Sunrise

This is the sixteenth in a series of journal entries begun in October, 2009. See initial blog post on February 21, 2010.


November 5, 2009

John Day, Oregon

A glorious sunrise this morning and a glorious whisper in my heart. The wind is blowing, both within and without, “You will see many more sunrises.”

Because of who I am, I am tempted to ask how many, but the amazingly warm November wind brushes across my face and I hear your word, “That is for me to know. You simply enjoy and cherish the knowledge I am giving you that is another beginning, not an end. Cherish each sunrise as my promise to you.”

With eager heart I open the Psalms for your word to me for this day. How could I have missed so many sunrises in the years so swiftly passed? Why have I not risen early to feel the soft touch of your Spirit blowing across my soul, with expectant face touched by your caress, with ears eager to hear what you would say? Regrets, not so much for what I didn’t learn but for what I didn’t hear, enjoy, receive as words from your heart to mine.

And now, “Forgetting those things which lie behind….I Press On.”

Oh sing to the Lord a new song.
Sing to the Lord all the earth.
Sing to the Lord, bless his name;
Tell of his salvation from day to day.
Declare his glory among the nations,
His marvelous works among all the people!
Splendor and majesty are before him;
Strength and beauty are in his sanctuary.

This is my heart’s desire Lord, to sing a new song to you, the song of a new day, to the one who reigns over all the earth. Oh that I might bless your name and tell of your salvation for many days to come. Do not remove me from this place Lord, this season of seeing you in your splendor and majesty; of sitting in your sanctuary where I behold your strength and beauty.

Do not remove me….until my heart is so changed that when the imminent threat of physical pain and suffering, even death, has passed….I will still crave the morning with you, that my soul will remain hungry for you, that there will be an emptiness, a longing, a knowing it is from you I must hear, upon you I must gaze, at your feet I must sit. Then, and only then do I ask for your hand to be stayed….for you to remove this affliction.

This is the offering I bring. I come into your courts to worship you and you alone…in the splendor of your holiness…upon this, another new day…which holds the promise of many more to come.