Forget Me Not

As I prepared to speak for that special Mother's Day, I felt that the Lord wanted to remind the people that He would not forget them.

We often think of God in masculine terms - He, Father, and so forth.

But there is one part of Scripture in which God uses a very motherly language.

Isaiah tells us of the time when mothers lost their children as they were ripped from them into captivity, bondage and slavery. Isaiah speaks of the agony of the Lord as He watched His children go into such dire conditions due to their sin.

Then comes this phrase.

Isaiah 49:15,16
15 “ Can a woman forget her nursing child,
And not have compassion on the son of her womb?
Surely they may forget,
Yet I will not forget you.
16 See, I have inscribed you on the palms of My hands;
Your walls are continually before Me.

What amazing language. Mothers in those days were illiterate. They didn't know how to read and write much. Their children were taken from them. How could they track their children down? How could they find out how they were?

They got people who knew how to read and write to carve the information on their hands.

Not just any part. On the palms of their hands. Try running a finger nail along that part of your anatomy. It's sensitive area. Lots of nerve endings there...

Then these mothers would hold their children in their hands, as if somehow they could shield them, love them despite the physical separation.

Later, at every opportunity, they would open wide those scarred hands and ask, "Have you seen this person? Have you any news about my child?"

Such then, is the language of the Lord - He has the mother's heart for His people. We are not forgotten, no matter what we are going through.

Thanks for praying that day.

Mothers Day - Locally

Yesterday, most of the world using the American calendar celebrated Mothers Day.

But one local church here didn't. They are going to celebrate this Saturday instead.

This indigenous church which uses the national language and their own dialects has chosen to celebrate on a Saturday evening six days later instead. They have asked me to speak and they want to hold a dinner. Yes, I have to use the national language, not my first language!

I would appreciate prayer. I grew up with English as my first language. I even dream in English. Whilst I have spoken using the national language before, yes, even done training with it, somehow this time it feels different. I feel the need to be more expressive, using adjectives and verbs which I believe, will be unlike other times before.

During my schooling days, I disliked this language. Over the last few years, however, the Lord has placed within me a love for it. Nonetheless, with such a lot of ground to make up, I am not very confident of being able to express well. Perhaps this is just as well. I will all the more depend on the Lord.

Did I tell you about two occasions when I prayed for people using the national language? On these two occasions, an amazing thing happened - I discovered new words which I did not know the meanings of! I found myself asking for translation of the word, but even as I asked, the meanings came. Isn't God wonderful? It really reminds me of how much He loves these people, and how we just need to be available.

Being available - that's often hard. But when one has to walk on water and/or step out of the comfort zone, that's when one really depends on the Lord, and THAT's when He can get to work!

So yes, please uphold me in prayer even as I prepare!

Preach It

We had intentional discipleship training again.

Part of the training includes personal time where we seek the Scriptures individually and then share later in our small group.

This time, we were given specific instructions on the way in which we should approach the Word of God.

As I did so in obedience, I was struck by the content - so close to what God had placed on my heart to share tonight! What's more, the context of the verse goes on to say "Preach the Word" That phrase seemed to leap out at me!

So tonight I will PREACH IT. Please pray for and with me? This message seems to be vastly different from the rest....

Another Sighting

Honestly this is strange.

Today I came home and saw ANOTHER caterpillar. It's not the same one. It's bigger by half and a different colour.
I am getting more intrigued about this Saturday, praying that I will be spot on with what the Lord wants me to do.

Pray with me folks!

Metamorphosis

I am preaching this weekend at a youth meeting. The word the Lord gave me was metamorphosis. I have not much of an idea how the meeting will go. But I do believe I have heard the Lord right.

This is what I saw yesterday -A most apt illustration for the talk.

Please do pray for me that He would find me a good and right conduit. I'll let you know how it goes....