I am Thine, O Lord, I have heard Thy voice - Treasures of Darkness

 Some of you may know this hymn, but this hymn was re-etched afresh in my heart just before the beginning of 2022; a most memorable night after our wonderful family Christmas Day. As often happens, I was slow unwinding. So about 2am, standing at my bedroom window, and ready for my night-time chat with my LORD.

Have you had almost audible times when God speaks out aloud in the quietness of your heart?

So love the dark contrast to the bright twinkles of our amazing southern night skies (the northern hemisphere I’ve seen is half of what ours in southern hemisphere, to my eye, even in April on lake in Finland or balmy, summer Florida)! 

This night after Christmas Day, standing at the open window - it made me blink, then look again! Hurrying out to back door and outside - there high up in trees in our yard and rear neighbours, all were full of twinkling lights, myriads of them! Moving gently, pulsating in the breeze.

I knew there were no Christmas lights of any sort, so it was momentary puzzlement!?

Then suddenly I realised the warm ‘after-storm-humidity’ of our summer night had brought out this ‘never-seen-before’ spectacle of about 80 fireflies some flitting, some just swaying on the trees, moving in time with the beauty of the gentle summer breeze; some were brighter and some different colours.
I started to pray, praise turned into a hymn.. 

"Draw me nearer, nearer blessed Lord to the cross... 

I stopped mid line of that refrain, taking in the meaning of next line.

” .. to the cross, where Thou hast died, 

draw me nearer, nearer to Thy precious bleeding side”.

I knew what God was saying. How or details I've no idea, but know there is crosswork ahead.. 

 I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.  Galatians 2:20

Yet one thing is ALWAYS sure, my Father knows the way through the wilderness, ALL I have to do is follow.

It’s most unusual to see fireflies here, we are not in the zone. None in my family have seen them before, but it was definitely a God gift, for a purpose yet to be known.

I managed with mobile phone to get one photo with three bright lights in darkness. Only three out of all the myriads of twinkles and they were different colours, that was miraculous too.

(I’m not sure if they’re visible on screen, but this from a large full size photo with just three fireflies shown and in different colours, how amazing is God!)

The next night there were just three fireflies again, moving around at similar time. However they were in side yard, next to the courtyard, nowhere else, just three, flitting moving in time to breeze.

 

I thought these verses so apt to think upon with this post.

2 Chronicles 6:1 

Then said Solomon, The Lord hath said that he would dwell in the thick darkness.

Isaiah 45:2-3,5, 7, 22

 I will go before thee, and make the crooked places straight: I will break in pieces the gates of brass, and cut in sunder the bars of iron: 

And I will give thee the treasures of darkness, and hidden riches of secret places, that thou mayest know that I, the Lord, which call thee by thy name, am the God of Israel. 

I am the Lord, and there is none else, there is no God beside me: I girded thee, though thou hast not known me:

I form the light, and create darkness: I make peace, and create evil: I the Lord do all these things.

Look unto me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth: for I am God, and there is none else.

There are many choice verses and treasures in Isaiah, my favourite O.T. book, along with Job. 

This last verse holds the key to the treasures of darkness referred to in verse 3. 

“I am God, and... none else!”

Darkness and treasure are not usually associated together. 

How like God’s ways, which are higher than our ways, to put them together!

(*note these verses with notes section above was written in July 2021, this is a paste from Blog Drafts. Long before that night, yet how apt is this passage for this event? 

Who else but God does these sorts of things?

AND I’m also very sure, this is not shared just for me, but written for others blessing, too.

God’s ways are past finding out) 

Another night looking into the starlit sky it struck me, I’ll never do this in heaven, look out upon a clear, starry night. 

Darkness CANNOT be seen in heaven - where God is, for He is LIGHT. 

On a moonlit night, or lit up night sky, the stars are less bright, in God’s bright light they maybe there, they are simply not seen.

So that’s why there are no lesser lights to rule the day and night - no stars or moon or sun, and no more sea… what a changed place the heavenly realm is for those of us, who now are earth dwellers. 

HOWEVER, there is still the promise a pure, unspoilt by sin, a new earth AND new heaven to contemplate upon (see Revelation 21) and we have Eternity to enjoy it all, as we worship our loving Father God, King of Kings, LORD of Lords.

To close, in the months since that night, another verse from this hymn has echoed frequently, strongly in my heart and mind (the section in red, especially the last part, my will = Thine).

I am thine O LORD, I have heard Thy voice , 

And it told Thy love to me… 

Let my soul look up with a steadfast hope,

And my will be lost in THINE!

Or link here if not showing.

1	I am Thine, O Lord, I have heard Thy voice,   And it told Thy love to me; But I long to rise in the arms of faith,   And be closer drawn to Thee.
	Draw me nearer, nearer, blessed Lord,   To the cross where Thou hast died; Draw me nearer, nearer, nearer, blessed Lord,     To Thy precious, bleeding side.
2	Consecrate me now to Thy service, Lord,   By the pow’r of grace divine; Let my soul look up with a steadfast hope,   And my will be lost in Thine.
3	O the pure delight of a single hour   That before Thy throne I spend, When I kneel in prayer, and with Thee, my God,   I commune as friend with friend!
4	There are depths of love that I yet may know   Ere Thee face to face I see; There are heights of joy that I yet may reach   Ere I rest in peace with Thee. (Hymn lyrics “Draw me nearer”copied from Hymnary.org)

By Fanny Crosby - based on Hebrews 10:22 link here.

There’s a passage in scripture that applies to this sort of period of life … the stirring of the 🦅 eagle’s nest.. ever so lovingly.

Here are the verses (passage link here, in Deut 32:11-13) AND there’s a post on it in my Christian section in craft blog here.

It has an illuminated Prov 3:5,6 on it too. Most apt.

Yes, there IS cross work, heart work, or a moment by moment dying to self in various ways going on. To be honest there always is, in a growing Christian walk. 

Nevertheless, as I think upon that night, I know its ACTUAL purpose is not yet mine to know yet, or may never know this of glory.. 

So I leave it in my Father’s safe hands till it is. 

In the meantime, I strive to do my best for whatever He sends, for His grace is ALWAYS SUFFICIENT.

(The Lord spoke also like this in Christmas 1983/ New Year 1984. 1984 was indeed an unforgettable year,.. that time it was on pruning, in the vineyard 🍇.

This post dedicated to Diane Ronzino, - see “Hadarah” blog, link here or on sidebar. She wrote a post at this time about the way God speaks to us as believers, it caused me to write this experience down.  Thank you, Diane. Her post here.)

May God richly bless you and those you love, wherever you may be! 

Thank you SO much for popping over for a read, a meditate and especially if you’re able to stay for a chat, and a cuppa, eh? 

Wouldn’t that be grand!? The kettle is always on! 
Prayer hugs, 🙏 🤗 

Shaz in Oz.x  

If you are not sure if you are a Christian, a Christ follower, please read this post here - Who or What is a Christian?

PS. If you haven’t I'd love it you to join as a wonderful encourager of this blog ...  link HERE.  Thank YOU to those who have done so already. It really encourages me to keep on. 😁

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"It IS Finished!" Finished work - once, and for all!

 It's Easter time, and really it's not about the bunny, but THE Lamb ..

The Lamb of God... as John the Baptist said of Jesus:

 "Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sins of the world". 

Two verses (along with others but two main ones) repeat in my mind at Easter time.
The first verse is John 19:30
 

Jesus said, “It is finished.” 

With that, He bowed his head and gave up His spirit. 

Read this Scripture in John 19 so many times – the last words Jesus spoke on the day He was crucified. There’s such gravity in that moment. Imagining the Son of God, our Savior, with His battered and broken body nailed to a cross, stirs up a sense of both sadness and shame. 

Sorrow because it is MY SIN that He bore on the cross of shame.

 Shattered in body and Spirit by the greatest grief of all time, as His Father could not look on our sin, and turned His back on our perfect Sin-Bearer, the LORD Jesus Christ.

 Often the focus is on what happened, the events themselves, and less so on those three simple words He spoke at the end: 

“It is finished.”

Let us to really consider those words. 

Christ was not simply stating the obvious - that His earthly life was over. 

He was declaring that our sins were forgiven once and for all, their price paid by His sacrifice."

"It is finished" last of Jesus' seven sayings on the cross. ... 

It meant that salvation was bought! 

It is paid for in full!

Wherefore, 

as by ONE man sin entered into the world, 

and death by sin; 

and so death passed upon all men, 

for that all have sinned:

For as by one man's disobedience (Adam) many were made sinners, 

so by the obedience of ONE (Jesus) shall many be made righteous.

Romans 5:12, 19

 The battle against sin's punishment was won, once for all.

By one man's sin (Adam) sin entered the world,

 by one Man's Death (the LORD Jesus) sins power was defeated!

"The blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanseth us from all sin". I John 1:7b 
His blood bought our salvation.. 

We can never ever earn it ourselves.
... being a member of a church, a religion
or any other thing we do, it all is as nothing - it will not buy your salvation. 
Only one way through the perfect Son of God.

(This is a very early text done in 1992, executed in water colours, ink and 23 carat Gold leaf. 
I chose this verse because it was the verse that lead to my salvation (see here) .. and it is pivotal in my heart.
I now have another layout hanging on our loungeroom wall.)

The second verse that rings in my heart at Easter time - after Jesus cry of 
"It is finished!"

 is the angel's saying at the empty tomb:

"He is not here, for He is risen as he said."

What a joy it is to serve a Risen Saviour! Our God is not dead ... He lives ..
And how do I know He lives? ... as the hymn says "He lives within my heart!"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qF6aBDS3drA 

Thanks so much for taking the time to read this post. I pray it blesses you – for how richly I am blessed as a result of this gift of salvation at a young age.

I did not know until someone had told me, someone had asked me.
So this is why I share it with you today. 

Praying for you.
Shaz in Oz.x

If you are not sure if you are a Christian, a Christ follower, please read this post here - Who or What is a Christian?

PS. If you haven’t I'd love it you to join as a wonderful encourager of this blog ...  link HERE.  Thank YOU to those who have done so already. It really encourages me to keep on. 😁

If you'd like these posts in your inbox, you can add your email to email link option on side bar. If you're on a mobile device on which there is no sidebar, then scroll down and select "View Web Version" at very bottom of post. This will bring up sidebar and "follow by email" link, which is on the top of sidebar. 😊 thank you!