Holding On To Let Go

GOD often uses tough times to prune us - cutting away dead wood, getting rid of heavy weight that holds us back and slows us down.

But how often in these time do we take up the shears ourselves and decide to cut out what we "don't need", because, of course, we know best?

When we can't handle everything in our lives, we often choose what should stay and what should go, without letting GOD do His work.It is frightening to see people let go of GOD, but hold on to a man or a woman in such situations. People are sometimes the most tempting substitute; having been made in the image of GOD, they offer the illusion of His tangible presence and comfort. Yet it is GOD alone that is the same yesterday, today and forever, and He is infinitely superior to any man or woman.

No matter what the world may promise, only GOD can get you through, only He can stay with you in everything.

Psalm 100

Credit to New Altum, whose song inspired the title of this post.

Just An Attempt

Trying so hard to follow your heart
But it all comes out pretending
Seeing how others get it so right first time
But I can’t let go of training
Wanting to follow the rules instinctively
But can’t escape the structure
Looking at how it STILL COMES OUT THE SAME!!!!! At how IT JUST HAPPENS!!!!!
But it means so little

Pouring out my heart
But it doesn’t sound as real
As when it’s wrong
Wanting to give you my all
But is it enough this way
Or do you want it new?

Pretentious is a word I despise
Because it hits so close to home

Jesus, you are all I’m aiming for, but so many delays, so many detours, so many disruptions
And then my heartwords get lost along the way and it all comes sounding the same
Every time

Help me to let go of everything but you

Please forgive my worldly love
It is death in disguise
As you warned again and again

This is just an attempt
That’s all I can offer
In the hope that you will remain patient
For what I might never achieve
Gracious to what I might never leave

And take them OUT OF MY HEAD!!!!
Cannot feel this compassioned pity anymore –
It is death in disguise
For me at least

Can you harden my heart to everything but you?

And still make me compassionate?

It’s my only defence
You are
But is it compatible?

If your eye causes you to sin, gouge it out and throw it away
But it’s my eyes and ears and voice and heart
My hands and feet and thoughts and scars
I’ve lost myself while thinking that I’m found

Gouge it all I would if still I could serve
But instead I will make this attempt
To surrender and lay it all down before one whose burden is light
Whose yoke is easy enough to carry this

Cut me out and paste in Someone
Who can do what I can’t
Someone who can love
Someone who can satisfy their needs

You are the only way and that is all I that want to say
Help me to speak the Truth all of my days
Help me to write the Truth in any way
And all else will submit to YOU

Help me to be real
Help me to be honest
Help me to be open
Help me to be complete
Help me to be sincere
Help me to be committed
Help me to be whole-hearted

To you above all

For the Love of God

As I walked in the dark through the field (ons klein veldjie!) to the bus stop this morning, I wondered what would happen if I happened to stumble upon a snake (talk about paranoid).

The cold reminded me that winter was close and snakes are cold-blooded, lethargic in the cold and hibernating in the winter. This led me to wonder why God had created them as such – what purpose was there in putting specific animals to sleep for half the year?

And then the thought struck me – my God loves me so much that if He knew I would be bitten by a snake early one winter morning, He would have taken that into account when He created snakes however many years ago.

God would actually plan the details of all His Creation to ensure my safety millions of years later!!

That may seem unlikely and I guess it’s not the reason that snakes hibernate in the winter, but knowing the depth and intensity of my God’s love for me, it is totally possible!

"For I am convinced that neither death nor life,
neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers,
neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to
separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord."

Romans 8:38-39

I Will Not Hide My Face

You are all I need
but does it really have to be
that you are all I’ve got?

That the only friend
to lend an ear
speaks in whispers heart to heart?

That the only brother
for adversity
reveals his loyalty after the fact?

That the only constant
to be the same yesterday, today and forever
is hidden treasure to be sought all my days?

That the only arms
to hold me in comfort
are yours, warm and open and
intangible?

But when I am saved by grace,
by your mercy that begins afresh each morning,
by the greatest love of a friend who laid down his life to ransom my own

When all my provision
comes from you,
abundantly for my enjoyment that I may never hunger or thirst

When your protection
cloaks me against fear and foe,
hiding me in the shadow of your wings, my fortress inspiring courage

When strength
never leaving nor forsaking,
holds me up and holds me close with the promise of your peace

When day after day
your faithful love is lavished on me,
undeserved, underappreciated and overflowing to the consternation of observing and observed

When I turn away
chasing in the opposite direction
while starving you of attention and barely pausing to mutter a thanks
indifferent to the myriad gifts
that are testament to the unconditional generosity
of a spiteless Father
whose grace sees past the cold facade of a hardened heart
offering hope to the desperate aching search for what is in your outstretched hands
whose two-edged Word pierces the racing pulse with whispered tenderness
always:

“Here I am”

When I believe
that you are all I need

Then am I blessed
to know that
you are all I’ve got.

Psalm 71

A Word of Difference from the Heart

This is my second attempt at blogging, after my first overambitious and slightly pretentious blog. I realised that Different for a Reason sets high expectations that were quite intimidating to meet when I really started thinking about it.

I do totally believe that we are all created totally unique to serve a very specific purpose, but after all, being created in the image of the same amazing God, we are at heart all the same.

We go through the same experiences, share the same feelings, have the same fears and insecurities, and rejoice over the same little delights. Thank goodness ... that’s what makes us able to relate and encourage and strengthen each other!

So a new blog, a new beginning, in which I hope to focus not on the isolating differences, but simply share the words straight from my heart...

20090326 Man of God (...?)

Man of God (...?)

You say it, but you don’t show it;
I hear it, but I don’t believe it.
HIS grace is sufficient for me;
for HIS power is made perfect in weakness...
you are my weakness
and HIS power is great in you.
How do I resist?
How do I forgive?

When I am in the wrong (...?)

I do my best, but it’s not enough
when done for the wrong reasons.
Lacking in trust
for HIM to finish the work HE began.
Of all my faults
you’re the only one that keeps me awake.
How do I surrender?
How do I forget?

Something I never had (...?)

Jealousy makes me nasty,
but only to its object.
Never leaving
nor forsaking,
the answer has always been
what you can’t be, yet I expected
the impossible from the Creation
and not the Creator.

20090324 Such A Face

Haven’t we met?
I’ve seen you before
Don’t I know you?
I just have that kind of face.

Stop looking so worried
What have you done wrong?
Don’t look so guilty
Maybe I just have that kind of face?

Why are you always so happy?
Here comes the Colgate smile
Doesn’t anything get you down?
I guess I just have that kind of face.

I always said he’d be trouble
Didn’t you see it in his eyes?
He just had that look
Who could love that kind of face?

"The LORD make his face shine upon you and be
gracious to you."

Numbers 6:25