Monday, April 29, 2013

“A Moment of Love”



(We’ve had a number of inquiries about the origin of Saturday’s poem, “Sometimes.”  I thought some of you might be interested in the story.  Thanks, Glen).

    The poem we sent out this past Saturday, “Sometimes,” resulted from one of those rare and unplanned experiences when the sky seems to open a bit, releasing a ray of light that happens to catch our eye (or capture our heart).

    During a walk late Friday afternoon, I prayed about and for someone going through a particularly difficult time.  I thought of a devotional I wrote many years ago entitled, “Tears As Prayers.”  The words seemed to fit the current experience of the person for whom I prayed, and I remembered the first line of the essay, “Sometimes tears are prayers.”  For the next fifteen minutes the thoughts that became the poem seemed as if they were being typed onto the pages of my heart and mind.  I do not actually believe this to have been the case in either the literal or figurative sense.  My mind was active, and I was thinking (and trying to remember the words as I walked!).  However, it was one of those times that seemed out of the ordinary, and the resulting lines accurately expressed my sense of those prayers that originate from so deeply within the depths of our soul that tears, or sighs, or even silence seem to best express faith and worship.

    Much of our lives are planned, as they should be.  God Himself is a planner, as guided by His “eternal purpose in Christ” (Ephesians 1:11).  Nevertheless, some experiences, and particularly, some blessings, come to us in a serendipitous way beyond anything we might expect, or for which we could plan.  It can happen in so many ways, and God has personal means of such blessedness particularly designed for each of us.  As someone who often speaks and writes, it is not surprising that words would for me be the Lord’s way of bestowing those aforementioned rays of light.  For you, it may be something else in a completely different form, but which no less bears beautiful witness to your heart of the Lord’s presence and loving involvement.  You likely already know what that is, and could tell your own stories in your own way of the sky unexpectedly opening and shining God’s light into your surprised and glad eyes.

        As a father, I can recall the joy of exposing my children to things they had never seen, and that I knew would thrill them (I’m presently enjoying the blessing again as a grandfather).  I have no doubt that such joy expresses the sensibility in our Lord’s heart when His purposes cause Him to part the sky so that a bit of heaven spills out upon us in holy and thrilling light.  I was amazed and blessed this past Friday afternoon by such a moment of love, and I will never forget it (and, of course, I’m most grateful I could share it with you). However, I have no doubt that Somebody else enjoyed the moment far more that I did.  Indeed, as much as God’s good gifts bless us in the receiving, they bless Him even more in the giving.   He’s that kind of Father, and He’s that kind a Father.

“It is your  Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom.”
(Luke 12:32)

“Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights.”
(James 1:17)

No comments: