Alleluia.....tasted again, as if for the first time...

Almighty God, who through thine only-begotten Son Jesus Christ hast overcome death, and opened unto us the gate of everlasting life; We humbly beseech thee, that as by thy special grace thou dost put into our minds good desires, so by thy continual help may we bring the same to good effect; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Spirit, ever one God, world without end. Amen.

"When they saw him, the worshiped him; but some doubted..."

Before the Great Commission, Jesus appeared, tangible presence - some believed, some doubted. Jesus to Thomas, blessed are you who see and believe, how much more those who don't see (us) and yet believe.

I had prayed this holy week, that I would have a deeper revelation of a gracious God, who sees my sinful nature, my sins, and my heart, and who by His son, the Lord Jesus sympathizes, and suffers, with whose stripes I am healed.

Profound, beyond explanation I claimed the healing the deep wound of my heart, the wound we all bear, and demonstrate in one way or another.

Healing and hope - I pray this new awareness would result in the sentiments expressed in the ancient prayer above, a gracious growth in Christlikeness. Alleluia.

Sappy, syrupy - substantial, significant

A Prayer for the Dawn

Some once said: “Learning to weep, learning to keep vigil, learning to wait for the dawn. Perhaps this is what it means to be human.”

Thank you for whoever said it, and teach me, I pray, how to live it.

Teach me how to weep without drowning in self-pity.

Teach me how to keep vigil even when I’m shivering in the dark.

And teach me how to wait for the dawn without the belting optimism of someone who hasn’t been through the night.

Starry-eyed optimist, or muddy-eyed, pessimist or open-eyed realist - God with us, for us, even if it isn't the way we wanted it. Happy-clappy is fun, works for a season, but God is with us, when all the stuff is stripped away, he is with us.