inkhorn

It was a lovely day – a mere 24 hours, but a lifetime of memories – stolen out of our everyday routine. A day of laughter, of enjoying each other’s company, of finding joy in that most mundane of things – grocery shopping! Of watching an old movie together and chuckling at Cary Grant’s antics; of talking philosophy and apologetics and re-experiencing, with delight, the pleasure of finding someone on the same wavelength; of catching each other’s eyes across the room and sharing that silent smile; of seeing our prayers answered as we spent time together with our Father; of lying in each other’s arms, content and at rest. It’s days like these that give us the strength to meet the rest.

What is it about the Past that refuses to loosen its clutches on the Present? They say time heals and helps you forget. I wonder – does it really? I’ve seen over and over again, how something small and insignificant can trigger a memory, unleashing an avalanche of feelings and images which you’d thought to be completely dead, buried and forgotten. Mistakes you’ve made, decisions taken, injustices and wrongs committed against you, betrayal, rejection, and the list goes on. As I sat and contemplated this, a yawning abyss of hopelessness seemed to open up before me. The cycle seemed endless, only resulting in the Past being granted greater power to hurt than heal. Seeking an answer, and if not an answer at least a modicum of sense in this wretchedness, I turned to my Father’s Word, and (not surprisingly) found both! “…the former shall not be remembered or come to mind. But be glad and rejoice forever in what I create…” * He never fails to amaze me! Allowing God to take charge of ...

A verse in Isaiah stopped me in my tracks the other day. It was fairly innocuous on the face of it, but as I stayed my mind and eyes, and looked beyond the printed words, I felt like I’d been douched with a bucket of cold water and warmed by a crackling fire, all at the same time! I had heard recently that we are called to live a victorious life; rising above the mediocrity and commonality all around, to a glorious, abundant, fulfilling one. So I prayed very sincerely and sought His strength. But something was missing and I didn’t even know it until I stumbled across that verse. For a moment in time, I glimpsed, or rather felt, the awesome power and majesty of God. Like a curtain being pulled aside for an instant to present a brief vision, my mind seemed to be suddenly drenched with a sense of overwhelming awe at His splendour and magnificence. And with it came a sense of power – of freedom and strength all in one. Freedom in acknowledging my complete insufficiency and finding stre...

The perversity of inanimate objects is nothing compared to the perversity of human beings! Some have the knack of making themselves perfectly objectionable for no earthly reason. I was brought up short recently by one such individual and my gut reaction was completely unworthy of the Lord. I wanted to give him a piece of my mind in no uncertain terms. I knew I was in the right and he wasn’t. I could feel the anger building up inside me. And worse, I felt helpless and completely inept, unable to rectify the situation which seemed to be rapidly deteriorating. So, out of sheer frustration (and seeking Godly approval to have a towering argument!), I opened His Word. Apart from a blaring silence on the approval front, the only word I received was – “God…was over them.” * Very brief and succinct – God really doesn’t mince words, neither does He wax eloquent. He goes to the heart of the matter and deals with the core issue. And here, I only needed four words to settle things! In my f...

I stand at the little church, Beneath a benign arch. The music gently beckons, As I take a moment to quiet My fluttering heart, And wonder – There is a higher calling; Am I really prepared? With bowed head, I Wing a prayer heavenward, And lift my eyes to see, Beyond a sea Of dear faces – encouraging, congratulating – Yours, the dearest of them all. He led me to you; So clearly, So beautifully. And as I walk down this well-worn aisle, He leads me again. As we pledge our lives together, Affirming words that are age-worn, yet Beautiful in their simplicity, I see your love mirrored in your eyes And know that mine must reflect them too. “My heart is stilled to perfect rest” He is here; With us. There is a higher calling – true. And that is the reason He brought us together. With me beside you, We are prepared. Life stretches before us, Filled with its own challenges. And as I place my hand In yours, I know That the word He gave Me, is true – “Two ar...