I sit before this screen like a held sparrow with her pulse pounding her whole body loud — so scared.
Scared to unbutton a bit of my skin and bare this one beating heart.
I used to fly; I remember this. How to unfold winged hope and enfold the wind in free-falling trust.
I remember thinking the sky all empty space. This can make a sparrow brave.
I remember believing that the wind and faith were enough. How did I forget?
How is it possible — that fear can make you forget how to fly?
How do you remember joy — when some life sliver pierces through your wild pulse?
How does a small sparrow in a wide world extend the brief span of her wings and let go — to climb higher?
“First and foremost we must avoid concentrating on our own feelings. We must learn to concentrate positively on `these things’.
In other words, the secret of joy is the practice of meditation—that is the way to have this joy of the Lord.
We must meditate upon Him, upon what he is, what he has done, his love to us and upon God’s care for us who are his people…”
~ Martyn Lloyd-Jones
The secret of joy is unwrapping what He can’t possibly keep secret — His love for you.
The secret of joy is focusing on Father — not fear.
The secret to joy is meditating on God’s care — not earth’s snares.
I catch it now and then, sitting before this screen, my reflection, a glimpse of eyes.
Eyes that need to focus, to really see.
“All the world is window. No material is opaque. If we are willing to see—people, circumstances, situations, relationships—all is transparent.
All of this globe is but glass to God.
And eucharisteo [giving thanks] washes the glass. Eucharisteo, wholesale worship, its redemptive work wiping away the soot of days cindered…
Why am I a habitual reductionist? Why do I reduce God in this moment to mere annoying frustration? Why do I reduce The Greatest to the lesser instead of seeing the lesser, this mess, as reflecting The Greatest?
I have to learn how to see, to look through to the Largeness behind all the smallness. Isn’t He here?…
Gratitude redeems, making us the realists. Mouth thanks to the heights and see the real reality. Give thanks to keep the gaze on heaven.
Glass to God.”
~ One Thousand Gifts: A Dare to Live Fully Right Where You Are
And when I see my reflection in the screen again, I see it again.
The world’s not meant to be a mirror; it’s never about the sparrow — only about the Spirit.
The world’s not a magnifying glass for my feelings, pounding pulse, palpitating worries.
This globe’s but a glass to God — everything sheer, clear pane “to meditate upon Him, upon what He is, what He has done, His love to us and upon God’s care for us who are His people…”
And obviously—this almost goes without saying—we must avoid everything that tends to break our fellowship with God.
~ Martyn Lloyd-Jones
Glass to God.
Glass to God.
Nothing must break us from Him.
And in a glass house, a sparrow flies, everything crystallizing clear, moments all into glory….
Leave a Comment
Bev Duncan @ Walking Well With God says
Ann,
Oh to continually live in that glass house where nothing breaks my fellowship with God. I too often let fear make what is clear, milky and clouded. My prayer is that I would not reduce God by my fear and frustration, but that I would claim His vastness in spite of my fear which ushers in joy. Thanks, Ann, for a blessing this Saturday morning!
Blessings,
Bev
Ann says
My, you encapsulated it so powerfully, Bev: “not reduce God by my fear and frustration” — exactly. *Thank you*
Sarah S says
As I read these beautiful words, I can’t help but think a glass house is easily shattered by storms and stones…Although, other houses are wrecked by storms too. I’m uncertain which are better. I think it’s hard to hide in a closet to pray in a glass house. As we are free to see out…everyone else can see in…privacy disappears…all becomes an exhibit…the closet…a street corner. Why have a house at all, I wonder? Maybe I’ve missed the metaphor.
Ro elliott says
Beautiful… Praying for soaring wings carried by the breath of His love❤️❤️
Ann says
Everyone needs a prayer warrior like you to make them brave. xoxo
AngCat says
Just. What. I. Needed. Today.
Thank you Ann.
I haven’t been reading blogs so much lately but today I did. Today after yesterday when pointing fingers and misunderstandings in a workplace leave me reeling a bit and wondering how I can be so foolish and shallow. And even before I read this Holy Spirit brought such gentle wisdom to my heart and then you reminded me of ‘these things’. I’ve been a professional at living in my feelings, stuffing them and yet they still seep out no matter how hard I try to deny them. That’s because I haven’t been thinking on ‘these things’. I’ve been pulling ‘my things’ back out to mull over.
So this morning His grace comes again.
Thank you for being His pen and voice when I needed a reminder.
God bless you much!
Jacque Watkins says
Meditating with you…”upon what He is, what He has done, and His love to us…” xoxo
Ann says
You are an absolute treasure. Treasure. Thank you for the gift of your friendship, Jacque.
Jeanne Takenaka says
Ann, thanks for the reminder that God sees as though through glass. He sees me, my heart, my circumstances. He sees it, and He loves me perfectly. When I release fear and choose to see Him in all His largeness, His glory, it’s so much easier to practice eucharisteo. Thanks for the reminder to meditate on Him and to remember: “The secret of joy is unwrapping what He can’t possibly keep secret — His love for you.”
Beautiful post today.
Ann says
Yes, Jeanne, yes — let’s. just. do. that.: “The secret of joy is unwrapping what He can’t possibly keep secret — His love for you.”
All weekend — just that.
Grace, friend.
Andrea says
I truly love your words and imagery. I was just going to say thank you for sharing this but it touches beyond a thank you. We all have felt fearless flight and the fear that keeps us flightless. It’s just amazing to know that our God, His pure love and undying faithfulness calls us to soar with Him personally! When we fall he fluffs our wings and invites us to try again, He is the gentle wind, He is our Holy champion! – Just so in love with the one who crafts our lives. ~ InCourage is always such a blessing; the stories, the pictures, the honest hearts – just love it! Thank you!
Ann says
That, Andrea — ” fear that keeps us flightless” … sometimes, many times, I am desperately fighting that.
And your heart beats out relief: “He is the gentle wind.”
Thank you for ministering to me, to all of us, today…
Lisa E says
Ann,
Thank you for your words, you are a blessing to so many, including me. I struggle with fibromyalgia, and your words are like medicine to me.
Ann says
Dear Lisa… BraveHeart — writing words and stories and transparency here out of deep fear, struggling to stay brave — so know that fellow struggler is clinging to Jesus with you, you and me both, sister. He is medicine to both our bones. Pressing on with you, Lisa.
Gail Bertram says
Hi Lisa E 🙂 I have Fibro also. I sooo UNDERSTAND where you are at sister <3 Would love to chatya. Prayers On Angel Wings For You, Sis 🙂
Rachel Akers says
Thank you for this Glass to God. Your words provide the oxygen we all need.
Ann says
Ah, yes, Rachel — even the sound of our breathing is saying His name, YHWH.
Grace, friend — calling out to Him with you.
Kristen Williams says
Thank you Ann for reminding me that I used to fly and reminding me how to fly again, and for helping me to peel back the thick layers of fear so I can see His face in the face of my fear.. You inspire me… To fly again, to sore- higher than ever before with our Sweet Savior. Thank you
Annette Webb says
A “life sliver” has pierced through my wild pulse, with the loss of my beloved brother earlier this month. His body gave out from the abuse of alcohol after too many years. We couldn’t reach him; he didn’t want help. Seeking to linger more on who Jesus is, what He has done, than on my sorrow. Thank you for this reminder, and also for this one: God is always good, and I am always loved. A good God is always working to bring ultimate good…Trust Him, O my soul.
Beth WIlliams says
Annette,
Prayers for the loss of your beloved brother. May God give you peace and shower you with His love and grace during this time.
Father God,
Please help Annette and her family as they deal with the death of her brother. Comfort them and be there with them as they grieve this loss.
AMEN!
Beth WIlliams says
Anne,
This post spoke volumes to me. I especially loved the quote by ~ Martyn Lloyd-Jones: “In other words, the secret of joy is the practice of meditation—that is the way to have this joy of the Lord.
We must meditate upon Him, upon what he is, what he has done, his love to us and upon God’s care for us who are his people”.
I seemed to have lost my joy and have had a hard time really focusing on God this year. It has been a tough one dealing with my aging father. Adding to this stress is working a job I don’t enjoy or like much and getting iffy news from my husband. I pray I can remember how to fly, let fear go and give it to God!
Thank you for the reminder to meditate more on God and His goodness!
Bev Duncan @ Walking Well With God says
Beth,
You are always so kind in praying for and encouraging others…may I pray for you? Lord, please be with Beth as she deals with the struggles of an aging father. Grant her strength and patience. Also help her to find Your joy Lord even in the midst of a job that she doesn’t enjoy. If it is your will, bring her a different job that she will enjoy, or if not help to calm her amidst the storm of negativity at work. And be with her husband and the news he imparts to her – please bring her some measure of hope and joy. Be with your precious daughter and enable her to let go and give it all to you. In Jesus’ name, Amen