Day six of a daily meditation, a practice of free writing on words of Advent this season...
Peace. Joy. Hope. Yes, please, fill me up. I'd say I've been running close to empty on all these, sometimes all at once, the better half of the year. And I know I'm not alone, so those of you holding out your cups with me and croaking out a "more," let's quiet our hearts together. We're in good company, in perfect timing, to receive these gifts with upturned hands and open mouths.
Turns out, these highly desirable, intangible gifts all revolve on the same axle, shoot up from the same seed.
May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope (Romans 15:13).
Pack that tiny, fragile seed of belief deep into the soil, water it and turn it toward the sun. What will spring up from below the earth, pushing through dirt, are shoots of joy and peace and hope.
I know it's hard to believe ahead of the curve, before the dawning of the new day, with seemingly barren soil beneath your feet. Oh, how I know. How hard it can be, stooping knees down to earth, hands in the ground and dirt beneath nails, watering soil with tears.
But this is the way.
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This is the way of the seed opening and spilling forth life.
And as outrageous as it sounds, this seed of belief - no matter how big or small - is all that is asked of me or you.
It is so amazing that you would talk about this today. Pastor Richard spoke of being hungry and open and bowing before Him to receive. How deeply we need and long for His touch - it is like no other!!
ReplyDeleteGood job, Ambie!!
That is amazing :-) It's been that sort of experience for me so far in writing these - each day, I read or hear something that has to do with what I've written! I love how God does that.
DeleteI love this, Amber. I cannot hear enough of his hope. "So once again, and not the last, I kneel in dirt and offer my seed to Christ, the God-child raised up into God-man - and watch and wait, for life to bloom."
ReplyDeleteI love that he will take whatever we've got -- no matter how small, as you say. And he will make it to grow. It's a miracle, really. Glad you're doing these reflections! Yay, hope!
How true, Ashley. I can't hear enough of his hope, either. It IS such a beautiful, humbling miracle that he will take whatever we have, that he's the one who is responsible for making it grow... I'm rejoicing with you, friend, that we have this gift of hope!
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