The warmth of the sun
Permeates my flesh.
I bask in the true beauty
Of your created world
On this glorious summer morning,
And wonder at the depths
To which your majesty goes.
A gentle breeze caresses the boughs
And whispers your promises.
Even the birds praise you,
Joyous in their song,
Crying out in their worship.
I am overawed, Father.
I am humbled by your glory.
The detail in every living thing,
Michaelangelo’s craftwork
Exhibited in the frailest of leaves,
The most delicate of petals.
In front of where I sit, I see an ant. He scurries about on the paving slab, aimless, apparently searching for something important, but not finding it on the barren stone. Between the slabs, there are deep, moist cracks. They are dark places, but every so often he disappears into one, then rises again to restart his fruitless search. Yet, there is not just darkness in the crevices- small, green shoots emerge- a promise of new life in unexpected places.
Here I am Lord
Sharing the quiet moments
Of a troubled night
With you.
My body aching,
Tossing, turning,
Relentlessly seeking the peace
Of slumber,
My mind pouring
Over the day before
When bereft of serenity
I bemoaned my weary state.
Here I am Lord
Sharing the quiet moments
Of a restless night
With you.
Adrift upon an ocean
That rises and falls
With each anxious thought.
Beneath the surface
Of white crested waves,
The whirlpools of anxiety churn and roar
Imagine seeing two people working in the grounds of a large Mansion. At a distance they both look the same, but internally – where Jesus reveals life is lived first and foremost (Matt 5:28) – there is a massive difference. In many ways they may be alike, yet there is one little difference that makes a very big difference: attitude.
One of the workers appreciates having a job in a day and age when there are not many jobs available. He’s thankful for what he gets, no matter how hard he works. The other worker is not like this. He always moans about work, goes on about how bored he is, and constantly complains about rich people who live in mansions. Which of the two is really free?
Mission work in Nicaragua has been in progress for over 10 years. The time has now come to extend that work to teaching children and teenagers sustainable farming skills. There is a partnership with a Christian based charity (SIFT) who have been working with the poor in Nicaragua since 2000. The vision is to have a residential project to teach both farming and biblical studies and encourage new growth in a changing economy. For more information contact: exodus_nica@yahoo.co.uk.