Shout Joy: Grace in the Wilderness: Prayers and Poetry

                                   Shout Joy

                                    Shall come

                                    shall shout

                                    shall be radiant

                                    bounty of life

                                    begins new every morning

                                    will we accept gift

                                    with humility and thanksgiving

                                    or allow fears and loss to

                                    overtake hope

                                    discouragement erodes

                                    daily encouragement

                                    new life breathes

                                    nurtured by being

                                    alive

                                    again every morning.

Romans 8:12, “So then, brethren, we are under obligation, not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh--

Reflection: Shall Come: Grace in the Wilderness: Prayers and Poetry

Reflection:

1.     In what ways do we sometimes take our provisions for granted?

2.     How do we tend to react when they are reduced or lost completely?

3.     In what ways does diminishment of any kind also affect our trust in God’s provision?

4.     How have you experienced peace and joy after a season of trial?

Shall Come: Grace in the Wilderness: Prayers and Poetry

Jeremiah 31: 12, “And they shall come and shout for joy on the height of Zion, And they shall be radiant over the bounty of the Lord—Over the grain, and the new wine, and the oil, And over the young of the flock and the herd; And their life shall be like a watered garden, And they shall never languish again.”

Shall come. With joy.

Too often we immediately focus only on losses with a sense of defeat and complaint, and forget to recognize that the Lord never abandons.

He gives ongoing provision in all circumstances and offers us each hope to hold on in trust in times of emptiness. His bounty of presence will carry us through both the drought and the abundance.

May we each hunger for spiritual fellowship and overflowing bounty and realize that in Your Spirit our hearts will never languish again.

Shall we come into each day with gratitude?

Your thoughts,