A Gracefull Place

A few notes first–don’t forget the great bargain going on at Hands and Hearts!  This is only good until Friday (through Friday, I believe) and it benefits a family to be able to support themselves and  retain the flexibility the dad needs with Noah’s health challenges.

 

 

And if you’re playing the "Seven Sisters Trivia game", that link is HERE!

 

 

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I have just recently found Frances Roberts.  According to what I’ve read, she has written since the late 60s.   I’ve been a Christian for 30 years and am still learning new things and new-to-me authors whose writings are incredibly rich and deep.

 

 

I had bought a devotional for a friend’s daughter for Christmas.   I had another one in mind, and then this one caught my eye–Come Away My Beloved.    This is a devotional that has selections from several of her books.  They truly are "one minute devotionals"–to read!    You will chew on their truths for the rest of the day, though!

 

 

 

I liked what I saw so well, that I bought myself one as well!  Only I bought the journal version (since I like to respond to what I read).    It has been so convicting–a gentle conviction that doesn’t make you feel like a total wretch, but a "How could I miss this because I love Him so?  because He loves ME so?" feeling.

 

 

 

 She has other books listed at Christianbook and they ALL look good!  I recently also bought Dialogues with God and the book Come Away My Beloved.  (There are other versions available.)

 

 

Today was my second day reading Dialogues with God.   It is written as if God is talking directly to you.  Sometimes it is a prayer from you to God.    I want to quote a little to give you a taste of this rich treasure!

 

 

Psalm of Praise

 

 

O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God.  How unsearchable are His mercies and His ways past finding out.

 

     For He found me in a waste-howling wilderness;

     He led me by His hand; He brought me out; yea,

     He hath brought me into a large place.

     He set His love upon me and

     caused His face to shine upon me.

 

 

 

     Yea, He hath come as a flood.

     With torrents of blessing He caused my heart to overflow.

 

 

Surely, in the daytime

     He hath been as an encompassing cloud,

and in the nighttime

     His Spirit hath illuminated the darkness as a fiery pillar.

 

 

Yea, in Thy presence darkness fleeth away,

     faith is swallowed up in sight,

     and doubt is dispelled as hoarfrost before sunlight.

 

 

     Heaven is Thy throne, and earth is Thy footstool,

yet hast Thou deigned to make Thine abode within

       tabernacles of clay!

This thought is too great for me, and how can my heart receive it?

 

 

That Thou are preparing heavenly mansions for my habitation,

     this my mind can understand.

 

 

But that Thou, the Almighty God

     who filleth and ordereth the vast universe of earth,

          and of heaven,

should stoop to fill my frail cup with Thy divine effulgence–

     this delights my soul,

     but my thoughts cannot grasp it.

 

 

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Oh!  Yes, how incomprehensible that the Creator of the universe, the Sovereign Almighty God, should "stoop to fill my frail cup" with His divine splendor, brilliance, radiance……that He desires to make His habitation in the hearts of the vessels of clay He has made…..oh, it makes me realize the depth of His love!  The greatness of His sacrifice to restore fellowship with me, with you, with all of mankind who will heed His call!

 

 

Here are a few selections from the devotional "Come Away My Beloved":

 

 

Praise Transforms

 

In everything give thanks.  1 Thes. 5:18

 

Rejoice in Me always, for as you rejoice and give thanks, you release heaven’s treasures and shower upon your head the blessings of a delighted Father.  Nothing so thoroughly delights the Father’s heart as the praises of His children.

 

For praise inclines the heart toward gratitude, and gratitude nurtures contentment, and you may know for a certainty that no fruit ever appears on the tree of discontent.

 

So never cease in your praising, for in the midst of it I will manifest Myself.  Praise will transform the humblest dwelling to a hallowed haven.

 

(From On the Highroad of Surrender)

 

 

The Comfort of My Presence

For thou wilt light my candle:  the LORD my God will enlighten my darkness

….By my God have I leaped over a wall.  Psalm 18:28-29

More than all the comforts of the world, I want you to know the comfort of My presence.

 

Many dangers beset your path, but I shall keep you if you trust in Me.  Darkness presses you, and doubts arise, but the light of My Holy Spirit ever burns within your heart to cheer you and encourage you to go on, yes, to go on knowing surely I will bring you out.

 

(From On the Highroad of Surrender)

 

    

I am finding these books ministering deeply to my soul.

 

 

And if I may recommend one more…..    I found A Diary of Private Prayer by John Baillie through Ann Voskamp’s blog a few weeks ago and ordered it immediately—it has been well worth the money!   (You won’t find tons of shoes or purses or jewelry in my closet, but you WILL find MANY books, sometimes doubled up on my shelves!  Ah, those are my true treasures! )

    

 

From this morning’s selection:

 

 

"O thou to whom I owe the gift of this day’s life, give to me also, I beseech Thee, the spirit to use it as I ought.  Forbid that I should stain the brightness of the morning with any evil thought or darken the noontide with any shameful deed.  Let Thy Holy Spirit breathe into my heart today all pure and heavenly desires.  Let Thy truth inform my mind.  Let Thy justice and righteousness make a throne within me and rule my errant will.  Let Christ be formed in me, and let me learn of Him all lowliness of heart, all gentleness of bearing, all modesty of speech, all helpfulness of action, and promptness in the doing of my Father’s will."

 

 

I used to shy away from "prewritten prayers".    As if my spontaneous (read: sporadic!) prayers were more spiritual!

 

Truly we need to talk to our Father using our own words, yes, but there is nothing wrong with making the prayers of others our own.   When we find words to express what our heart can’t put into words, we can pray them back to Him.   This is what we do when we pray Scripture.  (Which I am also learning to do more and more of.)

 

A Christian of 30 years should be a seasoned pray-er, one would think.   But alas!   Our hectic and busy culture leaves little room for quietness of soul and stillness before God.  We are taught doctrine, theology, Bible study, memorization…….but true prayer, birthed in humility of soul seems to be less and less emphasized in our Western churches–we act as if we could make it on our own!   We pray at God, giving Him our "laundry list" of needs and wants, but rarely do we truly get His mind and heart about what we pray for, nor do we spend time just worshiping Him, basking in His presence He paid so dearly to give us. 

 

 

 

As I’ve said before, we wouldn’t have much of a relationship with our husbands (or anyone!) if it were reduced to a list of our needs and no time to just connect hearts.   Or just be together without words. 

 

 

I pray that as I share my journey to learn true prayer, you might be blessed and enriched.  

 

 

These books are a glorious start!

 

 

 

Won’t you spend some time just soaking in His presence today?

 

 

 

This entry was posted on Tuesday, January 26th, 2010 at 8:09 pm and is filed under In His Presence. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.