The road to true intimacy with God...

The road to true intimacy with God is an inward journey, proceeding into His Presence through the entrance gate of quietness of the soul. It is a narrow track that lies well off the beaten path, virtually unseen and ignored by the vast majority of humanity careening headlong through life.
...Jim Goll image

We must be ready to allow ourselves to be interrupted by God...

We must be ready to allow ourselves to be interrupted by God, who will thwart our plans and frustrate our ways time and again, even daily, by sending people across our path with their demands and requests. We can, then, pass them by, preoccupied with our important daily tasks, just as the priest—perhaps reading the Bible—passed by the man who had fallen among robbers. When we do that, we pass by the visible sign of the Cross raised in our lives to show us that God’s way, and not our own, is what counts. ...Dietrich Bonhoeffer image

When you go to prayer...

When you go to prayer, your first thought must be: The Father is in secret, the Father waits me there. Just because your heart is cold and prayerless, get you into the presence of the loving Father. As a father pitieth his children, so the Lord pitieth you. Do not be thinking of how little you have to bring God, but of how much He wants to give you. Just place yourself before Him, and look up into His face; think of His love, His wonderful, tender, pitying love. Tell Him how sinful and cold and dark all is; it is the Father's loving heart will give light and warmth to yours. ...Andrew Murray image

The Land Beyond...

Somewhere over the rainbow.  
 Skies are blue,
 And the dreams that you dare to dream
 Really do come true...    
 If happy little bluebirds fly
 Beyond the rainbow,
 Why, oh why can't I?
 ...lyrics by E. Y. Harburg

The land beyond--shining, elusive.

But is this the "land beyond" we desire?  Are bluebirds happier than other birds?  Why "Over the Rainbow" in the first place?  Why Bali Ha'i? Camelot?  Is this the best we can hope for--a tropical  isle, perfect weather?   Or do these wistful songs spring from deeper roots? 

"You'll Never Walk Alone" points beyond the bright skies and birdsong:

 

At the end of the storm is a golden sky
And the sweet silver song of a lark.
Walk on through the wind,
Walk on through the rain,
Though your dreams be tossed and blown.
Walk on, walk on with hope in your heart
And you'll never walk alone.
...lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II

Here is a new element--presence.

Psalm 23 names this presence:

 

   The Lord is my shepherd...

   Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,

   I will fear no evil,

   For Thou art with me.

   Thy rod and Thy staff, they comfort me.

This land beyond is dark, foreboding. Silent.  But we have a companion.  

When someone has passed through this valley, which consoles us?  "Over the Rainbow?

Or the One who walks with us through the valley of the shadow of death?   -Meditation by Holly Delavan image

Faith is not a pathetic sentiment...

 Faith is not a pathetic sentiment, but robust vigorous confidence built on the fact that God is holy love. You cannot see Him just now, you cannot understand what He is doing, but you know Him. Shipwreck occurs where there is not that mental poise which comes from being established on the eternal truth that God is holy love. Faith is the heroic effort of your life, you fling yourself in reckless confidence on God.

God has ventured all in Jesus Christ to save us, now He wants us to venture our all in abandoned confidence in Him. There are spots where that faith has not worked in us as yet, places untouched by the life of God. There were none of those spots in Jesus Christ’s life, and there are to be none in ours. "This is life eternal, that they might know Thee." The real meaning of eternal life is a life that can face anything it has to face without wavering. If we take this view, life becomes one great romance, a glorious opportunity for seeing marvellous things all the time. God is disciplining us to get us into this central place of power. ...Oswald Chambers image