"The Spirit lifted me up"

Reading through Ezekiel recently, I was struck by the number of times that Ezekiel fell face down before the Lord. I counted 6 (Ezekiel 1:28, 3:23, 9:8, 11:13, 43:3, 44:4). Ezekiel was a prophet blessed with an almost indescribable vision of the glory of God, and in the blinding light of that glory there is no other response. So many others also fell down on their faces before the Lord: Abraham (Gen 17:3), Moses and Aaron (Numbers 20:6), Joshua (Joshua 5:14), Balaam (Numbers 22:31), Manoah and his wife (Judges 13:20), David (1 Chr 21:16), Jehoshaphat (2 Chr 20:18), Daniel (Daniel 10:9).

The disciples fell face down to the ground terrified when Jesus was transfigured before their very eyes in all His glory (Matthew 17:6).

And our Lord Himself, the perfect, sinless, spotless Son of God, in Whom all the fullness of the Deity dwells in bodily form, fell with His face to the ground in prayer before His Heavenly Father (Matthew 26:39).

Jesus was then lifted up as He bore our sins in His body on the tree (John 3:14).

Jesus was then raised to life on the third day (1 Cor 15:4).

Jesus was then exalted to the right hand of God, above the heavens (Hebrews 7:26).

“See, my Servant will act wisely, 

He will be raised and lifted up and highly exalted” 

(Isa 52:13).

And just as Ezekiel testifies in 6 places that “The Spirit lifted me up” (Eze 3:12, 3:14, 8:3, 11:1, 11:24, 43:5) so too as we bow down with our faces on the ground before our Holy, Holy, Holy God we can testify that:

As we lift up our soul to the LORD (Ps 25:1);

As we lift up our hands towards the Most Holy Place for mercy and help (Ps 28:2)

As we lift up our eyes to Him for mercy (Ps 123:1-3);

As we lift our voices to Him for mercy (Ps 142:1):

He lifts up all who are bowed down (Ps 145:14);

He has lifted us up out of the slimy pit, out of the mud and the mire (Psalm 40:2);

He has given us His Spirit, who raised Jesus from the dead, giving life to our mortal bodies (Rom 8:11)

He has raised us up with Christ (Eph 2:6);

He has seated us with Christ in the heavenly realms (Eph 2:6);

We will be raised at the last day (John 6:40).

Our pastor commented on Sunday that when you look at the wheat and the tares, the tares stand proudly and fruitless amongst the wheat which bows down under the weight of its fruit (see Matthew 13:24-30).  May we continue to bow down before our Holy, Holy, Holy God, that He may lift us up.

"A man's pride brings him low, but a man of lowly spirit gains honour" (Prov 29:23)

A more adequate way

I once heard a message preached straight to my heart

Of repentance, forgiveness of sins.

Convicted of guilt, my eyes were cast down

As I pleaded for mercy from Him.

Forgiveness was sweet and my burden did lift,

Blessed peace I now knew with my Lord;

But under the white of my new Righteous robe

Filthy hands could not be ignored.

I could not lift my eyes as I drew near to Him,

Clinging sin kept me from His embrace;

Convicted of guilt, my eyes were cast down

And the tears rolled unchecked down my face.

I then heard a message preached straight to my heart

Of baptism in Spirit and fire.

And as Holy flames burned deep in my soul,

Hesitantly my gaze lifted higher.

For the old was now gone, a new creation was come,

Filthy hands washed clean in His blood!

My burden once lifted – now it was gone,

My guilt washed away by the flood.

So now that I'm learning a more adequate way

I gaze into His eyes by pure grace,

Raised up in His presence, unable to speak,

And the tears roll unchecked down my face.

"A Father's Delight" by Kae Mentz © Used with permission

Oh to be in England....

“Only the pure of heart can make a good soup”. Nino DeBarros, aged 11, quoting Beethoven whilst eating homemade soup I’d prepared for the arrival of the DeBarros family in England. This utterly charming, delightful quote set the tone for a grace-filled 10 days of fellowship with dear friends from across the pond – a few days with Elizabeth DeBarros and her family, followed by a few days with Teresa Cassle. How blessed can a person be?

We visited places with them we’ve never  made it to before in all our years of living in England – Stonehenge will never be referred to again by my lips as a “pile of old rocks” having actually stopped, walked around and breathed it in. No sight is as delightful to English eyes as seeing Americans feasting on fish ‘n’ chips in complete satisfaction in an English pub. Escorting our guests to some of our much loved local beauty spots means these places will now forever bring sweet memories with them whenever we return there.

A quiet moment at the graveside of Dear Mr Bunyan with Teresa brought a tear to my eye as I thought of how we have shared our love of John Bunyan’s writings over the past year or so online and now were actually sitting together, sharing our hope that one day we will be with him at the resurrection!  And we were so blessed to be able to stand in the church where Charles Spurgeon’s voice used to ring out with the proclamation of the gospel message thanks to a dear lady who specially opened up the church to Teresa and me when I explained how far Teresa had travelled to see it!

Yet much as it was a real pleasure and delight to visit so many places with our guests, what is firmly etched on my memory is the joy of simply being in the presence of dear friends with whom I have shared an online friendship, to be able to cook for them, to make them a cup of tea, to show them in simple ways the joy their friendship brings, and the esteem in which they are held.

Elizabeth DeBarros, me, and Teresa Cassle sharing afternoon tea at The Rubens Hotel, London

And I could not help thinking that these online friendships, given birth through blogs and Facebook, are a shadow of our relationship with Him. You certainly can communicate via blogs, Facebook and the telephone and know someone's heart through the written and spoken words you exchange. But that's like looking through a glass darkly compared to the unspoken words that are exchanged through looking into someone's eyes as you talk with them.

“Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. 

Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.” (1 Cor 13:12).

On a new-found love for Britain

We Brits are a self-deprecating lot, really. I can’t even bring myself to say I’m better at this than most.

Having dear friends from across the pond to visit our country over the next couple of weeks has brought this out in stark relief as we have been planning where to take them. What we apologetically refer to as a “pile of old rocks” is viewed with awe because these stones at Stonehenge were erected between 4 and 5,000 years ago. Castles and royal palaces are looked at with wide-eyed wonder by those whose country has a history dating back only a few hundred years, with presidents instead of kings and queens. Museums, memorials and gravestones of those who fought so valiantly for the truth of the Word of God in this country are a must-see – and I am starting to wonder why I haven’t made the effort to visit many of these places before.

I am so thankful to be entertaining these friends from America. I have found a new love for my own country through their excitement about visiting, that I believe lay deep inside me, but had been squashed by the prevailing cultural mind-set. I have even discovered that my own home-town is referred to as the “stopping place of Kings and Queens”, for example the Roman Emperor of the West, Magnus Maximus, stopped in Finchampstead on his way to London to claim his throne in 383 AD, according to legend.

I am delighted to be welcoming these friends, Elizabeth and her family, and Teresa, to my home-country. And not just because I want to show them the best our country has to offer. These friends are deeply precious to me, for our friendship was bought by the blood of Christ, it is founded on Him and the work He has done in each of our lives, and whilst writing online messages and even talking over the phone brings us close together, every once in a while to be able to look someone deep in the eyes and share a hug can convey more than a thousand words.

May God bless them on their travels here. And may God open the way for meeting face to face with other dear friends in His good timing. 


And dear Lord, I pray for this country of mine, this beautiful country with such a rich history, a history full of You and Your work here. Lord, it breaks my heart that a country which once looked to You for her guidance has now hardened her heart against You, and the laws of the land increasingly turn against You and Your ways. Lord, I pray You will raise up godly men in this country who will bring a prophetic voice to this nation, who will hold up Your Word in Spirit and in Truth, that as a nation we may humble ourselves before You and call upon Your Name. I pray for all Your people in this land, Lord, that we would let our light shine before men that they may see our good deeds and praise our Father in heaven. Lord, You will be glorified through our nation, whether it be through our disobedience or through our obedience. I pray in Your mercy it would be through our repentance and turning to You. Amen.

I lift my hands

I lift my hands to you, O Lord, a child in need of grace,

For I have sinned against You, and I’ve lost Your warm embrace;

A broken, contrite heart, my God, is all that I can bring -

Oh! Overwhelming mercy! To Christ I’ll ever cling!

I lift my hands to you, O Lord, a child in need of help,

This pit is dark and caked in mud, I’m not sure how I fell;

I cry out for a touch from You, please come and rescue me!

Oh! Overwhelming Deliverer! You came and set me free!

I lift my hands to you, O Lord, a child in wondrous awe,

I’ve seen You and beheld Your power, I’ll praise You evermore!

May my prayers and lifting of my hands be worthy in Your eyes,

Oh! Overwhelming Love! You accept my sacrifice!

based on Lamentations 3:40-42; Psalm 28:1-2; Psalm 63:1-5; Psalm 141:1-2

RUN!

RUN!

My natural instinct when in a difficult situation. It’s better than facing the consequences. Or so I tell myself.

RUN!

My natural instinct when faced with a Holy God and my sin is before me. It’s better than facing Him. Or so I tell myself.

RUN!

Dislocated from my position in Christ (or so I think) my Loving Heavenly Father becomes my Judge, His law burns and scalds me, the purity of His people shames me.

RUN! Not so fast now….

“Where can I go from Your Spirit? Where can I flee from Your Presence?” (Psalm 139:7).

STOP…

“Whom have I in heaven but you? And earth has nothing I desire besides you.” (Psalm 73:25).

TURN…

“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.” (1 John 1:9)

RUN! But it’s not me running….

“When he came to his senses, he said, 'How many of my father's hired men have food to spare, and here I am starving to death! I will set out and go back to my father and say to him: Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me like one of your hired men.' So he got up and went to his father. But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; HE RAN TO HIS SON, threw his arms around him and kissed him.” (Luke 15:17-20).

RUN!

“I run in the path of your commands, for you have set my heart free.” (Psalm 119:32).

RUN!

“Let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.” (Hebrews 12:1)

Hope - the Final Word!

William Cowper by Lemuel Francis Abbott

William Cowper’s (1731-1800) hymns are sung in our church, but I hadn’t given the man behind these hymns much thought until a short while ago when I was introduced to this article posted by my friend Teresa. My heart ached for this man as I read about his life, his depressions and despairs, and how God provided encouragement so beautifully for him through his friendship with John Newton. Having suffered periods of crippling despair in my own life as I battle with my faith, I can relate to Cowper at some level; likewise I witness it in others I know. It is so strange that hearing of other saints struggling with despair can be an encouragement. As Piper remarked after giving a lecture on Cowper to his congregation, "This bleak life was felt by many as hope-giving". For me, the encouragement in this man's life is that in spite of the despair, in spite of the fact that Cowper gave up on himself, God never gave up on him and instead faithfully provided him glimpses of hope, for example through Newton - and a glimpse of hope, however faint it may be at times, is enough.

The beauty of Cowper’s poetry that springs from such a broken heart has made me go hunting out more of his hymns. I discovered Red Mountain Music recorded a version of his hymn “Decide this Doubt for me” from the Olney hymns printed in 1779, a collaboration between John Newton and Cowper. I was struck by the sleeve notes for their album  “Help my Unbelief” from which this song is taken:

“Many of the texts in these particular songs carry themes of doubt and longing. We believe that the Christian life is a complexity of emotions, a marriage of sorrow and joy. Valleys and mountaintops. Light and darkness. The hymn writers of the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries seem to have captured these tensions with more honesty and depth than many contemporary writers. Because these writers have given us glimpses of their own doubt and unbelief, working through their hymns has given us much hope. Hope that we are not alone. Hope that sorrow, pain and hardship are not exclusive to our small, believing community here in Birmingham, AL. Rather, that Christians from different parts of the world, hundreds of years ago struggled with the same things. This is one reason why we sing hymns, to remember that the Church is bigger than just us at this moment. We hope you will join us in confessing, "Lord I believe; help my unbelief." Believing that in our doubts and fears Jesus will meet us with patience and grace. This collection of hymns is for God’s prodigals and sojourners as they wait patiently for the Kingdom to come.”

“Believing that in our doubts and fears Jesus will meet us with patience and grace”. The doubts and fears are expressed by Cowper so honestly and so deeply in this hymn:

Decide this Doubt for Me

The Lord will happiness divine

On contrite hearts bestow;

Then tell me, gracious God, is mine

A contrite heart or no?

I hear, but seem to hear in vain,

Insensible as steel;

If aught is felt, ’tis only pain,

To find I cannot feel.

I sometimes think myself inclined

To love Thee if I could;

But often feel another mind,

Averse to all that’s good.

My best desires are faint and few,

I fain would strive for more;

But when I cry, “My strength renew!”

Seem weaker than before.

Thy saints are comforted, I know,

And love Thy house of prayer;

I therefore go where others go,

But find no comfort there.

Oh make this heart rejoice, or ache;

Decide this doubt for me;

And if it be not broken, break,

And heal it, if it be.

But this is not the final word. This can not be the final word!. John Piper says in the article referenced above "Let us now, while we have the light, cultivate distrust of the certainties of despair." However much he insisted that he was damned and beyond hope, Cowper had friends such as Newton who held out hope repeatedly to him. And it is hope that has the last word. And it is hope that is expressed in the hymn Sometimes a Light Surprises, also from the Olney hymns.

Sometime a Light Surprises

Sometimes a light surprises the Christian while he sings;

It is the Lord, who rises with healing in His wings:

When comforts are declining, He grants the soul again

A season of clear shining, to cheer it after rain.

In holy contemplation we sweetly then pursue

The theme of God’s salvation, and find it ever new.

Set free from present sorrow, we cheerfully can say,

Let the unknown tomorrow bring with it what it may.

It can bring with it nothing but He will bear us through;

Who gives the lilies clothing will clothe His people, too;

Beneath the spreading heavens, no creature but is fed;

And He Who feeds the ravens will give His children bread.

Though vine nor fig tree neither their wonted fruit should bear,

Though all the field should wither, nor flocks nor herds be there;

Yet God the same abiding, His praise shall tune my voice,

For while in Him confiding, I cannot but rejoice.


And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us.
(Romans 5:5)