Suffering

 

He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds. 

Psalms 147:3

The Word of Truth

2 Timothy 2:15
Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.

Ecclesiastes 11:1
Cast your bread on the surface of the waters, for you will find it after many days.

Repititions

 

I wash my hands in innocence,
       and go about your altar, O LORD,   proclaiming aloud your praise
       and telling of all your wonderful deeds.
 I love the house where you live, O LORD,
       the place where your glory dwells.

Psalms 26:6-8

I do like to repeat myself from time to time, but this was not intentional.  Of course, I realized I was drawing a hand again, but was not aware of the similarity to my first blog post until Tyler asked me with confusion, "Didn't you draw that already?"   They could be transposed upon one another.

I see a safety deposit box.  The hand of the Holy Spirit’s has dialed the combination.  The correct numbers were previously dialed but in the wrong order.  This time I actually heard in the Spirit the click of it unlocking, the Holy Spirit’s invitation to open it and look inside.

Weed Identification

All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness;                                                    
                                                                     2 Timothy 3:16

I have this weed in my yard that I periodically go online and try to identify.  I pull and I cut and I dig and I curse it and yet each spring it greets me more vivacious than the last.

Anytime someone that knows plants comes to visit I drag them down our steep driveway, where it alone grows, with hopes that they will know what it is.  Only now it can be found on the far corner in the front yard.

My neighbor has tried to remove it for me.  I have not seen it in her yard yet, though it is only a matter of time.  I know we both fear its migration there.

I am currently doing a Beth Moore Bible Study on the fruits of the Spirit called Living Beyond Yourself.  This week it is focusing on patience.  Today’s lesson was about judgment.  She says, “Judgment strangles patience and grieves the Holy Spirit.”

When I read this, I envisioned a row of hollyhocks with some viney weed with its tendrils wrapped like a python around the stem of the plant.  I can sketch a hollyhock, but have more difficulty with the viney weed, so I went on line to find a picture.

The first picture I came to was of a Japanese knotweed : Fallopia japonica.  The unidentifiable weed growing in my yard.  It is not viney although that is what I typed into the search engine.  I felt like the Lord identified a weed growing in my garden at the same time He revealed the one rooted in my spirit.

In the description of the weed it says that it has attractive flowers and fruit.   I wonder how often we mistaken the flowers of judgment as wisdom?

Removing the cap

 
"Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, streams of living water will flow from within him."  By this he meant the Spirit..."
                                       John 7:38-39

My husband can open jars effortlessly.....the same ones I am contorting over, banging with a spoon and running under hot and cold water. When I give up, I call him and I hand it over.

I saw the Lord reach down and remove a rusty lid capping off my heart, one I am sure I have exhausted myself trying to get rid of.

Opened with a Word:

"Cease striving and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth."   Psalm 46:10