Be thou my vision....

The wonderful thing about our God is that he has an individual plan for each one of us. A plan for us to be happy and fulfilled. We are happiest when we can find that plan and live by it. When we discern it and live by it we are people of vision.

Through careful listening to the Spirit... hearing it speaking in many ways and in all gentleness into our lives, we can get a sense of rightness about the way ahead.

When this happens we should make a record of it, we should write it down as Habbakuk says,

"The LORD gave me this answer: "Write down clearly on tablets what I reveal to you, so that it can be read at a glance.  Put it in writing, because it is not yet time for it to come true. But the time is coming quickly, and what I show you will come true. It may seem slow in coming, but wait for it; it will certainly take place, and it will not be delayed." (Habakkuk 2:2-3 GNT)

I think we are told to "write down" our vision for two reasons

• so we can be faithful to it
• so we remember it in good times as well as bad times

In Proverbs it warns us (rather starkly I think!) that if we do not have a vision for our lives we will perish!

Debs and I are working on our vision for the House of Prayer that we feel God is telling us to establish. It will be a while before we have finished listening to God on this.

However if you don't mind reading some unedited text - this is what he said to us about integrity in ministry after we went to church last Sunday in the Queensland resort of Caloundra, I am leaving the church unnamed. It is more or less a prayer, so read it as such, when we pray the words come with pauses and imperfections!

Purify our intentions Lord,

Purify our church,

Let our first witness be our love for people, our genuine concern for them, make our love sincere

What you want is "Love not sacrifice"

Help us to be faithful in small things

To wear our integrity "like a blanket"

Help us not to judge other people but at the same time have discernment between good and evil.

Let us only have "the debt of mutual love" and let us NEVER encourage others to use their VISA card to go into debt to give to us.

Let us not be "over righteous," you require us only to be righteous and to love with a "humble contrite heart"

Inch by inch claim our hearts O Lord, help us to allow you to do it quicker than even that if we dare to let you!

You are our Lord, dear Jesus, and you are also our brother and our friend. Anoint us again with your love this day, send your Holy Spirit to us again to strengthen and renew us. Help us to desire not worthless things but instead to desire only you. Amen