Day Thirty

John 8:1-11 tells us but Jesus went to the Mount of Olives. Early in the morning he came again to the temple. All the people came to him, and he sat down and taught them.  The scribes and the Pharisees brought a woman who had been caught in adultery, and placing her in the midst they said to him, “Teacher, this woman has been caught in the act of adultery.  Now in the Law Moses commanded us to stone such women. So what do you say?”  This they said to test him, that they might have some charge to bring against him. Jesus bent down and wrote with his finger on the ground.  And as they continued to ask him, he stood up and said to them, “Let him who is without sin among you be the first to throw a stone at her.”  And once more he bent down and wrote on the ground.  But when they heard it, they went away one by one, beginning with the older ones, and Jesus was left alone with the woman standing before him.  Jesus stood up and said to her, “Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?”  She said, “No one, Lord.” And Jesus said, “Neither do I condemn you; go, and from now on sin no more.”

Okay, where do I begin on this last passage of scripture for the month of June?  Do I speak of the ones who are always looking for fault and seeking it everywhere but inside of themselves?  Do I write about the know-it-alls who think scripture was meant for everyone else except for you-know-whom?  This woman who was thrown in the midst of such “wonderful” people:  do I expound on her story and her shame?  Or the lesson of casting the first stone that many of us have heard since our youth:  should I remind you of this teaching?  The stark realization that the accusers finally felt:  can I add anymore to it than they did when they walked away, heads bowed low, stones falling from their hands?  Lastly, do I pen the wonder of the woman’s salvation when she responded “Lord” when Jesus spoke to her--not “Teacher,” “Rabbi,” or “Sir” but “Lord”?  Hmn hmn hmn.  Decisions decisions!

Tell you what:  I think I shall let the Word speak for Itself today.  Not because I don’t have anything to add but instead because I just see so much of myself in the above verses.  I am the fault finder.  I am the accused as well as the accuser.  I am the one who dares to question God when I don’t see judgment immediately enforced.  I am the one whom Jesus quietly forgave when I had nothing with which to argue my defense--for I too am guilty.  Also, I am the one who has to walk away from the condemnation of my fellow man when there is so much in my own life that I should be stoned over.  But mostly?  I am the one whom the Lord forgave (remember yesterday’s blog?) and who now has the opportunity to be better, to go, to love as He loves.  This is tough for me, especially with all of the social issues out there begging for my two-cents- worth to keep funding the hate campaign.  

Sigh.  I am so glad God’s grace hasn’t run out!  Let’s pray!

Lord?  This has been an interesting and educational journey this month as Steve and I today complete this June Bible Verses Study on forgiveness.  Writing Your Word daily has helped me to hide It in my heart and for It to fester in my mind as I have pondered on It and often feasted on It as I learned more about forgiveness.

Thank You for this opportunity and I pray now that the lessons taught won’t be soon forgotten.  I ask You to bless what I’ve shared with others in hopes that something in my blogs will have struck a chord of agreement with those who read it.

Lastly, Father, I love You.  Your mercies are new every day.  Your arms are open, eyes watching, for me to run to You with my cares, my concerns, and my callousness as I realize how far from You I often am.  Mold me into Jesus’ image, I pray, so that one day this race will be over and I can come home.  I long to be in Your presence, God, and free from this world that so easily bogs me down.  I’m tired, Lord:  tired of the pretense, of the passiveness, and of the broken promises that so many of us make to one another.  Until my time is over, Sweet Lord, refresh me.  Hone me.  Make this broken vessel one which brings honor to You is my prayer.  I ask these things in the name of Jesus Christ.  Amen.

Day Twenty-Nine

There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. For the law of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death. For God has done what the law, weakened by the flesh, could not do. By sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin,He condemned sin in the flesh, in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. Romans 8:1-4

Ahh, how my heart fondly went into singing mode when Steve and I read these verses this morning.  “I am free from condemnation” echoed through my soul as I recalled singing this song at Unity Baptist Church with my fellow choir members.  That Old Red Hymnal sure had some good stuff in it, huh?

My joy was palpable back then, singing with the choir, praising God’s name, thanking Him for sending His Son Jesus to us, weeping sometimes over the shame we felt at the cost He had to pay for our sins.  Then, the victory shouted as we realized we are free indeed and no longer bound by the slavery that sin enchained us to.

I also was reminded of a former pastor’s explanation to a church member from a different church that we later attended.  Said preacher had fallen--and fallen hard--from his position but had blissfully gone on to restoration with Christ.  He was trying to explain this to this guy who was not ready to hear of such grace when great damage had been done.  “But you don’t understand,”  former pastor was saying, “I’m free.  I’m free!”  He nearly flapped his arms as though flying upwards as he tried in vain to explain his new liberty in Christ to the one who was not buying it.

Hmn.  How easy to side with the ones who have been wronged by the clergy, right?  I mean, of all people, they should know best what pricetag sin has on it.  Yet, when they mess up, when they too become human, why are we so adamant in not giving them the forgiveness and/or restoration that they deserve about as much as you and I do?  

Isn’t it great that in God’s eyes--regardless of our age, experience, skin color, height, weight, background, eye color, or what have you--that when He sees us, He sees His Son?  Isn’t it marvelous to know that nothing we can do will separate us from Him as long as we are in Christ Jesus?  Isn’t it astounding to think that after all we have done and will do that caused Jesus to have to come to the world to die for us that God still sees us with favor in His eyes?

Have you ever heard (or maybe even said) “what part of ‘no’ don’t you understand?”  Maybe you went on to try to explain the meaning of this word to one who just didn’t seem to get that ‘no’ means not any, none, not at all.  So now then, as you re-read the above verses, do you see that there is no condemnation, not any condemnation, none, not at all--you are not condemned by our Great God!  You have been set free in Christ Jesus!  Only God could do this and He did--for you, for me, for past pastors, for the neighbor down the street, the classmate beside of you, the co-worker, the relative, and for the ones who should have known better.  Through Christ Jesus that righteous requirement of the law was made so that those of us who walk according to the Spirit might be free.  

Wow.

Let’s pray.

Dear Lord God:  Thank YOU!!  This forgiveness is overwhelming and I can hardly type because I am so full of rejoicing that You saved a wretch like me.  While man constantly tries to tear me down, while Satan continually whispers in my ears about how worthless I am, You instead did find me worthy and showed me a love like none I had ever seen before.  You set me free.

Wow.

My heart is full, as are my eyes, Lord.  Wash my soul with these tears, I ask, and remove the condemning spirit I too often feel towards others.  How dare I?  How dare I judge and refuse to forgive when so much of my sinful heart needed balming and restoration itself?  Oh Lord:  even now the song’s refrain is going through my head, reminding me once again that I am free from condemnation, for the Son hath made me free!  May I practice its words, its truths, and love as You love is my prayer today.  Amen!

Day Twenty-Eight

Do you ever find yourself in the middle of a passage and wonder what you missed?  We did, this morning, as we pondered these verses in the June study we are almost to complete.  As Steve and I backed up and read what happened, we discovered this was the time Peter and the apostles were at Pentecost.  Many wonders were being done and much teaching was being used to convert souls to the Christ.

Obviously, it was effective, for why else would one cry out for help?  Peter’s response was short, to the point, and ended with a promise.  I like that, don’t you?  Seriously, and don’t throw your shoes at me, gals:  I like being told what to do when I ask.  I don’t want platitudes and “maybe if you did this” or “maybe if you tried that.”  Unh uh.  Give it to me straight.  Keep it simple and sure, sweeten it up (if you must) with a promise.  I do like gifts!

In conclusion, the way I can implement this brief lesson today is by keeping it brief.  When someone asks for help, don’t try to pussyfoot around the truth, for that is what needs to be told.  Tough love?  Wellll, maybe, if that is what is needed.  But keep to the facts.  Don’t ad lib.  Don’t throw in your two cents worth and how so-and-so responded in a similar situation.  Use the Word as your guide and you can’t go wrong!  

Let’s pray!

Dear Father, how wonderful it is when Your truths are evidenced in concise sentences.  Thank You for making simple what I tend to complicate.  Thank You for teachers, friends, and past saints to share the wisdom You gave to help those like me who are often in need of guidance.  May I too be filled with Your Word is my hope.  In the name of Jesus I pray, amen.

Day Twenty-Seven

Psalm 32:1-5 English Standard Version
Blessed Are the Forgiven
A Maskil of David

1 Blessed is the one whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered.
2 Blessed is the man against whom the Lord counts no iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no deceit.
3 For when I kept silent, my bones wasted away through my groaning all day long.
4 For day and night your hand was heavy upon me; my strength was dried up as by the heat of summer. Selah
5 I acknowledged my sin to you, and I did not cover my iniquity; I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the Lord,” and you forgave the iniquity of my sin. Selah

“Have a blessed day!”  How often do you hear these words spoken to you?  For me, it seems I usually hear them after I have made a purchase somewhere or met some acquaintance in the store. These words, uttered as a closing, as a goodbye, often make me feel...icky?  “How in the world am I supposed to have a ‘blessed day’” I wondered? “It’s not like I can go around blessing myself, right?  Besides, I’m in a cranky mood.  Don’t tell me what kind of day to have!”  

Good news then, Miss Cranky Pants! Here is the answer you have been looking for.  Let’s do that replacement thingy, shall we, so you can see for yourself how this works.

Blessed is Stefanie whose transgression is forgiven,
   Stefanie’s sin is covered.
Blessed is Stefanie against whom the Lord counts no iniquity,
   and in Stefanie’s spirit there is no deceit.
For when Stefanie kept silent, her bones wasted away
   through Stefanie’s groaning all day long.
For day and night Your hand was heavy upon Stefanie;
   Stefanie’s strength was dried up as by the heat of summer. Selah
Stefanie acknowledged her sin to You,
   and Stefanie did not cover her iniquity;
Stefanie said, “I will confess my transgressions to the Lord,”
   and You forgave the iniquity of Stefanie’s sin. Selah

My transgressions have indeed been forgiven; my sins covered.  The Lord is not counting iniquity in me.  My spirit confesses who I am (no sense even trying to cover that up, huh?).  God’s hand has been heavy on my life and He did not shy away from my confessed sins.  Instead, He forgave them.  Why?  Because I asked Him to!  It’s that simple and therefore, I am blessed.  

So, how about you, friends:  are you ready to “have a blessed day” today?  Me too!  Let’s do this!

Dear Father, thank You so much for Your forgiveness and for Your Word.  I am continually learning new ways to apply it to my life in order that I may grow and not have my bones waste away.

As I get ready to face the world, I ask You to prepare ahead of me folks that I may share this story with.  Your children are blessed, Lord, thanks to Jesus and the coverage of His blood over our sins.  May we not be silent; may we not groan and whine all day long.  Rather, may we be real with You, with ourselves, and then share this relief with others is my prayer today, asked in the vibrant name of Jesus.  Amen!

Day Twenty-Six

“Do you see this woman” was the question Jesus asked of Simon while He was visiting with him, and many of the other disciples were also present.  Christ went on to extol her virtues--yes, virtues--while the men around were noticing her extravagance and posture in her worship of the Messiah.

“...for she loved much” Jesus went on to say, as He made known that her sins--which were many--had been forgiven.   Talk about calling a spade a spade.  Jesus didn’t sugarcoat that this woman was a sinner--and not just one of the ones who only sin a little like so many of us.  Hardly.   As much as He made known her sacrifice, He also made the others aware of the fact that she had often fallen short of the glory of God.

Hmn.  Fallen short.  Maybe that explains her place in this story.  She was on her hands, her knees.  She used her hair to wipe Jesus’ feet; her tears to wash them.  She unceasingly kissed His tired feet.  Did she know the path they had trod--as well as the road that was before Him? And His head, that sacred head that was about to be bruised?  Her compassion for Christ, her love for Him, made her the humblest of servants as she gave her very best--physically and financially--to the One before her.

Did she ask for this blessing from Jesus:  did she beg for His forgiveness?  No.  She knew she wasn’t worthy.  She knew she had messed up.  The only thing she could do was try to comfort Him as His greatest trial was soon to be faced.  Even though she had seen Him do miracles in others, she didn’t count herself as one He would possibly save.  Nope.  Not her.  But what she did know was that she had one opportunity to try to at least say “Thanks” for the things He had done for others.  She had met the Christ and her life would never be the same.

“She loved much.”  I wonder what she loved, this mystery woman.  People?  Possessions?  Power?  In those days, women didn’t have much status.  We know her profession was that of a prostitute, one where--for a little while--she was the one in control of the man.  What led her to this employment opportunity?  I could speculate but truthfully, only God knows.  What I do feel is correct is that once she met Jesus, her life was never the same.  Whatever she loved before paled in comparison as she met the Lover of her soul.  And then to hear those words, “Your faith has saved you; go in peace” must have startled the dickens out of her!  Her faith?  Where is the evidence of that?  Oh surely, she knew she was lost but this faith that had just saved her:  when did it come into place??

I’m stuck here, friends, so I do what I often do:  ask the hubs for help.  His response?  It wasn’t a given that his family would attend church each week but it was a fairly common experience.  However, he didn’t know that this day--this fairly routine day-- would be the one he met the Saviour.  Steve was just going to church that day.  This woman was just going to a party.  Neither knew their lives were about to be changed by the One Who has the power to forgive sins.  

Okay, let’s backtrack a moment and tie this all up, shall we?  Here was this woman who came to Simon’s party with an alabaster box filled with costly ointment.  We don’t know what her intentions were on the way to the place, but once she got there, once she saw the Christ, all she could do was cry.  Were her tears those of joy at meeting the One she’d heard of?  Were they of shame at her sinful life--and did they fall more fervently once He told the partygoers “her sins were many” and her embarrassment caused them to flow even more heavily?  Lastly, once she heard those words--those blessed words--”your faith has saved you” were her tears ones of unrestrained relief that a faith she didn’t even know she possessed had been accounted to her as righteousness?

“Do you see this woman?” Yeah, I do, in a whole different light than when these words were first read.  I see in her...me.  One who was unclean, had no hope, and whom the world had given up on.  I see in her the unspoken dream of being found worthy by a Man who would see me--me!--and not some version that suited him at certain stage of his world.  I see in this woman me, one who loved deeply (too much some would say), and yet somehow, somehow through all of my angst, through all of my tears, and through the hope that was hidden because I never thought it would see the light of day, I see a woman who was told by her Redeemer that she has been forgiven.  

“Go in peace” were the last words Jesus spoke to her in this passage.  How wonderful that she could now do that.  How marvelous that I can too!

Days Twenty-Four and Twenty-Five

Dear Lord, I am not sure where to go with these passages from yesterday and today.  As I ponder them and seek what You would have me learn from them, I am faltering.  I know You are righteous, just, and merciful.  I know that You sent Jesus to me as a gift for my many sins.  What I don’t know is how to explain them to anyone else as a means of dealing with this topic of forgiveness that has been the theme for the month of June.

And maybe that’s the point, Lord.  I don’t know.  I am crazy to think I have all of the answers when I am still so full of questions for You myself.  Maybe these words are just to make me realize how little I do know and instead should take the time to ponder them instead of spouting off self-acclaimed wisdom about them.  

Okay then.  No blog today.  Just a brief reminder that sometimes we just need to be still, to know You are God, and to ponder what exactly that means for the specific times in life when there are no easy answers.  I can do that.  

Thank You for allowing me the time, Lord.  May I use it wisely and have You reveal more of Yourself to me is my prayer, asked in the sweet name of Jesus Christ.  Amen.

Day Twenty-Three

I have the distinct pleasure of being a part of a local church, Card Ministry, and a Wednesday morning Bible Study.  I also have an almost daily partner with whom to share a passage or two of scripture with, as well as many acquaintances on Facebook that constantly share encouraging pictures, quotes, and passages of scripture to remind all the day long of what a loving and compassionate Saviour I have.  Yes, I am the special one!  With that being said, how then can I add to the two verses shown in the picture that Jesus’ brother James wrote?  Hmn:  somehow I think we’re about to find out!

Nearly each Sunday and Wednesday evenings, prayer and praise requests are shared before the church service begins.  Pleas for loved ones who are ailing, prayers for family members who are wavering in their faith, and reminders of those in our community who are suffering loss are common.  Praises for the works Jesus is doing in lives, for healing of our members, and sometimes just for a pretty day can often be heard as well.  So, so far we are minding these verses from James.  Let me share them with you again, in case the picture’s writing is too small to see:

And the prayer of faith will save the one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven. Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working.

Confession.  “Confess your sins to one another,” James commands us to do.  But don’t stop there; don’t stop at the first part of the sentence and overlook the latter part.  “Pray for one another.”  

Wait a minute.  I thought we were talking about my sins, my needs, my failures.  Why would I go from confessing things about me to praying for others’ needs?  I’m the one in need of help here.

“That you may be healed.”

Ahh.  I get it.  When I take my eyes off of me, and put my heart into praying for others, I am then more like Jesus.  When I am more like Jesus, I become righteous through Him.  And then the last portion of the verse that says “The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working” shows what happens when Jesus steps in.  Great power happens.  The version you may be more familiar with says it this way:  “The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much” (KJV).  My prayers become effective rather than just empty thoughts that really haven’t considered the needs of those I may be praying for.  They “avail much” which is just another way of saying that the results are fruitful.  If I’m only praying for myself and whining to others but not giving them due diligence in return, how can Jesus possibly make me better?  After all, isn’t He the One Who denied Himself so that you and I might have life, liberty, and salvation? If He did this for me, shouldn't I be doing it for others as well?

In short, when we have needs, faults, sins and confess them one to another, we are showing our humanity and our need for our Redeemer.  Then, after saying our piece and counting to three, then we start praying one for another, and we see others’ needs for a Redeemer to get them out of the messes they’ve gotten entrenched in.  We realize we’re all in the same boat and without Christ to allow us smooth sailing, then we are helpless and hapless.  By recognizing others before us, we are putting Christ first, as He taught us to.  

God is doing great things in my church.  He’s doing mighty things in my personal walk with Him.  Though I joked to my gals yesterday in BS that apparently they hadn’t been praying enough since my attitude was still a bad one all week, I had to reprimand myself and question:  “Stef, did you pray for them as much as you should have?  Did you speak to God personally on their requests or did you do a lump sum prayer and just throw their needs all together in one big heap and expect God to handle it?”  If I am not going to do my part, how dare I expect anyone else to do hers?  

“That you may be healed.”  Oh Lord, sometimes I feel so very broken.  My body seems to be falling apart and my soul?  Oh my soul, Father!  It’s tattered, bruised, and weak.  As I told Steve the other night when he was once again trying to fix me, I don’t need him to take on that responsibility.  YOU are the Healer, Lord.  But he’s human and it’s his nature--much like mine and those reading this--to want to fix things, to offer helpful solutions, to loan out self-help books and/or offer websites that tell you how to cure/mend/fix/repair and the like.  I mean, aren’t we the wise ones who know so much?  Why listen and then pray with that soul instead of using our vast knowledge and experience to correct those many blights in others?

Yeah, I know why, Lord.  We don’t want to give up control.  We want to appear strong, hip and with it, and yes, we want to save others when clearly this is not our job.  In order for someone to confess his/her faults, there needs to be someone to listen, right?  Help me, I ask, to listen.  To pat comforting taps on an arm.  And then?  Remind me to be quiet except when I then take that soul’s hand in mine and pray to You and let Your power show itself mighty.  That’s my part, Father.  May I remember it and let You do Yours as I step out of the way and watch.  These things I pray in the sweet name of Jesus Christ, my Healer, Redeemer, and Saviour.  Amen.

Day Twenty-One

Day Twenty-One

When I first read these verses this morning, I was so excited!  To hear that Jesus chose me long before I was even a DNA cell from ancestors that I’ll never meet this side of heaven. Jesus chose me.

Me.  What a humbling thought.  For so much of my life I have been the one chosen last.  I was the one who was not remembered when the party invitations were being sent out.  I was the one who spent her Friday and Saturday nights home alone while my friends were out dating.  I was Poor Pitiful Stef--except the devil had me believing I wasn’t even worthy of that title, for who even thought of me at all?

Well, Devil, guess what?  I’m on to you now.  I know your devices and tricks and schemes to make me feel less than.  I know your attempts to belittle me worked for a long while as I grew up through those horrid high school years and felt like the outsider.  I lived as the black sheep of my family for most of the years that it was still considered to be a nucleus.  I even let you beat me down during my teaching career as you worked your little games on me and my psyche to tell me how unsuccessful I was.

However, as I read these wonderful words of life--of life!!--I am again reminded that these light and momentary trials here on this earth are exactly that:  temporary.  They don’t last and those hurt feelings of my past days on it don’t even add up when put beside of those prepared for me.  For me!  Just as God chose me before the foundations of the world, His Son Jesus Christ is working now on my special place in heaven.  Personally, He is doing this.  He told me so when He said He’d go to prepare a place for me in His Father’s house.  

In conclusion, read these verses again, putting your name where applicable.  And remember:  if it were not so, He would have told you.

"Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, Who has blessed Stefanie in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, even as He chose Stefanie in Him before the foundation of the world, that Stefanie should be holy and blameless before Him.  In love He predestined Stefanie for adoption as a daughter through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of His will, to the praise of His glorious grace, with which He has blessed Stefanie in the Beloved.  In Him Stefanie has redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of Stefanie’s  trespasses, according to the riches of His grace…”

Pretty groovy, huh? Let’s pray!

My Father Who is in heaven, hallowed be Your name.  Your kingdom come; your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Thank You for my daily bread and the forgiveness of my trespasses.  Lead me not into temptation and keep that evil one far from me.  Deliver me, Lord, for Yours is the kingdom, and the power, and all glory goes to You.  Amen!

Day Twenty

Day Twenty

Good afternoon!  It's the first day of summer and already I feel like it's been a long one.  How about you?  Does it seem like it should be closer to 4:00 pm than 1:00 pm?  Yeah, I think so too.

Wonder what it is about time that makes it either go so slowly or too quickly?  I guess that depends upon our attitudes toward upcoming events.  For instance, when it's time to go home, to play, to be with our special ones, the time can't get here soon enough, right?  But when homework, housework, duties, drudgeries, and the like are to be done the time seems to inch by second by long second.

Today's verses are from Micah 7:18-19.  Read them with me?  Thanks!  

Who is a God like you, pardoning iniquity    and passing over transgression    for the remnant of His inheritance?He does not retain His anger forever,    because He delights in steadfast love.He will again have compassion on us;    He will tread our iniquities underfoot.You will cast all our sins    into the depths of the sea.

Did you notice how Micah begins talking about God to talking to Him?  Sometimes I'm like that; I'll use offhanded remarks when speaking of the Lord and then realize, hey:  He's actually here, beside of me, listening to what I say and what I wish I'd said.  I go from thinking about what He could do versus what He's really doing right now, this moment, as well as what He will do in the future--such as casting my sins in the depths of the sea.  Pretty groovy, huh?

Timing is everything.  From remembering the past glories of God to the future promises He made for us, His timing is always perfect.  He won't stay mad forever (and yes, friends, He does get angry).  He delights in love, compassion abounds in Him towards us, and those sins, trespasses, iniquities or whatever label we want to put on the things we do wrong?  Those too will be trampled under His feet!  They haven't been yet, for we keep on giving Him things to stomp out.  But one day, one time soon, He will come and get us, redeem us to perfection, and take us home.  I don't know when that time will be, but I'm impatient for it.  Hope you are too!

Let's pray!

Ahh, Lord, the singers of the group Chicago once asked "Does anybody really know what time it is?"  Styx sang of it being "The Best of Times" while Cyndi Lauper crooned about "Time After Time."  Green Day wished for us to have "The time of our lives"  while Michael Bolton crooned of "Time, Love, and Tenderness."  And of course, Lord, good ol' Bing Crosby sings of "The Most Wonderful Time of the Year" as he leads us into the Christmas season.  And there's the The Alan Parsons Project that wistfully sing of time flowing like a river, to the sea.  

Father (why did my fingers want to type "Father Time" ??), none of us knows when that "Shouting Time" that The Hoppers sang of will arrive; none but You, that is.  So many of us are waiting, watching, and wondering Lord how much longer that will be.  Grant to us patience, I ask, and help us to make the most of each moment You give to us and then, in due season, come and get us.  We want to see You, Lord God.  We want to revel in Your love and promises as they come to fruition and we see what You have prepared for us, sure, but mostly Father, we want to see You. We want to know so many things that there just isn't time to glean down here on earth but that will be answered once we reach the other side of eternity.

Come quickly, Lord?  May it be so!