Thursday, October 20, 2005

Of failure and weakness. And quilts.

Well, it's after 11 and I'm still at the office. Had a long meeting tonight and it will take a bit of time to wind down, so I'm doing a bit of work while I'm at it.


I wanted this week to be about prayer and reflection, and I have been doing some of that. But it's also been a week about surprises and challenges and interruptions and distractions. Part of me feels a failure because I didn't get as far as I wanted to go, in silence. I should expect that when I plan a season of stillness, but I forgot how crazy it can get.


But, new opportunities present themselves and it's a good discipline to seek to hear God's heart about them. What should you put your hands on, and what should you leave well enough alone. These are the secrets of good ministry. Not, what you can and can't do, but where is God at work and what does he want you to do there, if anything.


I confess it's discouraging how you give yourself to a task or a work, and work hard at it, only to find little effect or result. I realize with this work that I do, that so much of the effect is unseen, or will only spring to life later on, if it's not fallen on stoney ground, or if the weeds don't choke it out.


But, his comfort has been close this week, and it's been unique. Today I've finally been able to put words to his presence these days. It's felt like a thick warm cozy quilt wrapped around my shoulders. A blanket, a covering of presence if you will, that has blessed me deeply. This morning while studying, He was here covering and being with me. That has been a deep blessing, and it followed me all day.


Hey, isn't that what a Mantle is?


... I just googled a definition for mantle. One of the results is: "the cloak as a symbol of authority"


Hmm, cool. But whatever it was, it was Him, and I really enjoyed his "Quilt Like Presence" today.


Now, before you consider me a complete mystic, or airhead, I'm going home to bed. Tomorrow is another day.

1 comment:

  1. Funny you should be hitting the covering theme! I woke up this morning and wrote in my blog about blankets - the smothering and the covering blankets we have in our relationships. Then I popped onto yours and got a whole new perspective. Thanks!!!



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