Meditations on the Word

Let him kiss me with kisses of his mouth, for your love is better than wine, better than the fragrance of your perfumes. Song of Songs, 1:2-3 In dreams, I touch my Love’s long, silken hair, let my finger’s run through it. My Love turns to look on me, and I adore the countenance. My Love smiles and my soul bursts into flames like the bush of Sinai, the unquenchable fire. But I awaken and my Love is not there. The room is dark. I reach for my Love and find nought but air, cold and uninviting. On the street, I look for my Love among the countless shadows. Despairing, I go to the place where I am told my Love dwells. I enter the dwelling and seek my Love, turning and turning, but I am confused and a myriad of faces rush by. In my dizziness, I seize the back of a bench, feel the smooth wood grain, smell the fresh lacquer. There is the scent of flowers in the air, rose and lilac, cherry blossom and lavender. The assembled process from their seats, reverently, expectantly. And there...

Silence, all, in the presence of the LORD! for he stirs forth from his holy dwelling. Zechariah 2:17 On the seventh day, God rested. Morning came and the man and the woman wandered the Garden. At three of the clock, the serpent spoke to the woman. Later, that afternoon of the seventh day, the woman ate from the tree and then did the man. Night fell and a deeper darkness covered the land than had ever been seen in the previous six nights. But even in the darkness, the two knew their nakedness and sought to hide it. They trembled in fear and cried rivers. Some stars fell, revealing a hideous blackness behind the stars. In heaven, the Lord’s rest was troubled, his dreams disturbed. At eleven of the clock that night, vegetation began to wither and rot, animals devoured each other and erupted in ghoulish howling and thunderous roars . At midnight, the Lord began to stir. The sky filled with clouds and a great storm came with wind and lightning and thunder. The Lord went forth from h...

Hide me in the shadow of your wings.  Psalm 17:8 Sacred time and sacred space. The Lord flies on wings of purest spirit in all places and in all times. Let this land be blessed where I sit, for the Lord Himself has perched here. He has sheltered me from the sight of my enemies. He has made my home His abode, standing guard at night and blessing us in the morning. He has called my children home again and made for them soft beds and sung lullabies. He has watched over the generations and they have responded to His call. In joy, He sits in the branches of the trees and sings to us in the morning light. His flight, the flapping of His wings, sends cool breezes in the midst of the summer heat. His feathers warm us in the dark and cold of winter. And always is a resting place prepared for us until we climb onto His shoulders and He flies us away to our home everlasting. ++++++++++ In the camps by the river where dwell those without homes, I saw a man with wings. He sat around t...

Jesus said, "I have observed Satan fall like lightning from the sky.”  Luke 10:18 An angel stood by the confluence of two immense rivers. He gestured to me and pointed to them. Heeding the angel, I came forward and this is what I saw. One river was red, while the other's water was crystalline. Far up by the headwaters I could see a red hillock, cleaved in two, that seemed to be moved as if by great tremors. In the east and the west and the south, the land was punctured by large metal shafts. Next, I saw a immense cloud approach and turn the sky to black. A flash of lightning split the sky, and the roar of thunder shook the earth. The heavens opened, and angels fell down by the banks of the rivers and wept. But the cloud began to pass and the downpour changed to a soft, refreshing rain. The angels looked up and saw that the sun was emerging, and a great rainbow stretched from horizon to horizon. Shouts of victory echoed, and the angels leaped and whirled and embraced one ...

"Unless I see the mark of the nails in his hands and put my finger into the nailmarks and put my hand into his side, I will not believe."  John 20:25 I had a vision. There was a tear in everything. My side was open and I could see the organs inside. I held my hand there to keep them from falling out. Others had a similar wound. The earth itself bore such a wound. It opened upon an abyss of suffering and lamentations. The sky, too, bore a wound. From it the heavens cried out for relief, for the heart of the cosmos bled. And beyond, the body of the Lord was likewise wounded, the Godly flesh torn, and blood and water issued, mingling with the waters of the firmament and the oceans and seas of the earth. +++++++++ I cut myself, the smallest of wounds, barely noticeable. But the cut became infected and spread, infecting my whole body. Beyond that, even, my soul became infected. I was plagued with disturbing dreams and the sense that all was lost. I called severa...

In Him Alone: It's Okay to be Human : I awoke at two in the morning last evening, thinking again (as I too often do) about the events surrounding Nancy’s stroke on January 19th...

And behold, Jesus met them on their way and greeted them. They approached, embraced his feet, and did him homage. Then Jesus said to them, “Do not be afraid . . .” Matthew 28:9-10 Jesus meets them on their way, just as He meets all of us on our way. To work, to our homes, to the hospital, to the cemetery. He meets us on our way to temptation and sin. He meets us on the lonely road back from sin. He meets us on the road to hell as well as heaven. He meets us where we are and offers to walk with us. He meets us on our way delivering sad news and news of the greatest joy. He comforts us and increases our joy. He never leaves us alone. Embrace His feet. Fall on your knees. Prostrate yourself before the manifestation of the living God. He was dead and now He is alive. Yes, He is God. How is it He Himself conquered death. Fall on your knees before His presence always for His magnificence, His glory is overwhelming. Never before has man looked on God except when He ordained i...

Everything is crosses. You must prepare a space as big as your life to make room for Jesus. It is His will that we pray, "Thy will be done". It is less supplication than recognition. Forgiveness in a fallen world is the essence of love. If we unconditionally forgive those who sin against us, won’t people walk all over us? Yes. The same can be said of the Father. How much more can He be walked over than for us to demand and be given His beloved Son? The path of bread is through the gut. In the cold (unfeeling) dark of this empty cityscape, the Lord is teaching me to hunger and thirst so that I may come to Him completely. The hole in me is a black abyss. I look into it and see emptiness, cold and dark. (But how can cold and darkness burn)? Only the limitless Lord can fill this fathomless hole. The Bible is not so much a story (though it is that); it is a song composed by the Father and sung by the Christ, Jesus, with a chorus of angels and realized on earth...

The city had no need of sun or moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gave it light, and its lamp was the Lamb.   Revelation 21:23 The street lights shone, cold and unfeeling, in the chill night. Streets deserted, windows empty, like blank stares. The stars had disappeared and neither was there moonlight. Not a soul, not a soul. The lights flickered and then went out, and for a moment all was darkness. But then a  light began to shine, no earthly sun. It originated not in the east or west, but from nowhere and everywhere. Then could be seen a small animal climbing the steps of the house of the law-givers, its hooves echoing in the streets of the city. The doors opened and entered in the little one. The population awoke and assembled to witness this strange event. And in the lighted watchtower, the new light shone. ++++++ There is a secret wind that blows across all of us. It moves us and gives the impression that we are moving ourselves. It fills our lungs ...

And coming to her, he said, “Hail, favored one! The Lord is with you.”  Luke 1:28 Mighty flower, pure and white, no winter will wilt thee, no summer will scorch thee. Let us fly to your bounty. Let us drink of your nectar. Enclosed by your petals, let us dance with joy. Oh, flower of the valley, oh, mother of life. I give you a rose, a rose to a Rose. I give you my heart to give to your Son. I shower you with petals and cry out your name. Queen of Heaven, behold her, in glory arrayed. ******** Like a lightning bolt, at the moment of her conception, Mary was filled with grace. The earth shook and the serpent trembled. Lambs nuzzled into their mothers and the lions roared as one. A dim star grew brighter and the dark of night shimmered. The lowly discoursed on the qualities of God and their rulers listened. Time stood still in reverence and the entire cosmos bowed down. Children sang without knowing why and their elders dared not to silence them. As the rabbis read the ...

I am the living bread that came down from Heaven.   John 6:51 Let my mouth pour forth, then, with Living Bread. Let the Kiss of Peace feed them. Let my lips shout of your love to the ears of the deaf. You are Holy, Lord, and you tell me, “Let go of me.” I grasp you with my mind, but you desire my heart. I grasp you with my body, but you desire my spirit. When I embrace you with my mind and body, I grasp at air and hold onto nothing. When I embrace you with heart and spirit, you come into my arms. ****** Feed me, oh, Lord. The flavor of the Lord is sweet and satisfies the mouth. The substance of the Lord is bountiful and satisfies the stomach. I taste you, Lord, and find fresh, warm bread. I drink you, Lord, and am besotted. I stumble about, as a man drunk. I cling to you for support and sing songs to you. You smile at my intoxication and lay me in a freshly made bed, soft, warm, abundant with scented pillows. I awake refreshed and ready to drink and to feed on your e...

While he was praying his face changed in appearance and his clothing became dazzling white.  Luke 9:29 When the Christ was transfigured, he transfigured all the world. The prophets rose from their graves and the kings of old reclaimed their crowns and returned to their thrones. One person reported seeing Solomon walking through Herod's temple, distressed that his temple was no more. A great wind came and all the trees of the earth were bent toward the holy mount where stood the Messiah in communion with Moses and Elijah. The star of Bethlehem was seen for the last time stopped above, exploding in the sky as our Lord turned dazzling white. Rivers stopped to listen and the oceans and seas were becalmed. In far away lands, people made the sign of the cross, though they knew not what they did nor why. And in a carpenter’s workshop a tree was being shaped into upright and crossbeam, slowly and painstakingly, in preparation for the transfigured Messiah. ****** My Lord gl...

"I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me will never hunger, and whoever believes in me will never thirst.” John 6:35 Alienating mystery. You are the Holy of Holies, how can I approach? Reverently, aware in my heart and soul, in my very bones, that I approach unimaginable glory and holiness. Never take the Lord for granted ****** Human belief is not enough; we must have supernatural belief placed in us by the Lord Himself. Words of belief are not enough; we must have a heart and soul of belief. God you are here with me now and you are far away. Bridge the chasm so that I may come to you and believe. ****** I walk toward the Lord and realize it is the Lord Himself who walks within me. ****** Fear not, yes, but be amazed, awed, in the presence of the Lord. ****** The Son shines, the heavenly light in the supernatural sky. He warms the ground where the seed is scattered and sustains it as it grows. By light, let us harvest. In the mysterious dark, let...