"So what does 'the kingdom of God' look like?"

Thanks, Kathy (Khittee!) for sharing your thoughts on the previous RST...

"This is actually one of my favorite passages and is where a lot of my day-to-day theology comes from. The story starts at the beginning of Matthew 24, where the disciples ask Jesus, "Tell us, when will these things happen, and what will be the sign of Your coming, and of the end of the age?" Jesus’ answer is interesting and covers chapters 24 and 25. He tells what the signs will be and He tells his disciples to be ready. And finally, at the end of chapter 25, he tells us what the kingdom of God will look like. It will look like people feeding the hungry, quenching thirst, clothing the naked, visiting the sick and imprisoned, welcoming strangers. This kingdom is not something that is going to happen “up there and far away;” it is something that can happen now—if WE make it that way. It makes me think daily of my place on this earth. If it is my job to make God’s kingdom a present reality to the world, what am I doing about it?"

Love that. Heaven can begin here--it's my choice.

You've been prayed for today...

Where's God?

Today's RST came to mind after a conversation with a friend (more on that in the next RST) and is based on a thought from Max Lucado's And The Angels Were Silent...


So you say you're 'on a quest,' that you're searching for God, searching for 'Truth.' That's excellent! Where is God, you ask? Here's some truth for you to chew on: He lives in the forgotten. He has taken up residence with the ignored. He has made a mansion amidst the ill. If we want to see God we must leave the ivory towers and go among the broken and the beaten, the tired and the worn; there we will see Him: where He has always been. If it's true that you want to follow Him, to do His work, then that's where you'll find Him. What have you done today to further His work? Anything? Or have you just blindly pressed on with the status quo because it's less hassle?

Jesus replied, "Healthy people don't need a doctor--sick people do." Then he added, "Now go and learn the meaning of this Scripture: `I want you to be merciful; I don't want your sacrifices.' For I have come to call sinners, not those who think they are already good enough." Matthew 9:12,13

"`Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. For I was hungry, and you fed me. I was thirsty, and you gave me a drink. I was a stranger, and you invited me into your home. I was naked, and you gave me clothing. I was sick, and you cared for me. I was in prison, and you visited me.'
"Then these righteous ones will reply, `Lord, when did we ever see you hungry and feed you? Or thirsty and give you something to drink? Or a stranger and show you hospitality? Or naked and give you clothing? When did we ever see you sick or in prison, and visit you?' And the King will tell them, `I assure you: when you did it to one of the least of these my brothers and sisters, you were doing it to me.'" Matthew 25:34-40

That's some truth there, and as Jesus said, "If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free." John 8:31


You've been prayed for today...

More On Waiting And Trusting

Hey, Y'all,

Here's the continuation of the thought on waiting quietly (which does not mean waiting passively and helplessly)--it's a brief excerpt of a very cool conversation I was having the other day with a friend...

...I feel you about those situations and I think it's because of idle time on our hands. The minute we get a break, we think we are missing out on something. I really do not watch much TV and of course I study a lot, but that drives me crazy and I have to stop. I find myself cleaning, in the backyard, washing my car, etc. [things I either like doing or feel like I have to get done]--everything but spend time with God. I guess the more time I spend with him, the less idle my mind would be. He would take my mind off of those things [that I feel like I'm missing out on]. He would fill that void if I would just communicate with Him more. However, the flesh steps in and takes over sometimes and I just want to be distracted or numbed out--that will always be a battle in itself. People say being married is hard, but I think being single and staying in God's Word may be at least as hard...

...Yeah, it's funny how sometimes I avoid going to the only place where I truly know I can find peace and quiet in my soul (what's that about?!?)(if there was ever any doubt that I'm a fallen human and prone to wander away from God and do stupid things...not that there ever was any doubt mind you ..but man!! just how dumb am I sometimes?!?). Anyway, as you said, it's the truth, and I just have to keep reminding myself that making communication and communion with Him first in my life orients me correctly and helps me think straight and see life the way it really, truly is. These verses that speak to me especially at times like this (and I 'pray them back to Him' when I'm looking for relief and reassurance)(and so that's my prayer this morning, for myself and for you as well):

Phillipians 4:19---"And this same God who takes care of me will supply all your needs from his glorious riches, which have been given to us in Christ Jesus." [You said "all my needs," Father, so I'm going to trust you on that...but it's not always easy to leave things in your hands and not go off and try to "fix things" myself].

Matthew 6:24-34---"No one can serve two masters. For you will hate one and love the other, or be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money [or anything else for that matter]. So I tell you, don't worry about everyday life--whether you have enough food, drink, and clothes. Doesn't life consist of more than food and clothing? ... Can all your worries add a single moment to your life? ... And if God cares so wonderfully for flowers that are here today and gone tomorrow, won't he more surely care for you? You have so little faith! [this BTW for those of you who were wondering is where that famous saying comes from "oh ye of little faith" in the old King James Version]. So don't worry about having enough food or drink or clothing. Why be like the pagans who are so deeply concerned about these things? Your heavenly Father already knows all your needs, and he will give you all you need from day to day if you live for him and make the Kingdom of God your primary concern [so that's pretty clear--the recipe for success is pretty straightforward--why do I "forget" so often?!?]. So don't worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring its own worries. Today's trouble is enough for today."


Cool--and thanks--you know who you are...
You've been prayed for today (as has the rest of the list).

Psalm 38 and Lamentations 3 (Waiting Quietly--but not passively!)

Today's RST is short and sweet and taken from Psalm 38 and Lamentations 3:22-26---more on this "waiting" thing tomorrow...


All my longings lie open before you, O Lord;
my sighing is not hidden from you...
I wait for you, O LORD;
you will answer, O Lord my God.


Because of the LORD's great love we are not consumed,
for his compassions never fail.
They are new every morning;
great is Your faithfulness!

I say to myself, "The LORD is my portion;
therefore I will wait for him."

The LORD is good to those whose hope is in him,
to the one who seeks him;

it is good to wait quietly
for the salvation of the LORD.

You've been prayed for today...

Communication Breakdown

Hey, Y'all,

Today's RST is based on a thought from PurposeDrivenLife.com...


Communication Breakdown
by John Fischer

Lord, are we talking?

It seems like it's been a while. My voice to You feels weak. I mean, there's no doubt about my belief, but I guess believing doesn't count as communication...I think I've assumed that it does without really thinking about it...(I can believe in my wife and not talk to her for a week--wouldn't be too good for our relationship, though--why can't I see that about my relationship with You?). How long has it been since You heard from me--really heard from me? If I have to ask that question, it must have been a while.

Somehow I've got You doing nothing but waiting around to hear from me while I go about my business oblivious to our lack of communication. Like I've got more important things to do than You do...That sounds pretty close to blasphemy, making me wonder how often I blaspheme You with my self-centered assumptions.

Is our relationship more important to You than it is to me? If it is, I am seriously overestimating my own importance. And the issue is not whether You are on my side; the question is: am I on Yours? Only I can answer that, I guess. Am I centering my life on You? The fact that the lines of communication seem rusty right now indicates there is a lot of inequity here.

What do I need to do to get back in touch? What's that? You say I'm doing it right now? You just want my attention and You'll take it any way it comes--through joy, sorrow, confession, pain or the simple reestablishment of communication? That seems almost too easy, Lord. What's that You're saying? "Walk with me and work with me, watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won't lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you'll learn to live freely and lightly" (Matthew 11:29-30 in The Message Bible).

I think I'm getting it now. No matter how far I may have strayed away, it's always a short trip back. The breakdown in communication was only on my part, never Yours. I don't have to retrace my steps back to the last place I got off before I can hear You again, because You've been dogging me the whole way. As soon as I turn my heart and attention towards You, You are there to meet me, because You never left--I did.

Seems almost too good to be true. Where did I get the idea it's supposed to be hard? God's just a word from you away...He's not mad, He just wants to hear from you, you know? I mean, how cool is that? Just take a second and say hello and thanks for the good things (and even the not-so-good-things).

You've been prayed for today...

Another Restful Sabbath Thought

Hey, Y'all,

I stumbled across today's RST a couple of days ago (or I'd have sent it sooner as a follow-up to the recent Sabbath thought). Several have asked me what the deal is with the Sabbath--is it exclusively a Jewish or Adventist thing or what?

Interestingly, no--though we both do have a (slightly) longstanding tradition of keeping Sabbath in a similar manner, it is a concept that transcends denominations and is increasingly being recognized as the enourmous blessing that it can be: to come away from the noise and clutter of the rest of our lives and "change the scenery" spending a day with God--not just in church, but with family and friends, helping those less fortunate, out in parks or in museums, quietly on a comfortable chair reading or praying--just generally contemplating the deeper things of God (which we tend to be too busy to notice other days). In that same vein, check out today's RST which is taken from (not Jewish nor Adventist) Max Lucado's book "And the Angels Were Silent:"

"The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath," [Jesus said in Mark 2:27]. Keep a clear vision of the cross on your horizon and you can find your way home. Such is the purpose of your "day of rest:" to relax your body, yes, but more importantly to restore your vision...a day in which you get your bearings so you can find your way home.

You've been prayed for today...

Parting Valentine-ish Thought

Hey, Y'all,

I was going to give you a brief break today and resume tomorrow, but I first ran across 1 John 4:10 as the verse of the day on BibleGateway.com, and then verse 9 was part of another quote I ran across later (also from Max Lucado's And The Angels Were Silent), so I took that as a hint that I perhaps ought to share one last Valentine-ish thought before moving on to other things. Here goes...

God will do what it takes--whatever it takes--to bring His children home. In fact, He kind of already has...what're you doing with that gift?

"God showed how much He loved us by sending His only Son into the world so that we might have eternal life through Him. This is real love: it is not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as a sacrifice to take away our sins. Dear friends, since God loved us that much, surely we ought to love each other." 1 John 4:9,10 Now that's the way to live, right?

You've been prayed for today...

Valentine Thought

In keeping with the flowers and hearts and candy and all things "love," today's RST is based on a quote from Max Lucado's book "And The Angels Were Silent." You've been prayed for today...

It defies logic. It is divine insanity. A holy incredibility--if not impossiblity. Only a God beyond systems and common sense could create a plan as absurd as this. Yet, it is the very impalusability of it all that makes it possible. The wildness of the story is its strongest witness; only a God could create a plan this mad. Only a creator beyond the fence of logic could offer such a gift of love.

"For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. God did not send his Son into the world to condemn it, but to save it." John 3:16,17

Audio-RST -- Take This Life

Hey, Y'all,

Today we're sending out another audio-RST (check out the attached song by Shawn McDonald from the album "Simply Nothing"). You've been prayed for today...

There are times that I can distinctly discern the call of God deep in my soul--clear and pure as a bell, and like the Psalmists say in more places than I can count, my soul longs for God...how 'bout you?


Take This Life

As I'm standing here, staring into the mirror
I see the figure of a man trying to take a stand
And live for something more
Integrity is what I need and honor to my soul I feed
To give it up, pack it in, getting rid of all my sin that's weighing me down

Won't You come and fill
I want You to come and make me more real

Take this life, won't You change this life
Come and make me whole
Won't You take this life, won't You change this life
Won't you come and make me whole

In my pursuit of what is real
My heart is longing with a need to feel my soul come alive
I trudge and I step through the height and the depth
Of a long narrow road as I'm growing older
And soon I will be home

Won't You come and fill
I want You to come and make me more real

Take this life, won't You change this life
Come and make me whole
Won't You take this life, won't You change this life
Won't you come and make me whole

As I'm standing here, staring into the mirror
I see the figure of a man trying to take a stand
And live for something more
Integrity is what I need and honor to my soul I feed
To give it up, pack it in, getting rid of all my sin that's weighing me down

Take this life, won't You change this life
Come and make me whole
Won't You take this life, won't You change this life
Won't you come and make me whole

Come and make me whole...

"Soul Catch-Up" Day Revisited

As promised, today's RST is a revisit of one we sent out several months ago--it's based on a thought by John Fischer from PurposeDrivenLife.com...


"Be still, and know that I am God" Psalm 46:10

There is a story reportedly from the writings of Rabbi Kushner about a group of tourists who went on a safari in Africa and hired several native porters to carry their supplies for them. After three days, the porters announced they would have to stop and rest for a day. When the tourists inquired as to why this was (they did not appear to be tired) the porters confirmed that fatigue was not the reason: 'but we have walked too far too fast and now we must wait for our souls to catch up to us.' Interesting thought...

The soul is the part of us that longs for deeper things, that longs for God, that tells us how spiritually hungry we are. It's also the part that guides us and reminds us of Truth. For David, the psalmist, his soul was like his inner compass that told him the right way to go. He often stopped and listened to his soul. Over and over again, he says his soul is thirsty (Psalm 107:9), it longs for God (Psalm 143:6), his soul cries out for salvation (Psalm 119:81), and it recognizes the truth about himself, that he is fearfully and wonderfully made (Psalm 139:14), and therefore there is Someone, the Maker, in a perfect position to suggest that weekly rest from 'the same old same old' is beneficial and even necessary for a healthy soul.

Have we worked so hard and moved so fast that we can't hear from our consciences anymore? Take some time--in fact, if you're not doing it yet, consider taking some time every week, as our Designer recommends--and see if your stress level and mental state and ability to see things more clearly doesn't improve. Interestingly, God gives this idea as much importance as not murdering or stealing--check out Exodus 20:8,9, right smack in the middle of the 10 commandments: "Remember to observe the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. Six days a week are set apart for your daily duties and regular work, but the seventh day is a day of rest dedicated to the LORD your God."

Hmmm...God knew then (as He for certain does now) that we need to come away for a bit every week and let our souls catch up with the rest of our harried and stressed-out selves, and rest, truly rest. How cool is that?

You've been prayed for today.

Replies Regarding 'Seekers' (which we all ought to be, right?) and Steady Footing (Ps 37)

Hey, Y'all,

Today we're hearing back from a couple of you who responded to the last RST--but first, a short bonus RST from Psalm 37 entitled "Steady Footing"

If the LORD delights in a man's way,
he makes his steps firm;

though he stumble, he will not fall,
for the LORD upholds him with his hand.

The word of his God is in his heart;
therefore his feet do not slip.

I was young and now I am old,
yet I have never seen the righteous forsaken.

Awesome...Now on with the replies--first, the one from Becky:

"Good thoughts! Thanks for sharing. . . Yup, you are right! I finally got it about 2 years ago: "Seek first His things. . . and all these other things will be added to you" [Matthew 6:33,34]. It's really quite simple, but we, who live in a complicated society, feel as though we must do something to earn that salvation. So what do we do? We go and complicate it all up and struggle with it and hash it over and over and over. How crazy is that!! Anyway, just keep on seeking, right?"

And from Mike R:

"Really liked the idea here. Christ was the epitomy of patience and kindness in dealing with people who hadn't "gotten it" yet. And here I may be feeling huffy and impatient with people AND I'M JUST AS FALLIBLE AND MIGHT HAVE IT ALL WRONG MYSELF!! He was divine, knew He was divine, knew He was right, and STILL was more winsome and kind than I am at times. Anyway, that's a good reminder, thanks."

Thank you both for sharing your thoughts with the list. Here's hoping y'all have a restful weekend and a Happy Sabbath (more on that tomorrow AM!)--you've each been prayed for today.

Good News Seeking and Finding

Today's RST is based on a thought by John Fischer from PurposeDrivenLife.com...

Need some good news? Here's some: those who seek God are given the benefit of the doubt--that if they seek Him, they will find Him. This is actually a promise in scripture: "He rewards those who earnestly seek Him" (Hebrews 11:6 NIV).

This BTW is why those of us who are already getting to know Him don't have to jump all over those who are seeking Him when they get something wrong or don't put it in exactly the right words or perhaps don't see things our way. If they are truly seeking, they will find Him--and it will be God who opens their eyes anyway. We need to support people, to respect the search of those who are seeking, and to not get impatient with them or think of them as slow or foolish for not seeing what we see.

When it's time, they will--or maybe we'll wind up seeing things their way...

You've been prayed for today...

Bonus Pseudo-RST -- Great Minds...

Hey, Y'all,

Today's bonus thought, thought not particularly spiritual, is a little anonymous quote that I run into periodically and never fails to get me thinking--hope it does the same for you:

Great minds discuss ideas;
average minds can discuss events;
small minds can only discuss people.

You've been prayed for today...

Philippians 4:6&7

Today's RST was a recent verse of the day at BibleGateway.com--I never get sick of this one...

Philippians 4:6&7

(New Living Translation...)
Don't worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. If you do this, you will experience God's peace, which is far more wonderful than the human mind can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.


(New International Version...)
Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.


You've been prayed for today...

Excellent Essay -- "Learning Patience"

Hey, Y'all,

Unbelievably, another week is already drawing to a close and another Sabbath's rest is at last on the horizon (or, if not Sabbath for you, perhaps your weekend promises at least the chance of a break or at least a Super Bowl!!)--either way, thank God, huh?

Today's RST (thanks Mike R!) is a little longer than most but it's well-written (and an easy read) and it has so little fluff and hangs together so well that I didn't want to break it up into a series of thoughts...anyway, after that no doubt mildly perplexing glimpse into an editor's mind here's a key quote: "Never think that God's delays are God's denials. Hold on; Hold fast; Hold out. Patience is genius."

You've been prayed for today...Happy Sabbath, and have a nice weekend.

Learning Patience

Lord, grant me patience (and, of course, I need it NOW!)

Patience is the ability to wait for the fruition of our goals. Or, as the ancient philosopher Epictetus is reported to have said nearly 2,000 years ago, "Nothing great is created suddenly, any more than a bunch of grapes or a fig. If you tell me that you desire a fig. I answer you that there must be time. Let it first blossom, then bear fruit, then ripen." It takes time to do worthwhile things, so those who lack the patience to persist will fail to accomplish much. Do we want to develop as much of our potential as possible? If so, we'll have to learn how to be patient.

Being patient doesn't mean sitting around waiting for things to happen. Instead, it means to work as hard and as long as necessary, without giving up, until we reach our destination. The ancient Egyptians didn't sit around waiting. They made plans, preparations, and worked on their project until the pyramids were completed. The pyramids, then, are monuments to patience. They are a reminder that if we persist in our personal projects while enduring the necessary wait, we will finally succeed. After getting their fill of mulberry leaves, silkworms make silk cocoons, which the Chinese and Japanese used to weave silk gowns and kimonos. That explains the Chinese proverb, "With time and patience the mulberry leaf becomes a silk gown." Clearly, patience is power.

Patience is not only about enduring a long wait, it is also about enduring insults, provocation, and mistreatment without resentment, anger, or bitterness. Why put up with abuse? Because patience is also an expression of compassion. Because we are compassionate, we tolerate the faults of others. Because we are strong and they are weak, we accept their abuse with a smile and wish them well.

Buddhists commonly refer to patience as armor that protects the compassionate person from the barbs and verbal attacks of others. Interestingly, Leonardo Da Vinci had a similar idea, for he wrote, "Patience serves as a protection against wrongs as clothes do against cold. For if you put on more clothes as the cold increases, it will have no power to hurt you. So in like manner you must grow in patience when you meet with great wrongs, and they will be powerless to vex your mind."

Almost all violence stems from anger, and patience often has the power to neutralize it. So, patience is a tool of the peacemaker. To eliminate possible misunderstanding, let me give one example of patiently accepting abuse and then contrast it with an example in which impatience is warranted.

In the first example, let's say my supervisor at work always treats me condescendingly. Regardless how hard I work, he treats me without respect. Yet, I patiently bear his abuse. Why? Because I recognize he is a fellow human being. A human being with pain. Perhaps he feels threatened by my performance. Perhaps the source of his cruel remarks is fear. In other words, his abuse exposes him as the weakling he is. Instead of kicking a weak person by fighting back, shouldn't I be compassionate? After all, if I bear my abuser's cruelty with a smile, he may eventually learn that I am not a threat. If so, instead of upsetting him, I would have uplifted him. And by doing so, I would have made the world a better place.

However, at times, impatience is called for. For example, we must not tolerate child abuse or wife beating. Also, anything greater than zero tolerance of violence must not be permitted in our schools. Although abusers are sick and in need of help, our compassion is first directed toward their victims, who are in immediate need of help. After the victims are rescued, we can try to rehabilitate the abuser.

A society based on consumerism boosts profits by preaching the doctrine of impatience. "Don't wait; act now! Don't wait until you can afford it; buy it now with a credit card! Why prepare for your future by working hard for many years when you can strike it rich NOW by winning the lottery or a casino jackpot?"

Patience is out the window and instant gratification is banging on our door. When we abandon patience, we abandon self-discipline. A world without either is a world without Mozart, Thomas Edison, or Tiger Woods. It is also a world without Olympic Gold Medal winners, astronauts, professors, corner pharmacists, auto mechanics and countless other members of industry, trade, and the arts.

Can you think of anything worthwhile that can be achieved without giving up immediate gratification for long-term gain?

In a single day we can be faced with countless irritations: someone tailgates you on your way to work; someone cuts in front of you while you're waiting in line at the post office; coworkers chat and laugh loudly in the next cubicle while you're conducting a business phone call; you're going out with friends tonight, but they show up an hour late, or you're cooking dinner when you're suddenly interrupted by a telemarketer. I'm sure you can think of many other examples. So, what do we do when we encounter an endless stream of minor irritants? Well, we can choose to become upset or we can choose to follow the example of oysters. They use an irritating grain of sand to create a glittering pearl. We can use our irritating experiences to create pearls of forgiveness, pearls of compassion, and pearls of understanding.

Learning to accept minor irritations prepares us to endure major ones. Those who lack patience find minor irritations or suffering unbearable. However, those who have mastered patience find great suffering tolerable. Patience has great impact on our happiness, for how can those who are upset and constantly complain be happy? Those who are always angry withdraw from the world; they curse the world. But those who are patient are peacemakers who embrace the world, bless it, and thank it for the opportunity to create pearls.

How can we expect to have others accept our weaknesses unless we are willing to accept theirs? Patience, then, is about respect for others. It is when we interact with others that we come to understand ourselves. For when we act with patience and understanding, that's what we become. And when we act with impatience and anger, that's what we are.

How can we commit to a relationship unless we have patience? Patience binds, heals, and supports relationships. Impatience is divisive. It severs friendships, dissolves marriages, breaks up families, and breaks hearts. So, patience is also about maturity. Patient people do not throw away pets and possessions or relationships and responsibilities simply because things aren't working out as originally expected. Patient people bring out the best in them. Impatient people bring out the beast in them.

You say you're not as patient as you would like to be? Not to worry, just be patient, for patience comes to those who wait. Aren't all things difficult before they become easy? My final words on patience are taken from the eighteenth-century French naturalist, Georges-Louis Leclerc Buffon (1707-1788), "The ability to accept delay. Or disappointment. To smile at setbacks and respond with a pleasant, understanding spirit. To remain calm while others around are uneasy. This is Godly patience. Never think that God's delays are God's denials. Hold on; Hold fast; Hold out. Patience is genius."

Chuck Gallozzi

RtRSTs (Truly Random Spiritual Thoughts in their own right) and Blog News

Well, January's over--if you can believe that!--and we're already into the second month of '06 (now THAT's hard to believe!), so, keeping that in mind--as well as Webmaster Jose's inspirational words--

"Yo! Why don't you just send out the web address [for the blog]? We can fix the editing thing later. Don't let Yahoo [and your lack of skill :-)] slow God down"


--we're launching "RSTs: The Blog." Yep, I've been assimilated (resistance was futile :-) You'll find a couple of months' worth of RSTs archived there (eventually they will all be uploaded there and you will be able to search them by keyword or topic--and they'll look a little cleaner once I figure out how to spiff them up and edit them and get rid of the automatically posted advertising and other minor technical flaws--which were my personal hangup).

Check it out--and thanks again Jose for the idea and the execution (as well as the "words of encouragement" that have gotten this blog off the ground at last ), and thanks today to Olya, for your "RtRSTs"--see below--pretty cool...

RtRST - Reply to Random Spiritual Thoughts:

Make me a captive, Lord,

And then I shall be free;

Force me to render up my sword,

And I shall a conqueror be.

I sink in life's alarms

When by myself I stand;

Imprison me within Thine arms,

And strong shall be my hand.

- George Matheson

Only to sit and think of God,

Oh what a joy it is!

To think the thought, to breathe the Name

Earth has no higher bliss.

- Frederick W. Faber

You've been prayed for today...