| When
I began this journey, I started by reading the book of Revelations.
Why? Because I lived in fear of the book and through the many journeys
of life, I learned that the only thing to fear was the fear itself.
With this faith, I read the book – still I did not understand.
At that time, I was directed to read Genesis
up to Moses, but I couldn’t understand the importance of absolute perfection.
(Exodus 25 and on.) For some reason the LORD God Almighty allowed
me skip over to the beginning of the Judges, then I read through Samuel,
Saul, David, Solomon, the First and Second Kings, and the First and Second
Chronicles.
I noticed that the LORD was pleased with David,
but David could not build the tabernacle because his lot in life was to
kill.
“There is a time for every-
thing and a season for
every activity under heaven:
a time to be born
and a time to die,
a time to kill and a time to heal.”
Ecclesiastes 3:1-3 |
The LORD knew Solomon (his son) would be worthy
to build his physical tabernacle.
I was especially interested in the stories
of David and Solomon.
As I read the story of Solomon I tried to
imagine what the temple looked like.
After he finished, I noted God was pleased
Solomon made it exactly as ordered, but
This is what God the LORD says –
he who created the heavens and
stretched them out,
who spread out the earth
and all that comes out of it,
who gives breath to its people,
and life to those who walk on it:
“I, the LORD, have called you in
righteousness;
I will take hold of your hand.
I will keep you and will make you to be a
covenant for the people
and a light for the Gentiles,
to open eyes that are blind,
to free captives from prison,
and to release from the dungeon
those who sit in the
darkness.
Isaiah 42:5 -7 |
After that the Book closed its pages
to me as I began the process of assimilating.
Other interest popped up, like mushrooms
under a tree, very temporal. Even
the mushrooms
were teaching me a lesson on life.
I wasn’t sure what,
but I observed they were there.
Sometimes I went through periods of no growth
whatsoever.
None that showed anyway, for a tree on
a normal day
does not show that it is stretching its
branches toward Heaven.
I began watching the clouds.
| I watch the clouds each day.
. |
I was scared, afraid of lightening, but I
determined to see the LORD’s cloud formations.
Battered by thoughts of lightening striking
the life from my body, I held on for dear life, to the faith I hold that
I am one of the ones being made holy, and that my life would not be taken
from me before I understood what happens to the people.
And then,
I am so blessed, so blessed.
The world’s beauty is
painted before mine eyes. |
After I observed the storm clouds, I began
to observe the gentle, lofty clouds that pass over each day.
I observed their magnitude,
the LORD’s magnitude,
then, magnitude beyond magnitude. |
This happened on the LORD’s day, the Sabbath.
I was in the yard, observing the Sabbath in thought. Clouds, like
covered wagons, rolled over my head. I thought of our great land
and how we must have looked to God as we moved westward across the land.
I looked up and there was God.
Seek the LORD while he may be
found;
call on him while he is near.
Let the wicked forsake his way
and the evil man his thoughts.
Let him turn to the LORD, and he
will have mercy on him,
and to our God for he will freely
pardon.
“For my thoughts are not your
thoughts,
neither are your ways my ways,”
declares the LORD.
As the heavens are higher than the
earth,
so are my ways higher than your
ways
and my thoughts than your
thoughts.
As the rain and the snow come down from
heaven,
and do not return to it
without watering the earth
and making it bud and flourish,
so that it yields seed for the
sower and bread for the eater,
so is my word that goes out from
my mouth:
it will not return to me empty,
but will accomplish what I desire
and achieve the purpose for
which I sent it.
You will go out in joy
and be lead forth in peace,
the mountains and hills
will burst into song before you,
and all the trees of the field
will clap their hands.
Instead of the thorn bush will grow
the pine tree,
and instead of briers the myrtle
will grow.
This will be for the LORD’s renown,
for an everlasting sign,
which will not be destroyed.
Isaiah 55:6 -13 |
At this same time the first three chapters
of the book of Revelations came to me.
The book also opened up to the Ecclesiastes.
I met Solomon.
The first writings were my first songs
to the LORD.
I do not feel worthy.
Have you ever
sat and watched
A sunset so glori-
ously beautiful that
words could not do just-
ice to the swarm of emotions
that arose in your soul?
So lovingly peaceful is this,
that, if I could, I would arise
to my full height and show every
gentle soul in this city the beauty
the LORD has shown me in this sunset.
When I know now what I
didn’t know then I can
clearly see what a gentle soul is.
How could the LORD possibly bless me
anymore? I do not feel worthy.
Once again I read the Revelations. The
fears still there; I just keep remembering, “The only thing to fear is
the fear itself.” This time I am impressed with the New Jerusalem.
. .
“coming down out of heaven, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for
her husband.”
Revelation 21:2 -5
“It had a great, high wall with twelve gates, and with twelve angels at
the gates. On the gates were written the names of the twelve tribes
of Israel.”
Revelation 21:12
“The wall of the city had twelve foundations, and on them were the names
of the twelve apostles of the lamb.”
Revelation 21:14
“The twelve gates were twelve pearls, each gate made of a single pearl.”
Revelation 21:21
The Spirit and the bride say, “Come,” and let him who hears say, “Come.”
Revelation 22:17
Then I heard what sounded like a
great multitude, like the roar of rushing waters and like loud peals
of thunder, shouting:
“Hallelujah!
For our LORD God Almighty
reigns.
Let us rejoice and be glad
and give him glory!
For the wedding of the lamb has
come
for his bride has made herself
ready.
Fine linen, bright and clean,
was given her to wear.”
Revelation 19:6 -8
This I read and wept. The beauty was
clear. The magnitude I couldn’t see. .
Once again, to the beholder,
I became like a tree on a gentle
day. The breeze causes the limbs
to sway, and the leaves to rustle as
they sing their song, and no one
can see their change,
cept God.
The LORD is
my Shepard,
I shall
not want,
He leadeth
me to paths of
righteousness.
The path seems long and slow.
As I read the Old Testament, there was
one story that stood out among the many. It was the story of a King
whom the LORD guided. One day, this King heard some tribesmen were
preparing to attack his people. Forgetting the LORD, this King went
to his neighbor and asked for assistance. The neighbor agreed to
help this King fight his battle. The LORD was angry with this King
and caused him to loose the battle, all because the King
had forgotten to be guided by the LORD.
When I discovered the book was leading
me down a definite path,
I knew in my heart I must be careful to
ask only the LORD for guidance.
One day, I was talking to my mom about
love, and she asked me if I had ever read the love chapter. I replied,
“No,” and then I explained this story and why I only read the Bible when
lead. (I remember thinking, “I may die and never get to read the
story of Jesus,” but I held on to the belief that I am being guided.)
What happened next – I know not why. .
I do not feel worthy of being shown so much
divine love by
God Most High, for
suddenly the book of
Hebrews lay bare at
my feet. I picked it up.
Its softness absorbed my
tears and cooled my burning eyes.
“And after that time,” says the LORD
I will put my laws in their minds
and I will write them on their
hearts.
I will be their God
and they will be my
people.”
No longer will a man teach his
neighbor,
Or a man his brother, saying
‘know the LORD,’
because they will all know me,
from the least of them to the
greatest.
Hebrews 8: 10 -11
~1986 |
