Love Notes

Based on Psalm 132:1-9, Proverbs 29:4, James 4:1-17, Ezekiel 37:1-38:23.

GOD on high, how I love Your ability to breathe hope into me when it starts to falter, Your kindness in delivering news of a dream that saved Eric Mextaxis, Your opening up Your Word this morning to the place where about Ezekiel finds himself in the Valley of the Dry Bones. Such abundant assurance, revealing to me, once again: the prophesying, the noise, the rattling of bones coming together bone-to-bone, the sinews and flesh coming upon them and the skin covering them over, the breath as You commanded then coming into them and they lived and stood up. UP!

Amazing GOD, how completely clear and custom-tailored Your calming of my flagging flesh. Thank You for lifting my eyes UP -- to You -- away from my faltering footsteps and my solipsistic looking at my own belly-button. This day, You say to me, "Draw near to GOD, and He will draw near to you," and You call me out of this world into Your Spirit-led Life. You say to me, "Humble yourself in the sight of the LORD, and He will lift you up." UP!

Today all is well with me, and I do not know what will happen tomorrow. Therefore, I submit to You, O Most High GOD, resisting the devil and his myriad lies. He flees from me as I declare my citizenship in You and my absolute surrender to Your Power. Thank You for clothing us with Your righteousness and for transforming us into saints who now shout for joy. You are our sanctuary and our Shepherd. We are truly blessed to know that You are the LORD and to live in You, by You, and for You both now and forever.

This photograph is by Kent Phyfe.