BeLOnGings

In my last blog I told the story of The Harpist and the Horn, the Horn being equated with the song “Lord Jesus We Enthrone You” which incorporates in it the cry of every believer’s heart, “Come Lord Jesus and take your place!”

On Monday evening on our way back from Ireland we were just about to board the connecting flight to Minneapolis in Chicago, when Hilary nodding toward the man opposite in the line said, “Is that not Larry?”

Our friend Larry simultaneously turned around equally surprised and delighted to see us. His first words were.

“We are just on our way home from Jerusalem! I was in fact going to send you a video of “Lord Jesus We Enthrone You” being played at the feast of Tabernacles there by 50 harpists!”

………Then I remembered that just the day before, a 50 Euro donation had been sent to us from Dublin, Ireland, along with a request for the Come Lord Jesus CD. The name of the sender, Jonathan Rowe, rang a bell, so sitting in Dublin airport I emailed to ask him how he had come across our music. His reply amazed us! A little background first……..

40 years ago when I wrote Lord Jesus We Enthrone You, I taught it at our fellowship in Belfast. Just a few weeks later Hilary and I went to Dublin for a weekend ‘get away’. That Saturday evening we were lead to a home fellowship meeting. Sitting on the floor of the living room crammed full of young people who like ourselves had just been ‘set on fire’ by the Holy Spirit, we flowed in worship from one song to the next….and then….. startled… I looked at Hilary and she at me….they were singing my song!…..”Lord Jesus We Enthrone You……we proclaim you are king.’

Afterwards we discovered that a girl from our group who had moved to London the week after I taught the song, had taught it to the London group, and then someone from the London group had the next week brought it to Dublin! (Subsequently we discovered that with the same rapidity the song had spread all over the world in a matter of weeks. Long before things ‘went viral’ via man’s internet….the song ‘went vital’ via God’s Spirit!)

Jonathan then immediately replied to my query explaining that he was indeed the son of the couple that lead that home fellowship! In fact he said his father was sitting right there beside him, (and just a few miles from us at the airport!)……. and sent us his regards! This after no contact for 40 years!

Jonathan also reminded me that the name of the fellowship was…… Shalom. (As in ‘Jeru(Shalom’)

So what are the chances…… that within 12 hours but 3,670 miles apart on two continents, I receive this double witness of….

The cry, “Come Lord Jesus!” arising from Jeru(Shalom) ?

The day we arrived home another very strange thing happened. I received a check from the ‘State of Minnesota Management and Budget’ telling me that several years ago I had overpaid and was due this refund ……for $50!

……..I just noticed the 120 days on the check which points to the outpouring of the Holy Spirit on the 120 in the Upper Room at Pentecost (50 days). However that feast described in Lev.23, fulfilled, and the downpayment given (Eph.1:14), we now look two chapters later in Leviticus to the 50 year law.

“Consecrate the FIFTIETH year and proclaim liberty throughout the land to all it’s inhabitants……In this Year of Jubilee everyone is to return to his own property.” (Lev.25:10)

The significance of a third witness (three 50s) is to reveal….timing.

……..Thetime for the cry of the believer’s heart to be answered, and for the Prince of Peace to come to Jerusalem which means, ‘dwelling place of peace’ made up of the believers who, “like living stones are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit.” (1Pt.2, Eph.2)

………The time for us to return to our ‘own property’, our inheritance of immortality that was lost in the First Adam but restored in the Last.

In the last blog I told of the sign on Horn Head where we witnessed the bridegroom Justin (the Faithful and True Judge of Rev.19:11) moments away from his desire.

I asked Larry, “Are you traveling alone?’

He replied, “No I have two companions

.…… Justin

…..and Jason!” (Son of Ya…….Jesus)

“Even so! Come Lord Jesus!”

I grew up in Gilnahirk on the Eastern side of the province of Ulster. The name translates from the Gaelic to “The hill of the HORN blower”

When the prophet Bob Jones said he saw me “blowing a trumpet/horn throughout the land” , I knew he was referring to the songs God has given me and in particular to “Lord JESUS We Enthrone You…..we PROCLAIM you are KING”

Over the last few weeks I was reminded how that “land” actually encompasses the whole earth and all nations…….

On the Mayo marathon we met Jeremiah, a Nigerian missionary to Ireland. When he discovered I had written this song, which he had often sung in Nigerian, he wanted a photo with us : – )

On the Sligo marathon we stayed with Endre, a Hungarian believer who had been a professional trumpeter in his homeland. Again he was thrilled to meet the author of the song. He had worshipped with it many times in the Hungarian language.

Our third and final marathon on this trip, the 32nd and last in the “Running with the Father’s Heart for Ireland.” odyssey was in Donegal where Hilary and I made our usual pilgrimage to the Western headland of HORN HEAD.

This has a special significance for our family as it so happens my father purchased a small field there. We were never able to get permission to build on it, but we like to return there when in Ireland to enjoy the view and reminisce.

This time a most unusual thing happened (humanly speaking : – ) As we were taking in the view a girl arrived carrying up the rocky path what was obviously a harp in case.

As we engaged in conversation with her we discovered that in an hours time a couple from America would arrive on that spot to be married! We watched and listened as she prepared.

I subsequently pondered the significance of the symbolism of all of this. She told us she had grown up in Stormont, near Gilnahirk. This area (like Westminster in London) is where the government of Northern Ireland reside.

For the first 21 years of my life Stormont building was the view through my bedroom window.

Each time we have returned to Northern Ireland I have made it my practice to go there and sing the song proclaiming that Jesus is King of this land

Currently due to an impasse between the two sides in government there is a vacuum, with no local government sitting in Stormont.

In the light of this, the government in Westminster have voted to impose on Northern Ireland, the only part of the British Isles where abortion has not been legalized, regardless of what the people think, the most liberal abortion law anywhere in the world!

Again although things look bleak from a human point of view we focus on the “Blessed hope” (Titus 2:13)

I find it interesting that TODAY, 27th September………

The songwriter K(ay n the) West was due to release JESUS IS KING

The songwriter K(yle)in the EAST who proclaimed JESUS IS KING

……..has a birthday!

As I enter my 67th year I turn to Psalm 67…….

“May God be gracious to us and make his face shine on us – so that your ways may be known on EARTH, your salvation among ALL NATIONS

As Hilary and I drove down from the headland we pulled in to let a car ascending it pass. I looked to see the driver dressed right royaly, a radiant beaming face looking longingly and resolutely toward the summit.

The groom’s name was Justin, meaning ‘just’ and the bride’s name Margaret, meaning ‘pearl’

I wondered if the harpist from Stormont was the signal that the “Blessed hope” was near and that soon the Just King Jesus would come to unite with his bride, who had been purified through suffering, to establish together God’s government in all the earth.

Yesterday we walked Ballymastocker Strand on the Fanad peninsula in County Donegal.

Despite it’s being rated as one of the 10 top beaches in the world, Hilary and I found ourselves alone on this ‘eternal’ stretch of coastline where it seems the breaking waves and towering cliffs at beachend, have been forever.

“What are Paul and Hilary that you are mindful of them?” was the adapted scripture that came to mind..

Then at the top of the cliff I spotted two ‘love birds’ gliding together on the air currents. I smiled realizing that although our days might be a breath in the light of forever, it is the experience of being continually carried along by the breath of the Spirit that gives our existence in this world meaning and significance.

As we turned to retrace our footprints in the sand I  noticed the only other soul we had encountered. He too had turned and once again we were moving toward one another. I was reflecting on how LIFE is knowing His presence in our present moment, when we and the stranger encountered one another. Small talk quickly gave way to substance as I noticing his rosary beads. I commented,

“……….and it’s a great place to pray!”

‘Aye it is that.’ Liam said.”When I moved to Scotland as a young man, all my friends would go to the pub’.……then with a glint in his eye …...’.but I had my prayers!’

So we were presented to one another in the context of His presence.

Liam then continued to speak from his heart those same things that are on our heart……from the yearning for the unity of God’s people, to a longing for the rekindling of the fire of faith in the hearts of the Irish…….from  a confession  of God’s power to do the impossible, to his resolve to restore all things in the end……to a returning to our Father’s house. As he aired his perspective on American politics, Irish society and the mainstream media I knew we were on the same page!

Hilary and I had been struck by the the apparent materialistic upgrade everywhere, the bigger newer roads cars and houses, presumably with the inflow of EU money and tourists. This was a far cry from the hauntingly simple and serene Donegal I remembered as a child on our family holidays, with consumerism now overshadowing a sense of community that was an easy outgrowth of, as one visitor a century before had noted, the innate ‘kindness of God in the people’s hearts.’

” The Irish have never had money.” Liam said. “……. and now that they do, they don’t know how to handle it and have lost their way!’

I could tell, not only by the Rosary beads but by his language, that we had been raised in the two different religious traditions of Ireland but we shared  one faith….a living faith expressing the heart of our one Father!

”What shall it profit a man (nation) if he gains the whole world……and loses his own soul.”....came to mind.

As Hilary and I made our way back to the car by a different route because the tide had turned and was now coming back in I realized it was confirming Liam’s last words to us.

“If you talk to the people…..the faith is still in their hearts! Things will turn around. – In God…….There is hope!”

At this Tabernacles season in 2018 we were also here, and I wrote a series of blogs entitled, “Irish Road Signs” These were signs of hope I saw that also featured County Donegal…….the only county in Ireland that had not voted in the referendum for the legalization of abortion.

This week end the final marathon in ‘Running with the Father’s Heart for Ireland…for every county counts’ will take place in this….the 32nd county.

We await with eager anticipation the continued outworking of God’s Covenant (#32)………one of GRACE which cannot fail because it depends not on our ability but on His infallibility, in our two homelands…….the 32 counties of Ireland and the 32nd State of the United States of America!

On Friday night we will be singing Amazing Grace in this …the very county where the hymn writer John Newton also had his Good Mornin’Dad! dip : )

You can read about his Grace awakening here at www.amazinggrace.ie

Last Saturday Hilary and I participated in the 30th, ‘Running with the Father’s Heart for Ireland’ marathon along the Great Western Greenway in beautiful County Mayo.

After running my 6 mile leg, I wandered off the beaten track to grab a coffee at Nevin’s pub, ‘The Heart of Hospitality’.

Fortuitously  I caught the opening minutes of the Ireland vs Wales rugby match, but had to pull myself away from the team on the ‘green pitch’ to catch up again with the more obscure wee team on the ‘green Way’ – a motley crew of runners, walkers and cyclists of all shapes, sizes, ages and nationalities. They had been lead as an ‘Amen’ company to agree that now is the time for the ‘green’ of resurrection life to be experienced afresh in the Emerald Isle as people are awakened to the outrageous grace of the ‘Running Father’ in the story of the Prodigal son/s..”…..that the world would turn green with envy : – )

On Sunday morning the Irish papers announced the rugby team’s victory, so that they now head to the RUGBY WORLD CUP as the #1 team. The photo below is a play on words as the Irish captain is named Rory Best.

By Monday morning the Belfast stores were already capitalizing on the team’s success as the top photo illustrates. I smilingly noticed again the name on the ball that is used in all international rugby matches – GILBERT

I began writing Gilbert’s Journal when we arrived in the US as a series of meditations to go alongside the songs on the Bright Hostage Trilogy of CDs. Weaving together scripture and real life stories with the songs, that journaling now continues in the form of this weekly blog.

My middle name, Gilbert means “bright hostage’ and also happens to be the name of my father and my youngest son!

Although we know we are still held ‘hostage’ to death and decay, because of our sure and certain “hope” as believers we are growing ‘brighter’ by the day as That Day approaches when our full “adoption as sons” is manafested in this world.(Eph.1:5, Rm.8:18-24)

“Until then the most significant things on earth from heaven’s vantage point are usually hidden, like a baby in a manger.’ I thought as I wandered down a back road in Westport.

I looked up……. and as if to confirm the thought, where Croagh Patrick, the most famous, peak in ‘the land of saints and scholars’ should have been visible, there was merely a blanket of mist.

However our confident hope’ is that one day every eye will be opened and ‘’every knee will bow and every tongue confess that, ‘‘Jesus Christ is Lord!”….. to the glory of God the Father.’

……….And I was reminded of another Belfast billboard image I captured in the wake of another success by the Irish team when we were here last January.

Roaring the Best possible news of God’s gracious plan for his creation:

• 

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The week before we left for Ireland, two of our neighbors on the block reached out to us.

Lena is a lady who is African American, (but with enough Irish blood to make her a good rugby player : – ) active in the Black Lives Matter and LGBT movements. She was eager to break her happy news to us that a new life was forming within her!

John is a white man (but with a good deal of Native American blood) very ‘working class’ (Irish) /‘blue collar’ (American). He came to our door distraught, wanting to break the sad news to us that his bride of 44 years had just died suddenly at home.

In fact he wanted to use our toilet, as a miscommunication between the professional services meant that her body was still lying on the living room floor 6 hours after a failed violent resusitation attempt that left him traumatized!

The next morning John returned. He had a request. He said, “You know we aren’t really church going people……but we do believe in Jesus, and do believe the Creator has put us on this earth to help other critters, whether human or our four legged friends. …….and I know you are the same…….so I was wondering……would you be willing to take the funeral service? ‘

Then very reluctantly, while warding off his daughter Christina’s  embarrassed protests he offered….’. In fact I was wondering, because our house isn’t really suitable….. could we possibly have the reception here – at the Big Green House?’

’Certainly John. We’d be honored to host it.’  

The funeral was delayed until a few days before we had to fly. The Oswald Chambers meditation seemed particularly appropriate that morning:

The funeral was to be at a cemetery in our old neighborhood. I recalled an experience I’d had there just after we moved from Ireland while jogging through it in ‘the fall’ just as the glorious leaves were falling at the end of their brief lives. I noticed an old tree, maybe 150 years old, had just been felled, and the inevitability of death for every living thing struck me, and the song ‘The Other Day’ was born, inspired by Gal.5:6 which says the only thing that matters at the end of our days is ‘faith expressing itself through love’.

I shared in the funeral home how that song was given to me 25 years before ……for this precise day……..and place…….and person – for in talking with John and Christina I had discovered Bernie was a lady of faith that expressed itself in love in their Little Yellow House in the same way it did in our Big Green House, by becoming over the years a home for ‘stray people’ as her daughter put it. (Only they had managed to avoid getting into trouble with the code enforcement officer : – )

36 people came to the reception, the same number that signed the petition in support of us at City Hall. In scripture 36 is associated with ‘enemy’ and is made up of two Hebrew characters representing ‘authority’ and ‘nail’. ‘The authority of the nail’ speaks to me of the power of sacrificial love that has overcome our enemies, death, sin and Satan, and converts our human ‘enemies’ into friends.

When we arrived in Belfast as usual we went for a walk to combat ‘jet lag’ . We go ‘down to the sea again.’ Cultra is the priciest real estate in Northern Ireland. We like to look at the big houses here we might have aspired to, like the one above called Cuan, whose neighbor is ‘The Royal Northern Ireland Yaght Club.’

Alas our postal address is not ‘Cultra. County Down.’ but, ‘Robbinsdale Minnesota’ – but we wouln’t swap stories (or neighbors) for the world : – )

P.S. The last two ‘hard copies’ of that song on CD just went to Christina above and our friend Julie Norbury in Australia! …..but I would encourage you if you haven’t got one to access it through Spotify or iTunes : – )

“You give marvellous comrades to me; the faithful who dwell in the land.” (From Ps.16:3) 

Last Thursday I woke as usual after three hours sleep and listened. I found myself audibly but quietly (so as not to waken Hilary) giving thanks for people I have known who had been an inspiration in my life….those who have by their example called me on to know and love God better.

An hour and a half later the Spirit was still bringing people to mind from different times and places and seasons of our life. Many of you who are reading this would have been in my litany of thanksgiving – installed in my ‘hall of  faith’!

“Thank you Father for………………… Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!”

It was a wonderfully inspiring experience recalling and honoring all those  whose faces came to mind!

I got up out of bed as I often do and went downstairs and outside to stand on the grass and look up into the sky. The moon was bright before me illumining the wispy clouds covering most of the sky. Then I noticed a star between clouds, and then close by, another star in another space, and then two more over there and one more here……….

Father was showing and confirming in the sky what I had just done. Under his great light he was pointing me to little spots of the same light. There were countless stars up there, many more visible to my naked eye, but I had been given to see a small selection of them……..the ‘marvelous comrades’ that he had given to me over my lifetime……real ‘stars’ – in his and my estimation. 

Then this morning it occurred to me that last night the Ringo Starr saga I wrote about a few weeks ago got an unexpected epilogue. Ringo and band were performing at the local “Mystic Lake Casino.” Ben’s publicist asked him if he wanted to go. He wasn’t feeling well, but decided at the last minute he would go……only to find himself being invited onstage to join Ringo in his final number………With A Little Help From My Friends! 

The photo above is Ben’s subsequent Instagram post.

In the ‘light’ of my experience last night I realized that even the line, “I get high with a  little help from my friends” get’s redeemed as I consider those ‘friends’ who have helped me by called me upward and onward in life. 

Last week was the 25th anniversary of our move to the USA. Abby posted a photo also on her Instagram of our arriving at our new home (which we had bought in faith never having seen it!) 25 years ago.

My litany of thanks got extended as I spotted some of those who welcomed us here then, and made sure we had a bed to sleep on and food on the table!

Thank you Father for Theresa and Dave!

Thank you Father for Tony and Colette!

Thank you Father for Jake and Ali!

Thank you Father for Chris and Karin!

Last week we attended a wedding reception at “The Pritchards” for their son and his bride who had been married in Michigan last month. We met Joel’s mom, Lois, many years ago when she spent 3 months in our community in Belfast when single, and then when we moved to America, ‘lois and behold!’ we found ourselves living ‘just down the street’ from Lois, Tom and their young family!

Joel has grown up a fine young man whose ‘Christ- light’ has shone in the ‘Special Forces’ and who is now pursuing a career in Federal justice.

I was tickled when I heard that on the morning of his wedding as he was getting ready he choose my songs as his background music!

One of the greatest joys I have experienced is to participate or hear reports like this, about how the songs ‘Abba’ has given me have played a role in people’s landmark life events such as births, deaths and marriages.

‘Geoff’s Song’ on the Ascent album for example was inspired by a man who attended a retreat I lead in Colorado where he was introduced to the song ‘Good Mornin’ Dad’.

At the time he was suffering from a terminal disease and knew he had only a short time to live. Subsequently, after driving his son to school each morning, the two would then pause and sit and listen to the recording of ‘Good Mornin’ Dad’ together, before saying farewell.

‘I open my eyes, 

I see your smiling face

Warming my heart,

Good mornin’ Dad!’

Geoff wanted his son to know that when his earthly father had said his final farewell and was no longer present to him in this life, his heavenly ‘Dad’ would still be there…… smiling on him.

After Geoff died the family invited me to return to Colorado to sing at the funeral. The Lord subsequently gave me ‘Geoff’s Song.’ likening Geoff’s experience in the valley of the shadow of death with Jacob’s as he prepared to encounter his angry brother Esau and his own possible demise. (Ex 30)

Both men had a transformational experience  – as in their wrestling with God they beheld the true ‘face of God’ 

At the end of the evening at the Pritchard’s home I pulled out my guitar.

“What would you like me to sing Joel?” I asked.

“Always With You” was his immediate reply.

That song taken from Psalm 73 is of course the inspiration for this blog’s title and subtitle:

BeLOnGings

……..and being with you nothing else I desire.

It is a most appropriate song for these days in which we live when God is increasingly exposing the evil in this world, and also appropriate for Joel……who out of a pure heart desires to participate in seeing godly justice restored on earth.

Since singing it that night I have found the song ‘on repeat’ in my mind for the Soundtrack that rises up by the Spirit is not meant to be just for meetings or landmark events, but an accompaniment that we ‘live’ by.

The recording of that song, also on “The Ascent”, is a beautiful production by Paul McAree. We are so pleased these songs are being listened to by Joel’s generation……. and are now available to them and you via Spotify, iTunes, Apple Music and Amazon!

 

This post is an afterthought comment on my last three blogs.

Two weeks ago I wrote about being redirected while running and my subsequent encounter with a ‘rough looking’ character while I was in a  pretty sweaty, smelly state myself!.  The point I made was that our Father sees beyond the ‘roughness of the diamond’ to the jewel he has created hidden deeply within each one of us. 

Then after writing last week’s blog, re-reading it a few days later, I had “blogger’s regret” …..Alas! – too late to edit, as most of you had already read it!

There was one critical word I would have changed. Instead of using the word “Humility” to describe the brothers I regularly meet with, I would have better used the word, “Humbled”

As I reflected on each of their stories I realized that the humility (that is indeed present in good measure) was not something that they had innately.

Rather, each one had a unique story of incredible human suffering, but instead of being ‘broken apart’ by these experiences they each had been ‘broken open’…. to discover, receive and manifest the grace of God in the midst of their acknowledged weakness.

One of them commented that the scripture I had used to title the blog 3 weeks ago “Be Still And Know That I Am God.” could equally well be translated, “Be WEAK And Know That I Am God.”   

So today when I was out running, the title and illustration for this blog on this same theme came, as I noticed the flower pictured above that had fallen onto the path;

A glorious purple thistle bursting forth out of it’s painfully prickly bud!

……………..for in life isn’t this how it often is?

The BEAUTY of Christ bursting forth in some incredibly BEASTly situations!  

We had a rather beastly situation this week when I ran into another  car….my fault completely! As the other driver, who I saw was an Asian Hindu, got out to inspect the scratches on his car, he looked at me and waving said….

“Go on!” 

“Thank you!“  I said, shaking his hand and looking into his eyes.

“You are a good man!”

His wife, however, with a Bindi on her forehead, then jumped out of the car to take a look. She was obviously not so sure, and clearly objected to his kindness in no uncertain terms (except to me who did not know their native language!) Dismissing her protestations her husband turned again to me and said emphatically,

“Go on!…..YOU REMIND ME OF MY FATHER!….Just drive on!”  

As I pondered this afterwards I sensed his forgiving spirit was not necessarily just because of a human resemblance, but because he had been given to see by his ‘Father in heaven’ “The Christ; the Son of the living God.” in me!

……….which was why I reminded him

……….of his, and my loving heavenly Father.

As I did drive on I realized I had in the midst of St. Paul, surrounded by angry unforgiving motorists blowing their horns at our two cars sitting awkwardly at a busy junction, been briefly transported back to my men’s group as this total ‘stranger’ also opened up to “the Spirit of truth” in the midst of a painful situation – seeing Beauty in the Beast.

“What a rich time!” said Brian.

“Absolutely. And getting richer all the time!.” responded Bill.

We five brothers had just finished another 3 hour conversation. It began with us all dropping down into a place of stillness and peace encountering the ‘living’ God. From there we flowed effortlessly, sharing together our personal experience, present and past. There was deep listening, perceptive questioning, redemptive revelation, wise counsel, straightforward adjustment and poignant prayer as we touched on the depths of human pain and suffering, punctuated with unbridled joy as we heartily laughed and also cried (in a manly way of course : – ) our way through another ‘enriching’ experience of genuine friendship and brotherhood.

This is not just a talking together but a practical walking together in life as we are present for one another through crisis court cases, repeated house moves, regular family care, etc. etc……the ‘koinonia’ sharing in a common life that we are all made for and redeemed to experience.   

“Heart to heart” farewells said, I turned to check my email and ended up watching an interview with someone who has just written a book after scouring the world looking for answers to the epidemic of loneliness, depression and anxiety sweeping our society.

His personal and profound conclusion?….“It is not because of low serotonin levels in my brain that a drug can fix……it’s primarily because of the breakdown of the ‘tribe’ that we now are living in the loneliest society ever!” 

He quoted an ‘expert’ who talked about how just as “junk food” causes the problem biochemically so do “junk values” sociologically. We are continually bombarded and manipulated by those offering us happiness through that ‘sugar fix’ or through those twin imposters, ‘fame and fortune.’   

This gets intensified by modern technology offering the illusion of connection through Virtual Activity that leaves us Actually Dead. As one expert said, “If our devices are a station along the track, they can be useful. If they are the terminal we arrive at, we are in deep trouble! A screen will never satisfy your deepest needs.”

Jesus pointing to himself indicated “The Way” that leads to “The Truth” that leads to “The Life.”  He said, this “life” is in the deep ‘knowing’ of intimate, honest, committed relationship. (Jn.17:1) 

Wondering about a photo to illustrate this blog I snapped the REAL connection between Hilary and grandson Luke this morning. Luke whose name means ‘light’ is a beam of light in our lives. That beam was split into a rainbow as it passed through the glass of our front door this morning, as you can see, visibly connecting Hilary and Luke, reminding us of God’s message in the sky that his plan is that the whole of creation be authentically re-connected as they come back into covenant relationship with him. This is the true ‘desire of all nations’ and of every individual, that alone heals the lonely human heart.

Just this morning we read in Psalm 68, “God places the solitary in family, ……….but the rebellious dwell in a parched land”. or as the TPT puts it.”...for the rebels there is heartache and despair.”

“Humility“, I say to Hilary. “….the honest seeking and surrendering to The Truth is the common life giving bond this eclectic group of truly ‘free men’ share.”

It is the humility that says;  

“I am not an island.”…… “I need help.”….”Place me Lord, wherever, and with whomever, you choose.”

Just a few decades ago a survey revealed that most people could count on 5 friends who really knew them. Today tragically the commonest answer (from half the population!) is, “I have no one who really knows me!”

That is why I am so deeply grateful that I still have 5 (these 4 brothers and one wife!)…….and counting!……who are getting to know me as I am getting to know them – through and through.

I consider myself “Fabulously Wealthy”

 

Last week I had two interesting early morning encounters, one to do with the plan of God for the whole of creation the other to do with his plan for each individual’s life.

Once a month I drive to the spring at Eden Prairie to fill our 10 x 5 gallon containers with water. Because I go at dawn there is usually no one else there, but last week, as I was halfway through filling the jugs another car pulled up and a lady got out. She was anxious that she would be late for work and so I happily offered for her to go ahead first. Furthermore seeing they were also 5 gallon containers I helped her load them back into her car. She was most grateful. As we paused to say farewell I noticed she was rather attractive, and discovered her name was Darlene, meaning ‘darling’. She began to drive off but then paused unexpectedly so that I also noticed the make of her car: It was a Soul.

As I pondered this on the way home I sensed Father was speaking to me again of The Big Story and it’s ‘shadow’ in the episode of Jacob encountering Rachel at the well and helping her get water for her father’s sheep by rolling the stone away. Jacob noticed how ‘beautiful’ she was but was deceived by Laban into marrying Leah before he could then obtain his darling Rachel as his bride.

Both Leah and Rachel were lawfully married to Jacob, but their relationship was different. Leah had a legal relationship with Jacob; her marriage was largely on paper. Rachel had a love relationship with Jacob. This was similar to how Hagar had an Old Covenant relationship with Abraham whereas Sarah had a New Covenant relationship, which is why Paul exhorts the Galatians to ‘cast out the bondwoman.’ 

God wants a new covenant, grace based, love relationship with us, his bride……his Soul mate!  

A few mornings later I set out for an early morning run. At the corner of our street I noticed a Cardinal (bird that is!) perched atop a lamppost singing his heart out. I took my usual route through the forest and was about to turn right as always when I heard again the full throated song of a Cardinal to my left. So left I turned, along a path I had never run before! A few moments later I encountered a man walking. As he stepped aside to let me pass I noticed he seemed a bit ‘the worse for wear’ 

I ran on and then circled around to retrace my steps, this time pausing under a bridge that again I had never visited before. As I snapped the above photo, the walker appeared from around the corner. This time I commented to him on the graffiti and he seemed happy to enter into conversation.

I told Eric I lived locally but had never run this way before….but got redirected this morning by a singing Cardinal! He replied he lived quite a distance away and this was also his first time to walk this particular trail.

“What do you think it means? “  He asked, pointing to the artwork.

“Ha!” I replied. “I always ask God about what things mean.”  

“So what did he say?’ Eric asked.

“Well he said to me ‘Yer DA (’cause I see God as my father… and he speaks Belfast : – ) is K… for King’ (hence the crown over the E.)” 

“Interesting!” Eric (which means ‘ever ruler’) replied.

He then pulled out of the bag he was carrying, a rock.

“I think there is an agate there.” He said pointing to an irregularity in the stone.”It’s pretty dirty though. I’d need to wash it off in the river to see properly.

“Standing there in my sweaty gear, I responded, “That’s a bit like us Eric; some of us might be pretty rough looking on the outside but our Da’ sees the precious jewel that he has made each one of us to be!” 

We said our farewells.

I was running home, smiling at another ‘set up’ by Da’ when there right in front of me 

……….was my third Cardinal (witness) : – )

……..flying out of:

P.S. I’ve just uploaded another video to YouTube, inspired by yet another ‘Divine encounter’ last week.