meaningful and memorable.
The peace and quiet and changing of the seasons I have experienced here have brought much refreshing and healing to my heart. The winters are generally mild here in Central Virginia, and as of this writing no snow has fallen. But even that I consider a divine favor to be thankful for.
In my journal entry dated August 25, 2013, written just a few days before my flight, I wrote, "I want this trip to be a milestone in my 60th year."
It was a prayer granted, for as I look back to the past 12 months, these last four can indeed be considered a milestone in my 60th year.
The word sanctuary best sums up what this month and this year have been like.
Abba Father has been my hiding place, my refuge, my place of strength.
I am grateful for the way He has trusted me with His quiet presence the past twelve months of 2013.
Father God has been my sanctuary this year.
As a fitting response to His faithfulness, I want to be a sanctuary where God can dwell, a house of prayer where the fire on the altar never stops burning.
And... a sanctuary where others are welcome and find a safe place.
Sanctuary.
It is the word I carry with me into the new year.
It is also the twelfth life lesson for my 60th year.
As 2014 begins, I run to Abba Father as my place of shelter and strength, for there I receive healing, nourishment, renewal, and refreshment for my soul.
That I may be a sanctuary for others, too,
where hope is found,
compassion given,
redemptive words spoken...
where unbelief is silenced,
and grumbling has no voice...
where time is redeemed,
giving thanks is the norm, and
where something beautiful and lovely is created out of the mundane.
Abba Father, thank You for being my Sanctuary this year. In 2014 I ask, make me a living sanctuary for You... and for others.
I look back to the year that is ending with much thanksgiving to my Abba Father, for in the past twelve months, His presence never left me.
And I look forward to the New Year 2014, welcome the next twelve months with much hope and expectation in my heart.
The name I give this month was gently placed on my heart ten days ago as I was thinking of the best possible word to sum up what this month has been like.
Significant... because it names not only this month, but the year as it comes to an end. It is also the prophetic word that I carry into the new year.
S a n c t u a r y .
The word is so special that even as I slowly typed those letters, I sensed the peaceful and reassuring presence of my Abba Father... a holy quiet around me.
This is a noisy world in which we live... especially the country where I come from. Blaring horns from the buses and cars on the thoroughfares, loud music in the malls, crowded sidewalks, jam-packed trains... hawkers in the commercial downtown districts selling their wares, numerous billboard signs...
Domestic wrangling and bickering... mumbling... complaining.
Then on a global scale, there's the sound of gunfire, soldiers marching, political doubletalk, religious intolerance and bigotry.
It's not just the external noise I'm talking about. There's the lack of inner quietness, the loud conflicting voices of prejudices, discontent, worries and anxious thoughts, the never ending list of to do's and personal agenda.
And... many are drowning in the sludge of toxic cyber garbage without being aware of it.
With all this continuous assault on our senses, we all of us are in deep need of down time to recover and maintain our sanity.
This is what the weekly Sabbath is for.
But how many of those constantly exposed to the din and the barrage, both the internal and the external kind, take time to give themselves that much needed space?
It's just the way the enemy would have it.
But there is a means of escape.
In the early morning, while it was still dark,
Jesus got up, left the house,
and went away to a secluded place,
and was praying there.
- Mark 1:35
We really have to learn from Jesus, and be intentional at pulling ourselves away on a regular basis, and receive cleansing, if we are to overcome this diabolic battle for our souls.
So I have come to truly appreciate the peace and quiet of the neighborhood and city where my sister and her family live. Here in their lovely home, I have savored the serenity of a room I have been privileged to call my own these past four months.
The room is spacious, and there is a study desk available. But on the carpeted floor beside my bed by the window is the special place where I have often met with my Abba Father - my little sanctuary where God speaks, not in a loud voice but in a gentle whisper.
From this vantage point I see the sunrise every morning, and the early rays of the sun shine on me as I greet the new day.
Cloudy winter afternoons like today, are beautiful from this window too!
Many details of my four-month extended stay in the US will warm my heart for a long, long time:
the afternoon walks around the neighborhood... with friendly neighbors smiling and waving their hand in greeting when they pass by while driving in their cars, walking their dogs, or out on an afternoon run like me...
the awesome sunsets and cloud formations...
the Sunday morning worship services at the Rivermont Presbyterian Evangelical Church with the anointed preaching by Dr. Clay Smith, the beautiful choral and instrumental numbers, and which has revived my appreciation for the classic hymns of my Christian faith...
the visits to Kroger, the Fresh Market, TJ Maxx, Barnes and Noble, the library, not to mention the dentist...
the sumptuous meals we have eaten at Hibachi Japanese Resto, Lee's Garden Chinese food, Milan Indian cuisine, and Ruby Tuesday...
or soft tacos and fajitas at the Mexican Taqueria, a bowl of chili at the quaint Texas Inn, pizza and soft pretzels at Sam's Club, biscuit with gravy at McDonalds, juicy hamburgers at Cookout, a blizzard at Dairy Queen...
the long walks we have taken at the Blackwater Creek Bikeway...
the drives to enjoy the autumn foliage along the scenic Blue Ridge Parkway...
the delicious meals lovingly prepared at home...
fruits (apples, pears, blueberries, strawberries, kiwis, grapes), nuts, cheeses, and Greek yogurt to my heart's delight...
the late night movies we have watched on the large screen at the cozy basement with the fireplace...
sleeping comfortably under a thick blanket to keep me warm on a cold night...
waking up to a lovely rainy morning...
Yet this unassuming quiet corner in my bedroom will always be one of the special places that have made my stay in this beautiful country so meaningful and memorable.
The peace and quiet and changing of the seasons I have experienced here have brought much refreshing and healing to my heart. The winters are generally mild here in Central Virginia, and as of this writing no snow has fallen. But even that I consider a divine favor to be thankful for.
In my journal entry dated August 25, 2013, written just a few days before my flight, I wrote, "I want this trip to be a milestone in my 60th year."
It was a prayer granted, for as I look back to the past 12 months, these last four can indeed be considered a milestone in my 60th year.
The word sanctuary best sums up what this month and this year have been like.
Abba Father has been my hiding place, my refuge, my place of strength.
I am grateful for the way He has trusted me with His quiet presence the past twelve months of 2013.
Father God has been my sanctuary this year.
As a fitting response to His faithfulness, I want to be a sanctuary where God can dwell, a house of prayer where the fire on the altar never stops burning.
And... a sanctuary where others are welcome and find a safe place.
Sanctuary.
It is the word I carry with me into the new year.
It is also the twelfth life lesson for my 60th year.
As 2014 begins, I run to Abba Father as my place of shelter and strength, for there I receive healing, nourishment, renewal, and refreshment for my soul.
That I may be a sanctuary for others, too,
where hope is found,
compassion given,
redemptive words spoken...
where unbelief is silenced,
and grumbling has no voice...
where time is redeemed,
giving thanks is the norm, and
where something beautiful and lovely is created out of the mundane.
Abba Father, thank You for being my Sanctuary this year. In 2014 I ask, make me a living sanctuary for You... and for others.
Lord prepare me
To be a sanctuary
Pure and holy
Tried and true
With thanksgiving
I'll be a living
Sanctuary for You
Sharing twelve life lessons on my 60th year:
11 comments:
Courage was my word for 2013 yet "a holy quiet" defines much of it. Love reading this and the calm it offers..rest to my soul heart. Blessings and much love to you in the new year.
http://www.ramblingalongwithdonna.blogspot.com
Sanctuary is such a meaningful word. There is a strength and peace in the very thought of it. I loved reading your thoughts on it, especially as you related to God being our sanctuary.
Thanks for this thoughtful and inspiring post.
I absolutely LOVE what you have written here and just in the time it has taken me to read it, I have calmed and a sense of His presence is evident. This is my year of drawing closer to Him. Thank you for sharing this and hoping we can encourage one another in many ways in 2014. I miss you!
Love and Hugs ~ Kat
Again a beautiful revelation from Him in your heart! I feel that whenever I visit you. Long before you mentioning now that you want to be a sanctuary for others like me. I love the worship song you shared. One of my fav when we sing it in our fellowship. Keeping you in prayers sister and that may you always remain strong in the Lord's mighty power! I feel your blessing to any who crosses path with you because it's easy to feel the love that overflows from your heart. The kind that only comes from Him! I know because I'm always blessed and encouraged when I visit you.
BTW, I envision a very tired, crying child under the Armor finding refuge in His loving arms. Arms that are quick to reach out and save. Oh, glory be to God!
Dearest Lidia, Your writing is amazing . . . I feel these postings can be so helpful to someone in any season of their lives. Reading your postings has given me so much comfort and rest especially after Dave passed away. Have you ever thought of having your writings published? Hope you are in comfort with your dental visits . I'm excited for once to start a new year, I feel in my heart that the Lord has something exciting for me . . I hope I'm right. Blessings, xo
A milestone for your 60th, indeed! Your East Coast reflections are just as awesome to me who lives in the West. Thank you, Lidj, for bringing me back to the sanctuary with your prayerful blog.
Elena
Lidia, If there were but ONE blog left for me to read, only one for me to decide...it would be yours I choose. You cover, as a spiritual reporter, everything that is needed to be known, everything of real importance for me/us.
May God keep your hands, ummm, KEYBOARD-READY. And our heart is already His.
I join others in wishes for JOY in 2014, whatever comes forth from those days.
Than you!
Your beautiful blog has always been a place of peaceful *sanctuary* for me, Lidia. A place to stop and ponder, to rest and reflect. I love the way that God speaks to your heart, and I love the way that you speak HIS heart.
Looking forward to watching how God will work in both of our lives in this coming year. It will be my 60th. And the *word* that God has given me for the year is one that has me wondering what He's going to be doing! (I'm posting about it next Monday).
Happiest New Year, and GOD BLESS!
Oh, Lydia -that we find sanctuary in Him and offer it to others - like I find it here. This past year - I have been surrounded by mighty grumblings daily - not at home - but outside of it in the daily - and it was in Him that I found peace and hope - that He was there to give me comfort, to quiet my heart and stay my emotions - sanctuary to protect me - where the gates are secured. As I get ready to go back into the daily from this time off - I am going to carry that with me.
I'm catching up on some blog posts, and this one resonated with me the most.
I'm glad to read that your trip to the US was so blessed (though of course I know that all that He gives us is blessed!)
And I'm telling myself that I need to check your blog more often. :-)
Much love across the world, Lidia!
Post a Comment