Love Notes

Based on Hosea 5:1-6:11, Psalm 139:1-6, Proverbs 29:19, 1 John 5:1-21.

GOD Most High, hear my prayer! I am so utterly and completely grateful that You chose me to know that Your Son has come and that You have given us understanding, that we may know Him who is true, and know that we are in Him who is true. It is by Your merciful impartation that we see and hear and know the true source of life: Christ, Your Son, O GOD, the center of Your eternal purpose for all mankind. Yesterday, we sang O Little Town of Bethlehem in which a line of lyric said it all:

So GOD imparts to human hearts the blessings of His heaven.

By this impartation, we are able to recognize and refuse all idols, blowing the ram's horn and crying aloud as we see others oppressed and broken in judgment because they willingly walk by human precept. We know that affliction will tear them up and take them away, like it tore us asunder before we came to the end of ourselves. We know from our own tribulations that there is great blessing in adversity, for it caused us to need You, O GOD. 

In truth, we didn't need You until we needed You! And then, we cried out in desperation for Your aid, and You returned to heal and bind and revive us -- and on the third day, You raised us up to live in Your sight. Now our knowledge of Your mercy means more  to us than any treasure of the earth, and we worship You as living stones, surrendered to Your Power which glorifies Him with the radiance of living sacrifice.

Now we are Yours, and You are ours! You have sealed us, and You know us in all our ways. Thank You that You hedge us behind and before. Thank You for laying Your hand upon me, to make be able to comprehend the greatness of Life in You. It is too wonderful for words! All I can do is is gladly go forth and let Your Light be shine, keeping my temple from idols and lesser gods and testifying without a word, trusting that You will make Yourself manifest to those You choose, even though the whole world lies under the sway of the wicked one.

O GOD, impart to human hearts the blessings of Your heaven!

Our confidence is in You, GOD Most High, that if we ask anything according to Your will, You hear us. And if we know that Your hear us, whatever we ask, we know we have the petitions we have asked of You.

This photograph is by Clare Cunningham.