God's Prayer

I asked God to show me what was on his heart this morning, as I sat waiting for just five minutes.

I saw stone supports rising up within the church building, joining the roof in decorative flourishes as in some of the ancient cathedrals. Then they turned into geysers of water, powerfully shooting up and then the water sprinkled on all the people sitting in the church. Life-giving water. 

This is the Lord’s heart: that those who are ‘supports’ in the church will be transformed from static, stone supports and become sources of living water rising up powerfully and showering down on all gathered. 

Where the droplets fall there is instant growth of new life, each drop bringing forth a new plant/flower. The sterile, solemn church transforms into a living, fragrant space.

To come into the church as an ‘outsider’ is like Dorothy landing in Oz: going from a monochrome world into a vibrant, living, colourful and fragrant, dare I say enchanted space.

Yes, enchanted in that spiritual gifts are other-worldly, spiritual, and these are in evidence in church.

And out of church. As we leave church we take the fragrance, colour and spiritual gifts into the black and white world outside, transforming every place we go.

Amen. As this is God’s vision, this is my prayer.

Glory

When this azalea begins to bloom each year, I confess to thinking it’s a bit ‘peely-wally’ as they say in Scotland. Washed out. But as the days go by, the colour comes out, more and more vibrantly, and now, as you can see, it reflects the very glory of God. It is stunning.

What you can’t see perhaps is that around its base there is a jungle of ground elder and buttercups and who knows what other insidious weeds, seeking to choke the life out of the azalea, or, at the very least, leach away its beauty. Despite the weeds (yes, I do intend to get out there and clear the space, one of these days ...) the azalea continues to amaze with its beauty.

Yesterday I had the privilege of visiting and praying with someone whose physical well-being is threatened. There is, however, no outward sign of the struggle going on within. Rather, she radiates the glory of God. Faith and love and grace drip from her every word. Peace emanates from deep within. We were there to minister to her, but she, in fact, ministered to us. 

The heavens declare the glory of God. All creation declares his glory. And so do many believers who shine like beacons; as the darkness deepens, their inner light intensifies, leading others to safety and faith. May God bless this dear lady today, and continue to heal and bless her.