Thoughts from Sunday

This Sunday was a beautiful sunny day here in the Pacific Northwest. Jeremy and I had spent the morning at the garden center picking up a few plants and flowers to make our front garden a little merrier for spring!
Jeremy headed off to church for worship band practise and left me to plant out in the yard! With the sun on my back, I separated out my tomato seedlings and planted marigolds, alyssum and geraniums. The colours are beautiful.

The fabulous weather had already made the decision for me that I would walk to church. I haven't walked the whole way before so I wasn't sure exactly how long it would take. In the end I think it took me about 45 minutes to door to door - and I even managed to stop for an iced latte on the way!

In church, we started as usual with a time of worship. And not that I am biased or anything but I love when Jeremy leads worship. I enjoy seeing the Holy Spirit work through him to minister in this way to our community, he comes to life and it's easy to see how much he loves meeting with God in a personal way during these times too.

I usually only have a few seconds of pure love for my earthly hubby before feeling fully enveloped in the worship of my heavenly husband. This week we sang "Desert song" I have copied and pasted the words below.

As we sang the line, " God is my victory and he is here", I felt suddenly aware of God's presence and got a wonderful glimpse of how he sees me. Someone who is no longer striving, no longer trying so hard, but someone who just is. Exactly as I was created to be. It is the truth that no weapon formed against me will remain, and in Him I have the victory. Over all my faults and failures, over all my weaknesses. I already have the victory in Him.

It was a special moment. In a time when my faith has been feeling dry it was what I needed. It feel like there is so much friction as I try and make changes in my life by myself, in that wonderful moment, I was aware of my need to come to His presence to be renewed. To see myself as he sees me, and step into that.

The sermon was about the parable of the 10 virgins and the lamps. It highlighted the importance of filling our own lamps and not living vicariously though others. Just because we surround our selves with a Christian community doesn't mean we can neglect filling our own lamps - does anyone else ever get that feeling that a sermon was written just for them?!

I feel renewed in a wonderful and deep way today. I know that this feeling will not remain without my effort and intention to keep being filled, but I am excited to walk in the steps God sets before me and be poured out for him. Unafraid. No longer fearful that I can't do it, that I don't have anything to give. It's true that I don't, but as God gives his Spirit to me every time I ask, He will be faithful to top me up when I need it!

We serve a creative, loving and personal God. He is a Father, a Friend and a Bridegroom. He is so in love with us. In that moment during worship when the sun was streaming down outside, and I knew at the depth of myself the truth of the words I was singing, I felt that my heavenly Bridegroom's eyes were on me and me alone. All I wanted to do was draw closer to him. I pray that this won't been soon forgotten, and that if are reading this and feeling stuck in your relationship with Christ; go to him, get your lamp filled, he only has eyes for you!

Desert Song Lyrics, Hillsong

This is my prayer in the desert
When all that's within me feels dry
This is my prayer in my hunger and need
My God is the God who provides

This is my prayer in the fire
And weakness or trial or pain
There is faith proved more worth than gold
So refine me lord through the faith

I will bring praise
I will bring praise
No weapon formed against me shall remain

I will rejoice
I will declare
God is my victory and he is here

This is my prayer in the battle
When triumph is still on its way
I am a conqueror and co-heir with Christ
So fill my his promise ill stand

I will bring praise
I will bring praise
No weapon formed against me shall remain

I will rejoice
I will declare
God is my victory and he is here

All of my life
In every season
You are still God
I have reason to sing
I have a reason to worship

And this is my prayer in the harvest
And favor and providence flow
I know I'm filled to be empties again
The seed I receive I will sow