I Breathe

Thy fishes breathe but where thy waters roll;
Thy birds fly but within thy airy sea;
My soul breathes only in thy infinite soul;
I breathe, I think, I love, I live but thee.
Oh breathe, oh think,-O Love, live into me;
Unworthy is my life till all divine,
Till thou see in me only what is thine.

- From the Diary of an Old Soul, George MacDonald (1880)

I am discovering the beautiful works of, and maybe a kindred spirit in, the Scottish author, poet and minister, George MacDonald.

I breathe, I think, I love, I live but thee.  I come face to face with this reality.  I find it at the end of me, there where there is nothing else -- no dependencies, no bowing to false religion, no chasing other lovers.

In the naked place I rest.  I reach.  I be -- all dependent on the All-Sufficient One.  I let go and see: Love lends a hand, makes a way, gives me breath again.

Can it be?  Here, now?  On earth as it is in heaven?  Can I live free of me?

Yes.  The answer is yes in Christ -- He who became sin for me.  He died self-less and sin-full, all dependent on Another to raise him.  The Seed of God was planted in the earth to die, to shatter sin's hard curse, to break through with Life.  The Son of Man was born again, is born again...in me.

He rose, dead to sin and alive to God.  He rises yet again in me.  Love lives into me.

And I -- I breathe, I think, I love, I live but Thee.  

In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus.  ~ Romans 6:11 (NIV)

Today I join Ann Voskamp and the community of ones who give thanks.  (Click button below to read other grace lists.)

201.  Life and breath and breathing Thee.
202.  Kindred friends who have gone before to love from the Cloud.
203.  And those whose love fills earth now, all spirit-birthed from the same Womb.
204. Yeshua, who calls me to follow, to know (yada) Where I am going, and from Where I come.
205.  Great grace, how sweet the sound.
206.  The singing of birds.
207.  The dying of seeds.
208.  For life ever blooming.
209.  Light shining through trees.
210.  And Love ever living into me.




 Click to read more about my Journey of Gratitude.


Photo Courtesy:  flickr - Xeaza

Wearing White

"  Oh!  To be clean as a mountain river!  Clean as the air above the clouds, or on the middle seas!  As the throbbing ether that fills the gulf between star and star!  Nay, as the thought of the Son of Man Himself."

- George MacDonald (1824 - 1905)

Oh.  Ponder this!  You are the thought of the Son of Man Himself.  You!  His idea.  His plan and creation.  His God-formation.  His brilliant design given power to walk in dominion.  His mate who helps.

You were fashioned from God-substance, side-born--all beauty for Him to behold.  You were called to stand beside, hold the heart and hand of God, as one flesh, sheltered from angry, raging storms, adopted co-heir and wife of Christ.  You His bride.

And Yeshua, He makes you clean, intercedes in your behalf, guarantees noon-day bright your destiny. He is your way, your truth, your life.

Abba sees you, Poema-complete.  Though you struggle blind, flail wild with fear, lay crumpled cold, fetal in defeat, Spirit Wind whispers warm, soothes gentle, imparts relief.  Like a vapor, you and Feathered Friend wing heavenward, spiral joy, alight again all drench in peace.

Ponder this.  You are His word made flesh.  Your spirit breathes His breath, inhales delight -- His scent, His whispers.  You dance, sing, come alive in the colors of His beauty.  There is light, and you remember Father -- the God-place from where you came.

You were created for His pleasure.  You belong to His dreams.  You are loved, created to love and be loved as wife to the King.

John saw these things.  He listened to the heavens prophesy and penned:

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, and his bride has made herself ready.  Fine linen, bright and clean, was given her to wear.”

(Fine linen stands for the righteous acts of God’s holy people.) 

Then the angel said to me, “Write this: Blessed are those who are invited to the wedding supper of the Lamb!” And he added, “These are the true words of God.”

- Revelation 19: 6-9 (NIV)

It is done, every promise of God is yes and amen in Christ.  For Yeshua will not relent until our righteousness shines like the dawn.  He will never give up on us.  He will have a wife, one He has chosen, one who has sipped the yes of His betrothal wine.  Will it be you? 

When He comes, will you be ready, all gaze, all full of faith, all covered in white?  Will you be clean?  Will you shine as His bride?   All He needs is yes.  He will do the rest.

I say yes!  My spirit soars, waits in hope to know what John saw, rejoices in the words David Brymer sings:

"It's all about a wedding to come.  It's all about a God who's a Lover."

To listen to the song from where these words come, You Will Not Relent, click here,

While you listen, ponder this great Lover-God, who has promised to become yours and mine.

I'm spilling light with Emily and friends today at Imperfect Prose.  Please join us--just one click away!  You will be blessed.  I promise.

Photo Courtesy:  flickr - Ada Be