The Lord blessed the Seventh day and hallowed it.
– Exodus 20:11 (KJV)
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Beam on us brightly, blessed day,
Dawn softly for our Savior’s sake;
And waft thy sweetness o’er our way,
To draw us heavenward when we wake.
O holy life that shall not end,
Light that will never cease to be –
May every Sabbath-day we spend,
Add to our happiness in Thee.
– Anna Laetitia Waring (1823 - 1910)
The Lord is my portion, saith my soul; therefore will I hope in Him.
– Lamentations 3:24 (KJV)
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My heart is resting, O my God, –
I will give thanks and sing;
My heart is at the secret source
Of every precious thing.
Now the frail vessel Thou hast made
No hand but Thine shall fill –
For the waters of the Earth has failed,
And I am thirsty still.
I thirst for springs of heavenly life,
And here all day they rise –
I seek the treasure of Thy love,
And close at hand it lies.
And a new song is in my mouth
To long loved music set –
Glory to Thee for all the grace
I have not tasted yet.
Glory to Thee for strength withheld,
For want and weakness known –
And the fear that sends me to Thy breast
For what is most my own.
I have a heritage of joy
That yet I must not see;
But the hand that bled to make it mine
Is keeping it for me.
There is a certainty of love
That sets my heart at rest –
A calm assurance for to-day
That to be poor is best –
A prayer reposing on His truth
Who hath made all things mine,
That draws my captive will to Him,
And makes it one with Thine.
I will give thanks for suffering now,
For want and toil and loss –
For the death that sin makes hard and slow,
Upon my Saviour’s cross –
Thanks for the little spring of love
That gives me strength to say,
If they will leave me part in Him,
Let all things pass away.
Sometimes I long for promised bliss,
But it will not come too late –
And the songs of patient spirits rise
From the place wherein I wait;
While in the faith that makes no haste
My soul has time to see
A kneeling host of Thy redeemed,
In fellowship with me.
There is a multitude around
Responsive to my prayer;
I hear the voice of my desire
Resounding everywhere.
But the earnest of eternal joy,
In every prayer I trace;
I see the glory of the Lord
On every chastened face.
How oft, in still communion known,
Those spirits have been sent
To share the travail of my soul,
Or show me what it meant!
And I long to do some work of love
No spoiling hand could touch,
For the poor and suffering of Thy flock
Who comfort me so much.
But the yearning thought is mingled now
With the thankful song I sing;
For Thy people know the secret source
Of every precious thing.
The heart that ministers for Thee
In Thy own work will rest;
And the subject spirit of a child
Can serve Thy children best.
Mine be the reverent, listening love,
That waits all day on Thee,
With the service of a watchful heart
Which no one else can see –
The faith that, in a hidden way
No other eye may know,
Finds all its daily work prepared,
And loves to have it so.
My heart is resting, O my God,
My heart is in Thy care –
I hear the voice of joy and health
Resounding everywhere.
”Thou art my portion,” saith my soul,
Ten thousand voices say,
And the music of their glad Amen,
Will never die away.
– Anna Laetitia Waring (1823 - 1910)
I will pour water on him that is thirsty, and floods upon the dry ground.
– Isaiah 44:3
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Source of my spirit’s deep desire
For living joys that shall not perish,
The patient hope Thy words inspire,
Still let Thy tender mercy cherish.
On Thee my humbled soul would wait,
Her utmost weakness calmly learning,
And see Thy grace its way create,
Through thorns and briers which Thou art burning.
Gladly my inmost heart would know
The love that now it faintly traces,
And see the streams from Zion flow
O’er all its waste and desert places.
And still I hope – O not in vain!
I know, this holy seed possessing,
Thou wilt come down like gentle rain,
And make the barren ground a blessing.
– Anna Laetitia Waring (1823 - 1910)
He hath put a new song in my mouth, even thanksgiving unto our God.
– Psalm 40:3
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Thanksgiving and the voice of melody,
This new year’s morning, call me from my sleep;
A new, sweet song is in my heart for Thee,
Thou faithful, tender Shepherd of the sheep;
Thou knowest where to find, and how to keep
The feeble feet that tremble where they stray, –
O’er the dark mountains – through the whelming deep –
Thy everlasting mercy makes its way.
The past is not so dark as once it seemed,
For there Thy footprints, now distinct, I see;
And seed in weakness sown, from death redeemed,
Is springing up, and bearing fruit in Thee.
Not all that hath been, Lord, henceforth shall be;
A low, sweet, cheering strain is in mine ear.
Thanksgiving, and the voice of melody,
Are leading in, from Heaven, a blest new year.
With voice subdued, my listening spirit sings,
As backward on the trodden path I gaze,
While ministering angels fold their wings,
To fill with lowly thoughts my song of praise.
The shadow of the past on future days,
Will make them clear to my instructed sight;
For the heart’s knowledge of Thy sacred ways,
Even in its deepest, darkest shades, is light.
I am not stronger – yet I do not fear
The present pain, the conflict yet to be;
Experience is a kind of voice in mine ear,
And all my failures bid me lean on Thee.
No future suffering can seem strange to me,
While in the hidden part I feel and know
the wisdom of a child at rest and free
In the tried love, whose judgement keeps him low.
Thanksgiving and the voice of melody!
Oh, to my tranquil heart how sweet the strain!
Father of mercies, it arose in Thee,
And to Thy bosom it returns again.
There let my grateful song, my soul, remain,
Calm in the risen Savior’s tender care;
And welcome any trial, any pain,
That serves to keep thy faithful children there.
Thoughts of Thy love – and oh, how great the sum!
Enduring grief, obtaining bliss for me;
The world, life, death, things present, things to come,
All swell the new year’s opening melody.
Past, present, future, all things worship Thee;
And I, through all, with trembling joy behold,
While mountains fall, and treacherous visions flee,
Thy wandering sheep returning to the fold.
– Anna Laetitia Waring (1823 - 1910)
O my beloved soul, (sigh)
What shall you do? When you seek comfort, and comfort is nowhere to be found?
Where do you go?
You cannot go back. No. There is no comfort to be had there. Not anymore. You have put that to death, have you not? Remember, beloved, Colossians 3:1-17?
Read it again, please.
Pray through it, once more. Please, beloved.
Here…I’ll try and help you.
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Dear heavenly Father,
I feel dejected.
I long to be held.
I long to be soothed.
I long to be comforted.
And…I feel confused.
I read in your Word,
Holy Spirit, your name is “Comforter”.
Can that be?
How?
Can you comfort me now, please?
I read in Isaiah 51:12 that you comfort, O God.
I believe your Word to be true.
I’m trying to walk by faith, Lord.
And yet…can I only receive this comfort now,
in faith?
Or…must I wait?
I suppose…you don’t say,
when, you will comfort.
Right? Yes.
You don’t say you will comfort,
immediately, do you?
No, I don’t think you do.
That’s enough of me though, and my feelings.
I think too much about me, anyways. (sigh)
I’m sorry, Father.
Paul tells me in Colossians 3,
that I need to reorient my perspective, yes?
I need to seek the things that are above.
Not the things here, on earth.
Is…me, longing to be held, soothed…
Are those all things I need to forget about now?
Or, do I just need to try and imagine,
somehow, receiving those comforts Then?
If so, please help me to do that, Father.
Now, my life is hidden in You, Lord?
Even my desires now, are hidden?
And my comforts are hidden, too, perhaps?
All of it is hidden, somehow?
Why do you say that it is hidden, Lord?
Is that a good thing?
Do you say it’s hidden because of faith?
I confess, Lord, I don’t understand. (sigh)
And, I’m trying not to despair.
I just…I need help, please.
Please, Lord, I desperately need your help.
“Put to death therefore what is earthly in you”
Yes, Lord. I am trying…they seem quite dead.
I think?
But, please, make them even more dead.
Bury them forever, Lord.
And now, you know that I cannot be empty.
Now, I need to put on:
compassion,
kindness, humility,
meekness, and patience.
And, I am to bear with one another in love.
Yes, I know a little more about that, now.
And, I am to let your peace rule in my heart.
And, be thankful.
And your Word needs to dwell in me.
I’m trying Father, but please help me.
And I need to teach your wisdom,
and admonish others.
And sing songs with a thankful heart.
And do everything in your name.
And give you thanks.
O, Father!
My! That’s…a lot.
That will keep me plenty busy, yes?
My needed comfort, now, it seems less…
necessary? (pondering)
Or…I don’t know.
I’ll continue to wait upon you, Lord.
If you do wish to comfort me,
I know you will do so when the time is right.
Perhaps when there’s less work to do, yes?
Then you’ll give me comfort, Lord?
Either way, I won’t grasp after it.
No, I will not.
I will wait, with open hands.
I will not try and take, and fulfill my needs,
I will instead wait for you to give and provide.
I will continue to trust in you, Father.
Day by day.
Hour by hour.
Minute by minute.
Second by second.
I will put my trust in you, forever.
Please help me, Father.
My strength fails me.
(weeps)
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. For as we share abundantly in Christ's sufferings, so through Christ we share abundantly in comfort too. – 2 Corinthians 1:3–5 (ESV)
Father.
You are the God of all comfort?
All comfort?
Please help me to understand, or…
help me to forget?
Or, maybe you don’t want me to receive comfort?
Or, maybe I don’t really know what comfort is?
God, please help me.
If I receive comfort, then I can comfort others?
Is that what Paul is saying here?
Or maybe you will give me comfort
through others somehow?
I don’t know.
Save me, Father.
I am desperate for you.
Please satisfy me.
(pondering)
Actually, you were never really comforted here on earth.
Were you Father?
No, you were not.
Maybe that’s your answer to me.
Okay, I’ll wait.
Please help me to wait, gladly.
Amen.
I, even I, am, He that comforteth you.
– Isaiah 51:12
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Sweet is the solace of Thy love,
My Heavenly Friend, to me,
While through the hidden way of faith
I journey home with Thee,
Learning by quiet thankfulness
As a dear child to be.
Though from the shadow of Thy peace
My feet would often stray,
Thy mercy follows all my steps,
And will not turn away;
Yea, thou wilt comfort me at last,
As none beneath Thee may.
Oft in a dark and lonely place,
I hush my hastened breath,
To hear the comfortable words
Thy loving Spirit saith;
And feel my safety in Thy hand
From every kind of death.
O there is nothing in the world
To weigh against Thy will;
Even the dark times I dread the most
Thy covenant fulfil;
And when the pleasant morning dawns
I find Thee with me still.
Then in the secret of my soul,
Though hosts my peace invade,
Though through a waste and weary land
My lonely way be made,
Thou, even Thou, wilt comfort me –
I need not be afraid.
Still in the solitary place
I would awhile abide,
Till with the solace of Thy love
My heart is satisfied;
And all my hopes of happiness
Stay calmly at Thy side.
– Anna Laetitia Waring (1823 - 1910)
Thou maintainest my lot.
– Psalm 16:5 (KJV)
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Source of my life’s refreshing springs.
Whose presence in my heart sustains me,
Thy love appoints me pleasant things,
Thy mercy orders all that pains me.
If loving hearts were never lonely,
If all they wish might always be,
Accepting what they look for only,
They might be glad, but not in Thee.
Well may Thy own beloved, who see
In all their lot their Father’s pleasure,
Bear loss of all they love, save Thee,
Their living, everlasting treasure
Well may Thy happy children cease
From restless wishes prone to sin,
And, in Thy own exceeding peace,
Yield to Thy daily discipline.
We need as much the cross we bear,
As air we breath, – as light we see;
It draws us to Thy side in prayer,
It binds us to our strength in Thee.
– Anna Laetitia Waring (1823 - 1910)
O, beloved! How we do cherish the presence of our living God, yes? We, are learning, slowly, what it means to enjoy His presence in this “already, but not yet” season of life.
It’s a little bit different than what, perhaps, we expected, at first.
As we surrender our wills to Him, we entrust our very lives; we abandon our wishes, wants, desires, and take on His as our own.
You see, beloved, our natural wishes are no good. They won’t last. They won’t satisfy. Our affections are deceived.
We seek love, and as we are prone to grasp, we try and grab ahold of it. But it becomes bitter in our mouths as soon as we take a bite. We finagle our way in, we choose our path, we make our stance, we demand love, and…
…love, we have not.
No. (said ever so gently) That’s not the way, beloved.
But wait! We are, beloved! Do you see? Already, beloved! We don’t have to search for it! We don’t have to grasp after it! We don’t have to pine for it! Our precious Savior has already chosen us!
So, why, O heart, do you keep grasping?
Trust in your God. Let the troubles you face now; the trials of faith, the sorrows of soul, the confusion of mind, the mystery of imagination, the fears of lack, the desires of heart - may they all lead you to pray to the One who saves, who loves, who satisfies.
We cannot rest our weary frame upon Him, yet, beloved. I wish we could. I really do. How I yearn to feel His gentle touch. But, in due Time, we shall. We must wait, patiently, gladly.
One Day, we’ll see His face - that which we have never seen, yet even now adore.
Be at rest, O child of God.
My times are in Thy hand.
– Psalm 31:15 (KJV)
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Father, I know that all my life
Is portioned out for me,
And the changes that are sure to come,
I do not fear to see;
But I ask Thee for a present mind
Intent on pleasing Thee.
I ask thee for a thoughtful love,
Through constant watching wise,
To meet the glad with joyful smiles,
And to wipe the weeping eyes;
And a heart at leisure from itself,
To soothe and sympathise.
I would not have the restless will
That hurries to and fro,
Seeking for some great thing to do
Or secret thing to know;
I would be treated as a child,
And guided where I go.
Wherever in the world I am,
In whatsoe’er estate,
I have a fellowship with hearts
To keep and cultivate;
And a work lowly love to do
For the Lord on whom I wait.
So I ask thee for the daily strength,
To none that ask denied,
And a mind to blend with outward life
While keeping at thy side;
Content to fill a little space,
If thou be glorified.
And if some things I do not ask,
In my cup of blessing be,
I would have my spirit filled the more
With grateful love to Thee—
More careful—not to serve Thee much,
But to please Thee perfectly.
There are briers besetting every path,
That call for patient care;
There is a cross in every lot,
And an earnest need for prayer;
But a lowly heart that leans on Thee
Is happy anywhere.
In a service which thy will appoints
There are no bonds for me,
For my inmost heart is taught “the truth”
That makes thy children “free”;
And a life of self-renouncing love
Is a life of liberty.
– Anna Laetitia Waring (1823 - 1910)
O, beloved! Words fail me just now. I have not the eloquence or the articulation necessary to impart.
Yet, truth be told, our spirit echos this prayer, does it not? We are safe, secure, held tightly by His loving grace. Our time is, indeed, held in His hand.
It is no longer time, but Time.
Indifference has been replaced with passionate love. Frantic scrambling for meaning, has been cut short. Grasping is futile. It is no longer necessary - never again. Shame is now gratefulness. Sorrow, has been turned to joy. What we thought was lost, isn’t really, truly. Not anymore.
Even what we think is slowly drifting away, just now, isn’t really slipping away at all. You see?
Every moment: purposeful.
Every sliver of time: intentional.
Every minute: honorable.
Everything we see now will be made new again, some Day. It will be repurposed. It will be similar, but better.
Rest now, my soul. All is well, beloved. We’ve been given the gift of Time. Nothingness has turned into Something. We, once orphans, are now children of the living God. We lack no good thing. (Psalm 34:10)
Trust in Him - now, tomorrow, the next day, the day after that, and every day that He sustains our life and breath; praise and glory and honor be His forevermore!
Go in peace.