a prayer for a thistle

September 17, 2013 by Rick Stassi you

And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. Revelations 21:5 (KJV)

Your guardian eyes so warm, removing harm and protecting my way each day. Watched over, I feel safe, secure and steeped in Love. It is Your eyes, Lord, that see me through each abrasion and each incident, turning mismatched moments into seeds of goodness planted deep into my soul. O blissful thought. Watchful eyes turning a bitter and acrid outlook into welcoming warmth. Yes, this is how I hope to be: drawing those into my warmth You provided rather than exuding the bitter glare of the past things in me still half hidden. It is Your guardian eyes that envelope me.

In Your goodness, I forge through paths of nettles and thistle. A thorny weed with a pretty flower is still a thorny weed. Discern appearances, lest be deceived. You tell me this in my heart – answering my prayer, knowing I am mismatched with the surroundings I am in. Separated into goodness. So many scratches on my legs. I was drawn in by the thistle and her pretty purples and blues. Captivated, my eyes deceptively were drawn in. However, I listen to You and know even weeds deserve love. I see their way, misled perspective – short and shallow. They are the remnants of seeds planted on soil not quite prepared enough. Nutrients escape and the hardened clay offers a bed where adaptation is required to survive. Even then, the purples lure. The best you can do poor thistle. Compassion burns within me. God’s goodness brings hope.

Your unmistakable voice, O Lord, thunder and lightning, across valleys scorching mountain tops. Righteousness and truth ought be remembered: “I am God and I am with you”. For the ages. I hear You Father. You will shout and you will whisper. A shout is necessary for me wading ever deeper into the river ready to carry all things to nowhere. I turn back to the water’s edge. Then at night with gentle moon and quiet stars you whisper sweet psalms of joy and wisdom into my heart. It is Your love, both ways. You saved me from the sweeping river to nowhere to bless me with whispers of love. So warm, so loved.

Your guardian eyes, Lord. Steel gaze on all things around. No less me with my eyes looking back. A single tear, a prayer for a thistle. You see her Father. I do too, praying I do through Your eyes. For what You have done for me is ever engraved in my soul and I must break ground and harrow clay to loam. Nutrients are in Your Word and water from Your Spirit. Plant seeds anew and where the thistle once only adapted and survived. Now a blanket of jonquils, daisies, and tulips color the land with yellows and reds. Figs and pears come from trunks stout and firm – roots well watered. Wheat grows for bread. Daily bread.

Oh how I love You. Can I love You more? These days pass and ahead is the horizon – sun waning and moon waxing. All the splendor of Your harmonious way. Help me Lord forge through. To see good. To forgive those adapted to bad. To see guardian eyes looking down upon my upward gaze, Warm, I am, and Loved too. It is wonderful in this way Father. Your path under Your gaze and guided by Your voice. All is bliss, heaven and earth.

green and white

September 7, 2013 by Rick Stassi you

But He knows the way that I take;
When He has tested me, I shall come forth as gold.

Job 23:10

O that I should look upon the past
Still salvaging pieces of things You will outlast
Gripping struggles gone long ago
Greener pastures, whiter snow.

But what is this pain inside my core?
A reminder! Espy the Light on distant shore.
For upon Your path I surely go,
Greener pastures, whiter snow.

For You Lord know the way for me
As you bend and mold my image toward Thee.
And sometimes it hurts, this refining show.
Greener pastures, whiter snow.

Shadows hide the eyes of Peace.
Through them I fumble fears increase.
But, forward, faithful, effortless flow.
Greener pastures, whiter snow.

Greener pastures, whiter snow.
A promise that to Thou I surely go.
And sit upon a rock, or tuft of grass,
I did doubt a little though, I sigh alas.

To the depths of Your heart I seek,
Traverse graven valleys, mountain peak.
The promise when I am feeling low,
Greener pastures, whiter snow.

O that Your thoughts would be e’er for me.
I dash all fears upon the sea.
Now looking forward seeds to sow,
Greener pastures, whiter snow.

Veiled and Clouded

July 19, 2013 by Rick Stassi you

Artist: Heidi Brummer
South Africa

“Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ”
Romans 5:1 (NKJV)

Empty me Lord,
my mind betrays
filled with thoughts
for intended delays

Empty me Lord,
of the veil of night
that blocks out light
and defers my sight

Empty me Lord,
of this mind so clouded
in skies of gray
seeking is shrouded

Empty me Lord
of barricaded stream
blocking wisdom
cancel this erratic dream

For faith alone shall
bear enough reason
to fill this heart-
mind held with treason

And justly I walk
to see Your eyes
by this faith alone
discard disguise

and peace shall come
evident in certain hour
for by my faith
I rest in Your power.

Concerning a Seed

May 15, 2013 by Rick Stassi you

Artist Credit: Sean Seal

Concerning his Son Jesus Christ our Lord, which was made of the seed of David according to the flesh; Romans 1: 3 (KJV)

Concerning a Seed upon the ground
Tilled into soil all warmth surround
Consider how it may grasp from me
Endless thoughts of eternity

Concerning the Seed first long ago
Bleating lambs, cow’s sorrowful low
Consider how the path of all thing are
One night, one star, One from afar

Concerning a Seed from a bed of soil
Sprouts a root anointed in oil
Consider His walk, long, narrow
To showeth hope through adorned sparrow

Concerning a person, me and you
Immersing, crying, seeing Him anew
Consider His influence, truth and fear
Reverence now to hearts so dear.

Seek all ye Jesus our Saviour e’er more
Placing love firmly at our soul’s door
Consider how we shall act in return
Concerning a Seed love’s lesson to learn.

I pray true love will come for you.

Crimson on White

April 19, 2013 by Rick Stassi you

“Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me” Matthew 16:24 (KJV)

Where shall I go
O Lord, O Lord?
With mountains to climb
And stream to ford.
I shall follow You.

What should I do
O Lord, O Lord?
With the hopeless at hand
And peace in demand.
I shall do as You do

How shall I act
O Lord, O Lord?
With willing heart
And humble start
I shall act godly today.

When should I go
O Lord, O Lord?
To those crying, run
With teary eyes, setting Sun.
I will go now.

How I love You
O Lord, O Lord.
Crimson on white
Perfectly upright.
In Your arms I rest.

Immersion in Grace

April 17, 2013 by Rick Stassi you

For this cause we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to desire that ye might be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding;
That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God;
Strengthened with all might, according to his glorious power, unto all patience and longsuffering with joyfulness;
Colossians 1:9-11

I am inspired always by the Lord’s word. The cause mentioned above is love unto the Spirit. But me? I spend my days in haste. I spend time in motions of survival. I am tired. I weep and I laugh. I am curious and I am wary. I love and I dislike. O how I hate to dislike. It is abrasive. At times I just need to shout, no, let me scream! Spiraling, I digress as I am really joyful on most days. Today is a day of thoughts.

Ever-watching is God and ever-listening is me. Ever-responding to the Lord’s voice is….well, me most of the time. We have a relationship. He has laid before me all wealth and love. He has provided for me. He has poured wisdom upon me and I soak it in like laying in a cool pool of water on a hot day. Immersed and in the His arms.

There is a path in my mind that runs from the tip of my toes (not even an inch behind), to the setting sun. It is my future, my destiny, my life laid before me. God gives me many visions and glimpses into places upon this path – even to my time of glory. There are many smiles, many surprises, and change awaiting. I see growth and I see my wife and I together for all time here and there on this earth. I seem to wait and bide time. How I wish I would participate in every moment. I may regret that someday…

For all that I see, the beauty and light, there are wrinkles in the road I walk upon. The enemy places crumbs of bread in a tidy trail – one after another. They spin off from the road’s center to the right and left like the arcs of subatomic particles at post-collision. Spin off right and fade, spin off left, fade. How do I see a clear future even as far as heaven, and still stop to follow a row of bread crumbs, nose to the ground? A paradox?

I almost feel it is under-appreciation for God’s grace sometimes. Each day after another is beautiful! I long to be upright and walking straight bathed in the adjectives and attributes that flow so eloquently from Paul’s heart:

Wisdom
Spiritual Understanding
Worthy
Fruitful
…and on.

I am made to focus on this moment. Yet I get so wound up in angst. It is in my genes. What once drinking medicated, I must let God fill.

Yet I forget.
I am sorry for this and that
My reasons for shortcomings are usually not that great
I shall remember: Such is our nature, I must go easy on myself.

The ramblings of a man in mid-life. I see mortality and I see immortality. I see death and birth. I trust God yet I walk aimlessly after crumbs of deception. It is life and I like life. I thank God I can see all this. If not, I spiral and careen to paths of emptiness. In His grace, I can love. O how I love the Lord and what He tells me through countless conversations and through His words for all ages in Scripture.

The pool of immersion. Bathing in cool water – head partway under water to drown out noise. Weightless and cradled in His arms. I know His love. I try and love others. This love breathes in and breathes out: ever-sustaining our lives. Smiles and laughing, tears and crying. All incite such a compassion. I can see the heart of those around me and it is the eyes of souls that meet. It is immersion in each moment, each conversation, each action. Under the water I hear nothing but the voice of God. He says it is good. That is good enough for me.

Rick
April 17, 2013

Fall and the Harvest Moon

April 14, 2013 by Rick Stassi you

Jesus, Light of the World

When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child;

1 Corinthians 13:11

In the Fall of my life, leaves peeled away from my branches and fell to the ground. In my understanding, I was like a tree. Once flourishing in a glow of parental care, the green leaves of innocence of my very young times. The sureness and comfort of youth. The seriousness of my cares lie in my next meal or when I should see my Father’s face when he arrived home from work. When I was a child I did not fear. I did not have a care for anything outside of a very small sphere of influence. Lies are awaiting, seeking.

Jesus was a name in a book and as my green leaves began to wither and turn to a fiery orange-red, I felt a change…

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Relevance and Relativism

February 26, 2013 by Rick Stassi you

“But of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God hath said, Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die”
Genesis 3:3 (KJV)

God tells us that which is good and bad.
He commands to love,
He gives so many other instructions.
Will we deny them? Yes, most will.
Obedience lost?

It is a joyous time when God speaks to us.
He spoke to Adam and Eve.
Is it different now?
Relevance found.

God cares enough to instruct in words.
There is cause and effect.
Sin has its consequence, fruit of temptation and death.
Listen carefully.

Each day He speaks to us.
We had but one thing to remember: “Lest we Die”
We failed but God knew Remedy for consequence.
Jesus.

Bearing our cross,
It is not easy.
The chalice stayed with our Savior, with us.
Salvation.

Will we listen?

“For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil.”
Genesis 3:5 (KJV)

The fate of Mankind is held in two verses.
The rationale: We are told right and wrong, we are tempted, we rationalize, we succumb weakly to temptation, then we justify.
This is sinning.
Repent.

For Satan says we can be God.
But what of he that stands beside me?
Should not a new god be born?
Two gods?

Then there are three and again: four, five…
More gods now present as
A billion moral pinnacles are rationalized.
Relativism.

The world is thus.
And should we follow this sequence,
Our con-sequence is death.
Again, Repent.

There is but One God.
Only One
We are fools who listen to serpents.
Awaken, reborn.

Joy is in wisdom,
Love in His eyes.
Life in His Kingdom.
Eternity never dies.

Are we responding?

I pray so.

…actually responding to God

October 14, 2011 by Rick Stassi you

22 And whatever we ask we receive from Him, because we keep His commandments and do those things that are pleasing in His sight.

23 And this is His commandment: that we should believe on the name of His Son Jesus Christ and love one another, as He gave us commandment.
1 John 3:22,23 (NKJV)

Asking God

God only asks that we love Him and believe on His Son. He also asks that we love others. In that obedience, we are faithful and in our faith we can be assured that we will receive what we ask of Him.

Listen to God

The next step is to listen to Him. Listening is an endless process and is always focused on what He may be speaking into our life. In our situations we tend to separate what we deem from God and just circumstance. Know that it is all God. When we realize and tune into the fact that all that is currently in our life is of God, then we are poised for obedience and listening.

Actually Responding

The next step is a response. In the triad of questions Jesus asks Peter: John 21:15-19

15 So when they had eaten breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon, son of Jonah, do you love Me more than these?”
He said to Him, “Yes, Lord; You know that I love You.”
He said to him, “Feed My lambs.”
16 He said to him again a second time, “Simon, son of Jonah, do you love Me?”
He said to Him, “Yes, Lord; You know that I love You.”
He said to him, “Tend My sheep.”
17 He said to him the third time, “Simon, son of Jonah, do you love Me?” Peter was grieved because He said to him the third time, “Do you love Me?”
And he said to Him, “Lord, You know all things; You know that I love You.”
Jesus said to him, “Feed My sheep.
18 Most assuredly, I say to you, when you were younger, you girded yourself and walked where you wished; but when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and another will gird you and carry you where you do not wish.”
19 This He spoke, signifying by what death he would glorify God. And when He had spoken this, He said to him, “Follow Me.”

Love God in His Agape love
Feed His sheep
Follow Jesus

Respond to these requests.

Peter eventually obeyed. He became a great leader for Christ because he followed Jesus. After His ascension, Peter stepped up to be a great leader – sincere belief was in him.

The above Scripture does not exactly fit the ask and respond model, however, it is an illustration of God’s persistence and our resistance – either purposeful or accidental. The point is that God will answer our prayer steadfast and tireless through His word, Spiritual conviction, or His voice. It is when we hear this or feel this that we respond. Peter did not fully grasp the depth of his walk with Jesus otherwise he may have responded correctly. Jesus asked Peter meaning Agape love and Peter’s response was using brotherly love. (See Greek concordance – agapao and phileo). Jesus eventually asked Peter using phileo. Why? Peter was grieved that Jesus came to Peter’s level rather that the reverse. Jesus already knew Peter would be a strong warrior for Jesus. Peter did not yet see but he would soon enough. (see Acts 2:14)

Do we have the sincere belief in God that when we ask He will speak and we will respond? We need to try to listen to God, seek answers from Scripture, and survey ourself to see how we may need to change. God will work on others. Ours is a one-on-one relationship with the Father. Pray for understanding and submit even deeper to your faith that every circumstance in your life can be God refining you on your path to perfection. Praise Him for His grace.

Rick

2011

…actually responding to God’s beckoning

September 4, 2011 by Rick Stassi you

22 And whatever we ask we receive from Him, because we keep His commandments and do those things that are pleasing in His sight.

23 And this is His commandment: that we should believe on the name of His Son Jesus Christ and love one another, as He gave us commandment. 1 John 3:22,23

God’s Gift

God only asks that we love Him. He also asks that we love others. In that obedience, we are faithful and in our faith we can be assured that we will receive what we ask of Him. The completion of the act of asking God is to also listen to Him. Listening is an endless process and is always focused on what He may be saying. In our situations we tend to separate what we deem from God and just circumstance in our life. Know that it is all God. When we realize and tune into the fact that all that is currently in our life is of God, then we are poised for obedience and listening.

Actually Responding

The next step is a response. In the triad of questions Jesus asks Peter: John 21:15-19

Peter eventually obeyed. He became a great leader for Christ because he followed Jesus. After His ascension, Peter stepped up to be a great leader – sincere belief was upon him.

The above Scripture does not exactly fit the ask and respond model. The point, however, is that God will answer our prayer steadfast and tireless through His word, Spiritual conviction, or His voice. It is when we hear this or feel this that we respond. Peter did not fully grasp the depth of his walk with Jesus otherwise he may have responded correctly. Jesus asked Peter meaning Agape love and Peter’s response was using brotherly love. (See Greek concordance – agapao and phileo). Jesus eventually asked Peter using phileo. Why? Peter was grieved that Jesus came to Peter’s level rather that the reverse (see Chuck Smith commentary). Jesus already knew Peter would be a strong warrior for Jesus. Peter did not yet see but he would soon enough. (see Acts 2:14)

Do we have the sincere belief in God that when we ask He will respond and we will understand?

We need to try to listen to God, seek answers from Scripture, and survey ourself to see how we may need to change. God will work on others. Ours is a one-on-one relationship with the Father. Pray for understanding and submit even deeper to your faith that every circumstance in your life can be God refining you on your path to perfection.

Do we have the sincere belief in God that when He asks, we will respond and we will praise Him?