Complete Obedience = Complete Freedom

Isaiah 55:4

See, I have made him a witness to the peoples, a leader and commander of the peoples.

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Ford Madox Brown, "Jesus Washing Peter's Feet

This is Jesus.  He leads.  He commands and His people follow.

But Jesus appoints officers.  Shore Vineyard is an officer.  And the desire of the leadership at S.V. is to obey the command of God and lead those He has given us.

We lead because He commands.  But it is our joy!

Keep us focused always on your will, Lord.  Holy Spirit, you will always guide us well.  Our desire is to serve you well.

Keep us humble.  Help us to always practice humility. It is our strength.

We obey because we choose to obey.  Such a magnificent paradox!  

Only in complete obedience is there complete freedom!

Life is a Tabernacle! Isaiah 55:3

This series, the Isaiah 55 series of blog posts was written as an ongoing prayer for my church; but it's a prayer for all churches, for all people.

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Isaiah 55:3

Give ear and come to me; hear me, that your soul may live.  I will make an everlasting covenant with you, my faithful love promised to David.

David dancing before the Ark of the Covenant
Google image.

People say that the model used to establish our "Shore House of Prayer" is based on David’s tabernacle.  And I think that’s a very good thing!

But God didn’t love David because of the tabernacle, the tabernacle was a demonstration of David’s profound love for God.  And that love created a party; a 24/7/365 celebration of mutual affection.  

That’s something Shore Vineyard seems to be be very good at, living a life of mutual affection.  Loving God should be a party!

God is faithful!  His love, for me, for us, is everlasting!  It never runs out and it’s never withheld.

The culture of Shore Vineyard focuses on developing, fostering and practicing communication with our loving Father.

Lord, it seems as if everything should rest on this foundation of the understanding of mutual love and communication.  That’s my prayer prayer for Shore Vineyard; that they would continue to grow in loving you, understanding your insane love for us and how you communicate that to us.  You tell us, over and over, in so many ways, how you cherish us, approve of us, revel in us!  Help us to always hear you and respond well.

Thank you for being crazy about us!

Marta Went to Heaven Yesterday

Marta went to Heaven yesterday.
She woke up in the morning, lay out her Sunday outfit and sat down in the chair in her room.
Then she closed her eyes and waltzed into Jesus' arms.

I met Marta 3 years ago, when I very first started to attend Shore Vineyard Church.  I walked into the House of Prayer and she invited me to sit next to her.  She poured out her heart to me, a total stranger, about how she had lived in an abusive marriage all of her adult life.  She told me how she had been beaten, demeaned and kept alone for years.  She seemed to have a need to pour it all out of herself.  

And it was a very good thing that she did, because it brought her healing.  

I was privileged to be able to watch her grow in faith and freedom.

And she began to dance,

first in the House of Prayer and later in the sanctuary during worship on Sunday mornings.  She told us that she was dancing with Jesus and we all knew it was true!

She would always dress for church.  While many of us came in cut offs and Ts she was always dressed to the nines, with jewelry and dress shoes.  

And she would dance with Jesus.

It always delighted me to see them dancing together.  I took these photos last week, never thinking they would be my last chance to capture this tender moment.

And now these tender moments will never end for her.

Dear Marta, I'm so happy for you!

But, when my turn comes, can I dance with Jesus too?