14th
Enter into His gates
Desert – a desolate and forbidding area – Merriam-Webster
While Aaron was speaking to the whole Israelite community, they looked toward the desert, and there was the glory of the LORD appearing in the cloud. Ex.16:10 (NIV)
Do you ever feel that you experience the Desert while walking with the Lord? You wish you could say that every day with the Lord was filled with hope and joy but that’s not so. You go through weeks of feeling as if everything you love and hold dear is being attacked by satan or you feel parched and drinking of the Living Water is just going through the motions and you are still thirsty. Then the Glory of the Lord shows up in a most surprising way.
Not to us, O LORD, not to us but to your name be the glory, because of your love and faithfulness. Psalm 115:1 (NIV)
We go out on the streets week after week, love on the people, pray with them and for them. Some weeks it feels like we are praying with mannequins, they hold our hands, bow their heads but remain stiff and cold. Then we see and experience the glory of the Lord shining through a person we haven’t seen in over a year. Ms. W is a beautiful 74 year old daughter of the Most High. She lives in a terrible neighborhood, has many physical ailments, struggles financially, and glows with a love for Christ that is a joy to behold. We first met her about 2 years ago and had the privilege of praying with her, and just getting to know her then she went down south to be with family for a year. We greatly missed her loving presence but thank you Jesus she has returned home safely. We heard from some of our friends that Ms. W was back and she was asking if we still came out into the neighborhood. When we heard she was looking for us we headed over to her home. What an experience!! Ms. W was sitting on her porch enjoying what was left of the sunshine when we pulled up. It was a joyous reunion and I didn’t want to walk away from being with her but I needed to get more lunch bags from the van. When I turned to leave her porch I stopped dead in my tracks as I took in what was going on around Ms. W’s home.
Thank you Jesus for stopping me long enough to see and experience the love and care you were lavishing on Ms. W. My heart was shouting for joy when I saw so many of the men from that neighborhood; men that are drug-pushers, alcoholics, homeless and most often over-looked; men that had come together to help this woman fix a problem with her home. The trees had started growing into her house and were pushing her roof up causing the rains to pour into her house. These men had gathered with all sorts of tools, most of them inadequate for the job, rickety ladders, hand saws, etc., and they were cutting back the trees!! For just a minute or two it was like seeing a glimpse of heaven, people of all walks of life coming together to serve. I know from past conversations with Ms. W that she has been praying for all the people in her neighborhood. I knew that these men would eventually put down their tools and head back to their tough ways, but for a period of time they were doing what we are all called to do, care for one another!
How blessed is God! And what a blessing he is! He’s the Father of our Master, Jesus Christ, and takes us to the high places of blessing in him. Long before he laid down earth’s foundations, he had us in mind, had settled on us as the focus of his love, to be made whole and holy by his love. Long, long ago he decided to adopt us into his family through Jesus Christ. (What pleasure he took in planning this!) He wanted us to enter into the celebration of his lavish gift-giving by the hand of his beloved Son.
Eph. 1:3 (MSG)
Enter into His gates with thanksgiving, and into His courts with praise. Be thankful to Him, and bless His name. Ps. 100:4 (NKJV)
Rejoicing in Him,
Donna
