What I Need Today

O Lord, My God, Most Earnestly
Psalm 63

O Lord, my God, most earnestly I seek Your holy face,
Within Your house again to see the glories of your grace.
Apart from You I long and thirst and naught can satisfy;
I wander in a desert land where all the streams are dry.

The lovingkindness of my God is more than life to me,
So I will praise You all my days and pray continually.
In You my soul is satisfied, my darkness turns to light,
And joyful meditations fill the watches of the night.

Beneath the shadow of Your wings I sing my joy and praise.
Your right hand is my strong support through troubled nights and days.
All those who seek my life will fall; my life is in Your hand.
God’s king and people will rejoice; in vict’ry they will stand.

Psalter, 1912; rev. Psalter Hymnal, 1987; CRC Publications. Emphasis added

“… He that watereth shall be watered also himself.” Proverbs 11:25b

'tis here!

The first official posse t-shirt is here and it goes to . . .


Jennie in KC!

Now, if I can just make it to the post office.

wow

I am preparing to meet my grandson. My words are few. My heart full.
Lord, thank you.

St. Patrick's Breastplate

I wrote several days ago of the accident of Captain Dann, a member of our church here in Pasadena. (For more information and an incredible display of God's grace and goodness in His earthly kingdom, visit http://captaindann.com). Last evening I began reading through the postings on the site and finished up this morning -- there were too many for me to count. I was struck by Emily's post (I remember her because she identified herself as "Kit's best friend"). I believe she attends an Anglican church here in SoCal. Regardless, she wanted Colleen, Dann's wife, to know she is praying for Dann's complete healing and appropriating this old gaelic hymn of their church. It's a great hymn and the words caught my heart -- especially the last two refrains. May it bless you.

I bind unto myself today
The strong Name of the Trinity,
By invocation of the same
The Three in One and One in
Three.

I bind this today to me forever
By power of faith, Christ’s incarnation;
His baptism in Jordan river,
His death on Cross for my salvation;
His bursting from the spicèd tomb,
His riding up the heavenly way,
His coming at the day of doom
I bind unto myself today.

I bind unto myself the power
Of the great love of cherubim;
The sweet ‘Well done’ in judgment hour,
The service of the seraphim,
Confessors’ faith, Apostles’ word,
The Patriarchs’ prayers, the prophets’ scrolls,
All good deeds done unto the Lord
And purity of virgin souls.

I bind unto myself today
The virtues of the star lit heaven,
The glorious sun’s life giving ray,
The whiteness of the moon at even,
The flashing of the lightning free,
The whirling wind’s tempestuous shocks,
The stable earth, the deep salt sea
Around the old eternal rocks.

I bind unto myself today
The power of God to hold and lead,
His eye to watch, His might to stay,
His ear to hearken to my need.

The wisdom of my God to teach,
His hand to guide, His shield to ward;
The word of God to give me speech,
His heavenly host to be my guard.

Against the demon snares of sin,
The vice that gives temptation force,
The natural lusts that war within,
The hostile men that mar my course;
Or few or many, far or nigh,
In every place and in all hours,
Against their fierce hostility
I bind to me these holy powers.

Against all Satan’s spells and wiles,
Against false words of heresy,
Against the knowledge that defiles,
Against the heart’s idolatry,
Against the wizard’s evil craft,
Against the death wound and the burning,
The choking wave, the poisoned shaft,
Protect me, Christ, till Thy returning.

Christ be with me, Christ within me,
Christ behind me, Christ before me,
Christ beside me, Christ to win me,
Christ to comfort and restore me.
Christ beneath me, Christ above me,
Christ in quiet, Christ in danger,
Christ in hearts of all that love me,
Christ in mouth of friend and stranger.
I bind unto myself the Name,
The strong Name of the Trinity,
By invocation of the same,

The Three in One and One in Three.
By Whom all nature hath creation,
Eternal Father, Spirit, Word:
Praise to the Lord of my salvation,
Salvation is of Christ the Lord.

Go to http://www.cyberhymnal.org/htm/s/t/stpatric.htm for the words and tune.

Yours! Mine!

Lord, the condemnation was Yours, that the justification might be mine!

The agony was Yours, that the victory might be mine!

The pain was Yours, and the ease mine!

The stripes were Yours, and the healing balm issuing from them mine!

The vinegar and gall were Yours, that the honey and sweet might be mine!

The curse was Yours, that the blessing might be mine!

The crown of thorns was Yours, that the crown of glory might be mine!

The death was Yours, the life purchased by it mine!

You paid the price, that I might enjoy the inheritance!

Excerpt from John Flavel's The Fountain of Life

A Timely Reminder

From Thomas Watson's A Christian Soldier:

Stunted in grace

It is a pitiful thing, to be contented with feeble grace. Weak grace may live in the heart—but is sickly, and does not flourish into lively acts. Weak grace will not withstand strong temptations, or carry us through great sufferings. Little grace will not do God much service. A tree which has but little sap—will not have much fruit. It may be said that some Christians are stunted in grace. Oh, labor to grow to further degrees of sanctity. The more grace—the more strength! "But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be glory both now and forever! Amen." 2 Peter 3:18

This Inspires Me...

I read this yesterday; it was quoted by Susan Hunt in her book Spiritual Mothering, and it comes from a book called Managing Your Restless Search by Janet Chester Bly.

I would rather
clutch my invitation
and wait my turn
in party clothes
prim, proper
safe and clean.

But a pulsing hand
keeps driving me
over peaks
ravines
and spidered brambles.

So, I'll pant
up to the pearled knocker
tattered
breathless
and full of tales.

Doesn't that make your heart swell?

Isn't that what we all want?

On that Great Day when I will see my Savior face to face, I want to be tattered, breathless, and full of tales.

When One Hurts, We All Hurt

Our pastor informed our congregation today of this news:

"Dann, a member of the Sovereign Grace Church in Pasadena was in a serious car accident very early Wednesday morning. He is a pilot for Southwest Airlines and was driving his VW van from the Oakland Airport. I do not have details of the accident except that the van rolled and his head hit the windshield and steering wheel very hard. He suffered a broken clavicle, L-3 vertebrae, and a skull fracture.

"He was rushed to the UC Davis Medical Center where he is still being treated. There have been encouraging signs indicating no paralysis (responding to commands and able to move hands and legs) but the immediate concern was to relieve the swelling of the brain. After a four hour surgery yesterday afternoon, the swelling was down.

"I received a call telling me that the swelling had increased this morning. I do not understand how swelling is measured but to give you some reference, the swelling was in the 20’s shortly after the accident, was down to less than 10 last evening, but this morning went back up in the 20’s.

Please take some time today to pray for God’s mercy and power, asking for the swelling to go down and for our friend's full recovery.

"Thank you for praying."


Additionally, Diane sent this e-mail to us:

"Steve reminded me last night that Dann read Psalm 34 in church on Sunday. I woke up this morning and was reading it and was freshly reminded of God's kindness even in the midst of what feels like a devastating circumstance.

I will bless the LORD at all times;

his praise shall continually be in my mouth.

My soul makes its boast in the LORD;

let the humble hear and be glad.

Oh, magnify the LORD with me,

and let us exalt his name together!
I sought the LORD, and he answered me

and delivered me from all my fears.

Those who look to him are radiant,

and their faces shall never be ashamed.

This poor man cried, and the LORD heard him

and saved him out of all his troubles.
The angel of the LORD encamps

around those who fear him, and delivers them.
Oh, taste and see that the LORD is good!

Blessed is the man who takes refuge in him!

"How kind of God to remind us all, through Dann, of His unending faithfulness and His compassionate care for us. God knew what we needed to hear.

"Seeking the Lord, together with you." ~ Diane