NO BEST.........

Spend the whole morning at the Botanical Garden seeking God. Was advised to mediate on Psalm 73…

Not that fruitful initially as heart was disturbed and heavy.

Do I have a pure heart? Verse 1

Well, I guess my heart should be contaminated with little dots, may not be totally pure but definitely striving to be pure…

But Am I keeping my heart pure in vain (verse 13)? Well, we can’t deny that it is extremely tough seeing wicked thriving and carefree and increasing in wealth!

21 When my heart was grieved
and my spirit embittered,
22 I was senseless and ignorant;
I was a brute beast before you.
23 Yet I am always with you; (Thank God for YET!)
you hold me by my right hand.
24 You guide me with your counsel,
and afterward you will take me into glory.

I must be really grateful that no matter how I felt, YET I am always with Him and He will guide me with His counsel.

25 Whom have I in heaven but you?
And earth has nothing I desire besides you. (Again, I am thinking surely I have other desire beside Him)
26 My flesh and my heart may fail, (many times in fact)
but God is the strength of my heart
and my portion forever. (Without doubt HE is my strength!)

27 Those who are far from you will perish;
you destroy all who are unfaithful to you.
28 But as for me, it is good to be near God.
I have made the Sovereign LORD my refuge;
I will tell of all your deeds. (MY Faith and Hope)

As I realised that I don't seem to be receiving much revelation from the Lord except my own contemplation and prayer, I decided to just walk round the park…. And there and then, I realized He was trying to speak to me from the beginning….

As I was approaching the spot that I choose, there was another bench that I thought was great but you see, I have the tendency to always look out for the perfect spot, one where there will be water, shade, less crowd, beautiful view etc etc. But as I was seated at my perfect spot, I saw that the ‘not so perfect benches’ were happily been enjoyed by other park goers, joggers, children… Then I looked at the beautiful tree in front of me and took many pictures of it before I started walking… And as I moved around, many things captured my attention. The lilies (purple, red, white, blue, pink) in the ponds, the different kinds and colours of orchids, the ginger plant flowers and many other flowers, lake and ponds, more benches with great view, more trees with amazing growth and structure and I could not stop taking pictures of them all.

As it was time to leave, I was trying to find the shortest route back to the food court and as I was walking back using a different way which I presume was a great alternative route, I felt the Lord telling me something again. "Julie, there is no best in all that You have seen." "No best?" I asked.... "Yes, no best... no best spot, no best bench, no best flower, no best tree, not best route, no best way...."

All things are placed where they should be and all things are there to serve its purpose and all things are created by Him and for Him in its glory and beauty… And He is in all things… Like the garden, the Chief landscaper of the garden will need to look at the whole place and craft out the different spots for different purposes for those coming to enjoy the garden. The whole botanical garden evolved through all the years to meet the various expectations of its existence and every part of it will be appreciated by different people coming for different purposes. The creative Chief landscaper will always be there to twit or redesign the whole place so that the whole garden will be at its most optimum to serve the needs of many. Will there ever be a BEST in any areas in the garden then?

Julie, Do you know what I am trying to tell you? I am definitely still pondering on the whole revelation. I won't presume to know now but I am trying to be guided in His counsel and to be near Him and make Him my refuge...as the psalmist had concluded...

Alone but for the Lord

We have companions in Joy; sorrow we have to face ourselves. It is also true that unless we have Jesus with us in the darkness, we have no one.

Ella Wheeler Wilcox (1855-1919), an American Poet , wrote,

Laugh and the world laughs with you; Weep and you weep alone.

Was in deep thoughts when mediating Psalm 142 of David, visualizing when he is all alone in the cave over many days. Also received more insights as I study James Montgomery Boice's Expositional Commentary on this Psalm.

Psalm 142
A maskil of David. When he was in the cave. A prayer.
1 I cry aloud to the LORD;
I lift up my voice to the LORD for mercy.
2 I pour out my complaint before him;
before him I tell my trouble.

3 When my spirit grows faint within me,
it is you who know my way.
In the path where I walk
men have hidden a snare for me.

4 Look to my right and see;
no one is concerned for me.
I have no refuge;
no one cares for my life.

5 I cry to you, O LORD;
I say, "You are my refuge,
my portion in the land of the living."

6 Listen to my cry,
for I am in desperate need;
rescue me from those who pursue me,
for they are too strong for me.

7 Set me free from my prison,
that I may praise your name.
Then the righteous will gather about me
because of your goodness to me.

It is really true that when we are in desperate need that we can cry out to the Lord and from where we are climb the first summit of Faith and then the second, like David in verse 5. I look towards the Day when the righteous gather about me because of Your Goodness to me!

Psalm 23:6
Surely goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever.

Be Still, My soul

A dear friend sms this whole song to me... I love the lyrics below by Kim Noblitt. I hope the words of the song minister to you as much as it is to me. To Be still is indeed a spiritual disclipline....

Be still, my soul, be still, my soul
Cease from the labour and the toil
Refreshing springs of peace await
To troubled minds and hearts that ache
Be still, my soul - God knows your way
And he will guide for his name's sake
Plunge in the river of his grace
Rest in the arms of his embrace

Be still, my soul, be still, my soul
Though battles 'round you rage and roar
One thing you need and nothing more
To hear the whisper of you Lord:
"Be still, my child - I know your way
And I will guide for my name's sake
Plunge in the rivers of my grace
Rest in the arms of my embrace"