SUE O'DONNELL. 18.04.21
“ ‘See, God has come to save me. I will trust in Him and not be afraid. The LORD is my strength and my song; He has given me the victory’.” (Isaiah 12 v 2 NLT)
My soul rejoices in transformation.
Our reformation means life in abundance
In the obedience and reverence of faith.
My soul rejoices in God my Father Deliverer,
In Christ Jesus, my Forever Saviour,
In the Holy Spirit, my Purifier Sanctifier.
Filled by Him my self-centredness can be overcome.
I am guided and safeguarded by the Spirit of Jesus
That attentive to His promptings, I plead holiness.
My soul rejoices in the Spirit’s revelation
Of wisdom, of truth, of the holiness found in Christ Jesus.
“ ‘Lord, Son of David, have mercy on us’.” (Matthew 20 v 30 NLT)
My faith goes on to become deeper, stronger, bolder,
I ask to be responsible in the stewardship given me.
To spread the best news ever of our salvation,
Blessed by the resolve, commitment and energy of holy love.
My hand to the plough, I must not look back.
I lack nothing necessary to become holy in love,
All thanks to the Lord Jesus and His victory at the †,
His true love and friendship I make my worship.
This security is to be widely shared, being God gifted.
“ ‘With joy we will drink deeply from the fountain of salvation! In that wonderful day we will sing ‘Thank the LORD’! Praise His name! Tell the nations what He has done. Let them know how mighty He is’.” (Isaiah 12 v 3, 4 NLT)
“ ‘Sing to the LORD for He has done wonderful things. Make known His praise around the world. Let all the people of Zion shout His praise with joy’.” (Isaiah 12 v 5, 6 NLT)
For my soul to be redeemed, I need a Redeemer! Lord God, Father of mercy, You have provided this in Your
Son, proving Your love for us.
“ ‘For great is the Holy One of Israel who livest among us’.” (based on Isaiah 12 v 6 NLT) This is the most wondrous aspect to life here.
Christ Jesus was born amongst us of the line of King David, just as was predicted, promised. An angel told us His name and why this was so.
His mother Mary pondered all she had been told in her heart, becoming the chosen mother, most beautiful in her motherhood in all the world.
We are honoured to echo her song of rejoicing: “ ‘Oh, how my soul praises the Lord. How my spirit rejoices in God my Saviour! For He took notice of this lovely servant girl, and from now on all generations will call me blessed’.” (Luke 1 v 46, 47, 48 NLT)
We are blessed by the one chosen to be the mother of God, blessed to know her Son, Your Son, dearest Father, Eternal Lord.
“ ‘For the Mighty One is holy, and He has done great things for me. You show mercy from generation
to generation to all who fear You’.” (based on v 49, 50)
This mercy of such a profound love, is our salvation as won for us by Christ Jesus. The Saviour is our Redeemer. “…the heir to David’s throne will be a banner of salvation to all the world,” (Isaiah 11 v 10 NLT) for He is born to love and sanctify us.
We esteem and extol Christ Jesus at the †. “O LORD, I will honour and praise Your name, for You are my God. You do such wonderful things,” (Isaiah 25 v 1 NLT) things perceived by faith.
Father, You are our Creator and Re-Creator as You deliver us from all sinfulness. You save us by the sacrificial death of the Lord Jesus, justifying the forgiveness You offer us for all sin.
How merciful are Your decisions and actions. “You planned them long ago and now You have accomplished them,” (v 1 cont) all for our benefit.
Your rescue plan for man is a loving mercy beyond description. I can only attempt to thank You prayerfully and through trying to offer my service in Christ Jesus’ name, to proclaim the fame.
“Lord, by Your grace may my love and service be rooted in an abiding love of prayer and scripture, through which I am able to grow in knowledge and understanding of Your love and mercy.” (“Bible Alive Easter Weekday 17.04.21”)
Your love and mercy calls us to both a life of contemplative prayer and study, together with a heart for mission; for evangelisation. May our social action be rooted in the example of the Lord Jesus’ ministry.
“Seek the Kingdom of God above all else…” (Luke 12 v 31) we are told. Thank You that when we receive the living Word of who is the Lord Jesus, we become a part of the flock belonging to the Good Shepherd and how different life then is.
“ ‘So don’t be afraid, little flock. For it gives Your Father great happiness to give you the Kingdom,” (Luke 12 v 32 NLT) for Yours is this Kingdom to give, as is the power and the glory.
The power is the energetic, life building, life enhancing force of the Holy Spirit, as promised us by the Lord Jesus. Once He had risen and ascended, now glorified as our Forever Saviour, the Holy Spirit is released to us.
And the glory offered us is the crown of life we strive to pursue, “Christ in us, the hope of glory,” (based on Colossians 1 v 27) a hope which becomes a certainty in heaven for all believers.
We are truly loved, and we learn this merciful Father, through finding we have a Saviour redeeming us from all that is evil. Christ Jesus is the Author and Perfector of our faith.
We rejoice in our Saviour Brother’s loving, life upbuilding, faith flourishing presence amongst us, coming through prayer, the sacred Scriptures, the sacraments and even each other.
The Lord Jesus, by the Holy Spirit, is our hope Giver. May this benefit ever be now told by us, for it is to be shared. As an Easter people, we are a family of hope.
Life changes daily and often unexpectedly, sometimes disappointingly or even disastrously. But there is one continuous thread here, a lifeline to cling on to, a safe anchor for our body, mind and spirit.
That lifeline is a Person, a perfectly holy Man who lived amongst us, who died for us, who now lives in heaven, yet still moves amongst us by the Holy Spirit, the Paraclete and Advocate.
We do not fight the battle against evil alone, thankfully. We have You as a Trinity behind, before, above, below and alongside us, heavenly Father. What a joy and comfort.
Yes, we do draw water from the wells of salvation, being baptised into a family being made holy, Christ Jesus’ own good works in progress, for His love is perfect.
How I long to thank and praise You that our Saviour Brother, the Redeemer, Christ Jesus, He who is the
Good Shepherd, the Resurrection and the Life, is the same yesterday, today and forever.
We are recipients of an incredible grace thereby, an amazing grace which is always but always, lovingly merciful, kind, compassionate, and considerately life building.
Thank You for the Lord Jesus’ perfect, death defying, life giving, unfailing love, ever with us as we place all our hope in the Saviour of the world, our Redeemer. Holy love changes everything and the change is always for the better!
“And so, Lord, where do I put my hope? My only hope is in You,” (Psalm 39 v 7 NLT) in Your Son and in Your Spirit. The Holy Trinity is fullness of life to me now, and the decided hope of a heavenly destiny.
What grace, what blessing, what favour, what benefits You bestow upon us, holy Father. “Let all that I am praise You LORD; with my whole heart I will praise Your holy name,” (based on Psalm 103 v 1 NLT) that of merciful Deliverer.
“Let all that I am praise You, LORD; may I never forget the good things You do for me,” (based on v 2) through creation, salvation, re-creation and redemption.
“You forgive all my sins and heal all my diseases,” (based on v 3) especially the damage done to me spiritually through the evil that besets us. Ever I will proclaim the victory at the † of Christ Jesus, Your full love gifted us in mercy.
“You redeem me from death and crown me with love and tender mercies. You fill my life with good things,” (based on v 4, 5) which is the hope, the peace and the joy I experience through my Christian faith.
Father God, You are “Compassionate and merciful, slow to get angry and filled with unfailing love. You will not constantly accuse us, nor remain angry forever. You do not punish us for all our sins, nor deal harshly with us as we deserve.” (based on v 8, 9, 10) My soul rejoices and ever will. Thank You, ‘Abba’, Father. Amen.
Images by Artist Christine Garwood
http://www.christinegarwoodartist.co.uk/
Season
Key Themes
ADORATION
JOY
