"Strengthen the Feeble Hands, Steady the Knees That Give Way."
I Shall Not Want
Jul 5th
My friend Andrea past away and I mourn her loss. She had just received her second lung transplant which (for all she knew) was successful. It is strange that at the end of these few years she lived on earth I remember most her struggle and desire to live.
It is good that for me I saw what it means to have faith tested and — proven. To the end, to the painful end, she was a woman of faith, a woman of prayer with a word of encouragement for others, who in light of her circumstances, suffered much less.
It is strange that my faith is tested by so much less; by loneliness, poverty, pornography, rudeness, and various desires of my own heart. Not to minimize our struggles, after all, they are our struggles and a heartbreak is a heartbreak.
We are equipped to handled our own lives and I am sure I would be ill-equipped to deal with even your small troubles. They might be monumental to me. Andrea had her cancer and lung transplants. Each day indeed has enough trouble of its own. Yes—troubles enough of its own.
I am sure Andrea’s parents are finding their faith tested. More >
This Time No Requests
Feb 10th
Lord, it’s me…your child Hudson. Oh, yes, I know you know who I am, I’m just used to clarifying. Not everyone knows me as you do. Request?…No…this time no requests.
Instead Lord, I would like to thank you for the things I often take for granted; for the air I breathe and for the hands with which I now type. I had many questions on my way here Lord but you have quieted me. I have friends who are sick and friends who need homes, cars and hope. There seems to be no end to the need.
Some are suffering by their own sins and struggle to know your forgiveness. Some have fallen prey to the schemes of this world. It is a world of sick people ministering to sick people; somehow—it is the same world you proclaimed—good. We have polluted it Lord but worse, we have done it our way. We have chosen our own intellects and our own strengths, —trusted our own wisdom and leaned on our own abilities, —so now we suffer.
Many things to say Lord but this time—no requests.
“One thing I ask of the LORD, this is what I seek: that I may dwell in the house More >
A Balanced Spiritual Diet
Aug 8th
If I have ever claimed perfection or my words have caused you to believe me impervious to the common temptations of man forgive me. Not only am I not perfect I wrestle with Paul for title of “the worst of sinners.” I am imperfect and my imperfection, my stubbornness, my ignorance is the greatest limiter to my usefulness. I tremble at the thought that my failures reflect poorly on the God who calls me His. My imagination reels to think He might see my licentious heart, understand my leprous thoughts, and quietly put me aside. He has not and He will not.
Nathan spoke four fatal words to David: “You are the man!” David was shaken. Exposed sin has this effect on those who are “after God’s own heart.” It moves those who are pursuant of righteousness to confession and repentance. I have not committed adultery with my body but my eyes have betrayed my resolve. I have not murdered with my hands but I have hated in my heart and killed with my tongue. Daily, hourly, I am “the man!” I mourn the weakness of my own humanity and the distance of the pursued perfection. It is the reality of More >
Things Too Wonderful
May 19th
I have screamed with Job’s voice before. I have asked, “Why? No, I have SCREAMED, “WHY?!!!” A voice spoke from heaven, thundering, though only a whisper. A whisper both fearful and tender, commanding and sure. “Who is this that darkens my counsel with words without knowledge?” I did not dare answer. Fear had set in. Discretion over valor. I was sure He knew my name and agreed my words lacked knowledge. “Brace yourself like a man; I will question you, and you shall answer me.” “Where were you when I laid the earth’s foundation? Tell me, if you understand.” “Who marked off its dimensions? Surely you know!” I did not know, and couldn’t understand what this had to do with ME? Of course I wasn’t there! Of course I don’t know about the earth’s foundation, but what of MY problems, MY pain and sorrow? This time the voice was far more tender and the whisper, gentle. “Come to me, you who are weary and burdened, I will give you rest.” I was very weary and burdened and I surely needed this rest. So I reclined and listened as He spoke. “Have you ever given orders to the morning, or shown More >
