Monday, September 16, 2013

Dewdrops: Discovering Abundance and Strength


Monday morning.

Before the wind.

Fog.

Billions of tiny dewdrops.




Dewdrops accompany God's abundance and provision and grace.
Yes.

{When the dew fell on the camp at night, the manna would fall with it.  Numbers 11:9}

Nourishment.  {You are not abandoned.  You are not alone.}




{...in a land of grain and new wine; his heavens also drop down dew. Deut. 33:28}

"Like dew, grace is a surprising gift that cannot be handmade or manufactured." 
~ Priscilla Shirer
~ Gideon: Your weakness God's strength



{Now may God give you of the dew of heaven,
and of the fatness of the earth, and an abundance of grain and new wine. Genesis 27:28}



~ the dew of heaven ~


~ abundance ~

~ grace ~

~ His strength in my weakness ~

~ like a spiderweb ~

~ how strong it is . . . and yet how delicate ~


Dew.
It did not rain.
Yet, when I returned home,
my socks and shoes were squishing soaked.

Tiny dew drops.
Abundant moisture.

Washed feet . . .

{deep breath}

Oh my . . . I didn't see it until now...
as I walked, my wet feet caused me to want to turn back,
but now . . .

the dew of heaven

has

washed my feet.

And I remember this that I shared with my friend Michelle earlier this summer.
A fresh perspective on Jesus washing Peter's feet . . .

Michelle enjoys doing laundry for others.
The first response is to come to mind is often, "Come on over! I've got plenty."
But then, the thought of . . . "oh, I don't want anybody to see my dirty laundry."

And this is what I shared with her in all of my run-on sentences . . .
 and what has remained with me...
accepting grace...

Michelle, do you know how Christ-like that is? It totally reminds me of Jesus washing the feet of the disciples. And Peter didn't want him to do it ~ said he should wash Christ's feet instead. When maybe, really, Peter didn't want Christ to see the mess between his toes and he was embarrassed, but Jesus was saying, I am the only one who can really get in here and do this and clean the places you don't want anyone else to see. And then Jesus told them to go and do this for others. Part of "doing this for others" is letting them see how Jesus comes into those places in our lives where maybe we are ashamed, but He comes in with love instead of "tisk-tisk-ing" and shaming, He cleans it all up. I'm totally seeing this story with new clarity this morning through the thought of letting you do my dirty laundry {even though you didn't while you were here, but you did mention that you loved to do it}.  Because Peter's reaction, is what mine would be, "Oh, let me do it for YOU" which is shrouded in "noble service", but what it really means is "I don't want you to see my dark and dirty places and admit that there are places that need cleaned that I can't even see, let alone, reach. And in the case of dirty laundry, that I can't keep up with." Which is such a part of the "house cleaning" shame issue . . . admitting with humility that I can't keep up with it all and it still gets messy every day and I don't invite people in, because I don't want people to SEE that I don't have all of it together all of the time. And that is just why I resist God . . . Christ . . . because it means admitting I have a need and accepting help with it. Which all totally goes against my pride and self-sufficient independence which is why vulnerability is so hard, but so freeing when we just let go and give way to it. WHEW!!! I did not expect to write all of that on FB!!! But there it is. {Guess I should and probably will write a blog about it.}

More dew drops:  Diamond Dewdrops

1 comment:

  1. Dearest Jodi,
    I love this post, the photos, the text, the message to Michelle. It all intertwines so beautifully. It is such a blessing to read your words, to see your braveness, and feel your heart through your work. Thank you! XO Missy

    ReplyDelete

Welcome ~ share your beautiful thoughts.