The Harvesters

 

He sends them out into the world
To gather the harvest
That He has spread throughout the land,
From north, south, east and west.
 
They scatter His Word in the world
And nurture it with grace,
That many who would not know Him,
Will someday see His face.
 
They labor through the hardest times,
Tending their Master’s fruit.
Guarding the harvest from the blight,
Caring for each new shoot.

 

Their Master called them to this task,
And, in His name, they work.
Rejoicing as the harvest grows.
His calling, they don’t shirk.
 
I lift my prayer up every day
That His harvest is vast
And thank Him for those who, when called,
Joyfully work as tasked.
 
Matthew 9:37-38
Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.”

Rest and Restore

 

The day has been filled up with noise,
Some laughter and some tears,
But I am ready for the peace
That comes as twilight nears.
 
I rejoice in the busy life
With which You’ve blessed me, Lord.
Yet, in the peace that comes at dusk,
My own peace is restored.
 
You guarded me when I went out,
You brought me home once more.
I long now for the peace that heals.
My heart and soul restore.
 
Tomorrow I will rise again
And serve as You call me.
Tonight, I pray for rest enough
To rise up joyfully.  
 
Isaiah 32:18
My people will abide in a peaceful habitation, in secure dwellings, and in quiet resting places.

Find Joy In The Moment

Just a simple moment’s delight,
Nothing to change the world,
Yet it still brings joy to my heart,
To see them both unfurled.
 
The bright light of God’s creation
Highlighting man’s design,
And both combined to remind me
Of the joy that is mine.
 
I know the beauty of the Lord
Outshines that of mankind,
But He has given both to us
And both delight the mind.
 
We cannot know the vast array
Of all that God has planned,
But we can find delight within
Those joys we have at hand.
 
Therefore, be joyful in this life
And share that joy with all.
Rejoicing in life’s sweet moments,
However great or small.
 
Ecclesiastes 3:11-12
He has made everything beautiful in its time. Also, he has put eternity into man's heart, yet so that he cannot find out what God has done from the beginning to the end.  I perceived that there is nothing better for them than to be joyful and to do good as long as they live

Grief And Tears

We walk with grief, now and again,
As we move through this life.
Though His grace flows unendingly,
Sorrow can still seem rife.
 
It sometimes feels as if we stand
With grace just out of reach,
A river flowing, distantly,
Down to an empty beach.
 
You know the grace is yours to claim
When you wade in the flow,
But each time you look up it seems
You’ve still got far to go.
 
A broken heart affects our sight,
By obstructing our view.
Not of the grace that we can’t reach,
But of our view of You.
 
The river flowing with Your grace
Is no further away
Than the prayer of a broken heart.
He hears each tear we pray.
 
Lift up your tears, then, and your praise,
Offer Him both of them.
His grace is never out of reach
For those who reach for Him.
 
1 Peter 1:6
In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials 

A lovely photo of the River Tay from ATF and her trip to Scotland. 

Vanity Of Vanities

 

In reading through the Preacher’s thoughts
I’ve come to understand
That even one lost to himself
Can serve as God has planned.
 
So many served their own desires
Only to turn at last
And walk within heaven’s design
Before their lives had passed.
 
The wisdom that they learned in life,
They passed on to us all.
I pray we let their “lessons learned”
Be our clarion call.
 
The path of pleasure unrestrained
May offer swift delight,
But vanity of vanities,
You’ll fall out of the Light.
 
We fix our eyes on our delights
And turn away from Him.
Then, vanity of vanities,
Our souls grow bleak and dim.
 
Turn back, as did the kings of old,
David and Solomon.
Hold on to Him, not vanities
That crumble and are done.
 
Ecclesiastes 1:2
Vanity of vanities, says the Preacher, vanity of vanities! All is vanity.

Green Pastures And Still Waters

 

I had my chores laid out today,
You had another plan.
When it comes right down to it, Lord,
Your plans beat that of man.
 
You set in motion one day’s rest
That I needed, no doubt,
As if You knew, before the dawn,
What I’d not figured out.
 
A day of rest within the whirl
Of all that life brings on
Was what I needed to ensure
The stress was truly gone.

 

The psalm says You lead us to rest,
Body and soul restore,
And I will testify to that.
I am renewed once more.
 
Psalm 23:1-3
Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures.
He leads me beside still waters. He restores my soul. He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name's sake.

These two lovely photos of peace and rest are from ATF on the Aran Islands and Scotland. 

Keep Watch Over My Words

The words that come out of my mouth
And those within my heart
Should always find their roots in You.
Your Word’s where mine should start.
 
Please, help me keep guard on my words,
And let my heart stay true
To all the lessons You’ve taught me
That I may honor You.
 
Let unkind words that have no worth
Remain unsaid, I pray.
Yet, if there are hard truths needed,
Help me find a kind way.
 
My thoughts are not always as good
As I know they should be,
But help me guard my words until
I am a better me.
 
You bear with me so patiently,
And show me such mercy.
I pray that I will learn to think
And speak as graciously.
 
Psalm 141:3
Set a guard, O Lord, over my mouth; keep watch over the door of my lips! 

Learning When To Hold On

 

There are those times, despite my plans,
That my world seems askew.
It’s in such times that I have learned
To give my plans to You.
 
If I hold on to what’s sideways,
I’m bound to lose my grip
On everything that matters most.
I can’t let that much slip.
 
Yet, if I stop holding on tight
And give it all to You,
You always have a better plan.
One worth holding onto.
 
There are no “best laid” plans in life
That don’t come with a flaw.
I do my best, give You the rest,
Then watch with breathless awe.
 
When all my plans go sideways, Lord,
I let go and embrace
The plan that comes from trusting You
And Your consistent grace.
 
Proverbs 3:5-6
Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.

This delightful photo is also from ATF and her trip to Scotland. 

Eyes That Will See

 

The storm was forming on the sea,
Yet, standing on the shore,
I could see what the afternoon
Clearly held in store.
 
I know that storms are part of life,
And troubles will sweep through.
Yet I will not give in to fear,
I’ll take refuge in You.
 
The winds may batter at my door,
Or chill me to the bone,
But I will hold fast to Your grace.
My house is built on stone.
 
We do not face the storms of life
To strengthen our own will,
But that we might stand testament
To those who seek You still.  
 
Though all the world calls me a fool,
I pray they’ll come to see
That He who is my strong shelter,
Loves them as much as me.
 
Isaiah 32:2-3
Each will be like a hiding place from the wind, a shelter from the storm, like streams of water in a dry place, like the shade of a great rock in a weary land. Then the eyes of those who see will not be closed, and the ears of those who hear will give attention.

This photo of storm clouds over the North Sea is another precious gift from ATF, 

A Blessing, Out Of The Blue

I had an old song in my head
One not heard much these days.
I longed to hear it once again,
Though it’s not one that plays.
 
I was rushing hither and yon,
Trying to get things done,
And that song just played on and on.
It kept me on the run.
 
I got back in my car at last,
The radio came on,
And I was headed for the road,
The day’s chores not yet gone.
 
Then, just before I hit the street,
That song stuck in my head
Began playing right there upon
The radio instead.
 
The prayer I didn’t know I’d prayed,
He’d heard and He answered.
As if to say “I’ve got you child,
Your prayers don’t go unheard.”
 
I laughed out right and praised His name
Then sang with great delight
An old song no one else noticed.
I sang with all my might.
 
I know it’s just a silly thing
Most people would look past,
But He took time to grant me joy
Without the need to ask.
 
His loving grace, His blessings, flow
In unexpected ways
And I will cherish each blessing
With gratitude and praise!
 
Psalm 33:2
Give thanks to the Lord with the lyre; make melody to him with the harp of ten strings!