Friday, December 31, 2010

The last day of the year.

The Lord got me up early this morning…about 3:45. It's been good.

It's been a good year, living deeper with the Lord than I would have imagined. But I'm not interested in the "year in review." My heart and thoughts are being led forward.

I don't know, but what if I have 20-30 more years of service? In joy it makes me think…and I sense the Lord is in this…to strive forward. I need to learn Spanish, I need to memorize the Gospels, I need to keep learning and allowing Christ to form my heart.

I met an old guy yesterday at McDonalds….75 and lost and needy. I helped, but the after effect is, I could look that good at 75, and be that strong. The guy had just walked 5 miles and walks about 15 a day. (He’s also pretty loopy, but not because of walking.)

And I want to love God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit. I want to be led each day by the Spirit because all who are led by the Spirit are Sons of God. I want to abide and be in love with Christ and see fruit and make disciples and see the lost saved and Glorify the Father and prove, humbly that I have been saved by and submit to following Jesus.

In finishing up my reading, I noticed for the first time…and I've been doing this for 16 years…that Revelation closes with two appeals to Isaiah 55…come and get water for nothing.

Isaiah 55:1 "Ho, everyone who thirsts, come to the waters; and he who has no money, come, buy and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without price.

To think that the final words of the Word are for the lost, and for his drifting disciples, to come and receive what only He can give, be satisfied from the only thing that satisfies…and it's free, well, actually someone else paid for it. But it's free for us.

I've had it in mind to memorize this chapter. I guess, while I'm still 55, it's time.

The first verses I ever memorized back in 1975 were Isaiah 55:10-11. I never realized the importance of the Spirit bringing those verses into my life or how they would mirror or shape my walk with Christ. The Word. Let's see if I've still got it.

As the rain cometh down, and the snow from heaven (it's thundering and raining outside right now) and returneth not hither but watereth the earth and maketh it bring forth and bud that it may give seed to the sower and bread to the eater, so shall my word be that goeth forth from my mouth, it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please and it shall prosper in the thing where to I send it.

The italics are what I forgot. The parenthesis are the weather report.

So years ago, I made a little glue-in card for the inside of books I read saying the book belongs to me. As I finished my Bible reading this morning, I went to the beginning of my German one year Bible to begin again tomorrow and there is the card. The symbol I used and the little saying on that slip of paper says….kayruxon ton logon, Preach the Word.

Helena gave me a gift one year, I think it was Christmas of 2001, a craft project…a stepping stone with concrete and you had to take broken, colored pieces of glass and do something "crafty." And I felt bad because other stuff the kids had given me in this genre never got done and in all of the sickness with Beth I let this sit, so I did it in 2003…an open Bible with a flame in the middle and below the Bible, kayruxon ton logon.. and this, of course, is the key verse and motto of Dallas Seminary.

All to say, it's time to memorize Isa 55. And it is time to strive to the end to love the Living Word, the Word made flesh and follow His Spirit and preach His Word, and bear fruit for the Glory of the Father, until He comes, or takes me home.  

Isaiah 55:1 "Ho, everyone who thirsts, come to the waters; and he who has no money, come, buy and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without price.

Revelation 21:6 Then He said to me, "It is done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give to the one who thirsts from the spring of the water of life without cost.

Revelation 22:17 The Spirit and the bride say, "Come." And let the one who hears say, "Come." And let the one who is thirsty come; let the one who wishes, take the water of life without cost.