“You’re the one who chased us
You’re the one who started all of this…
Yours the voice that calls us
Yours the hands that hold us
When we have come undone
You’re the one who loves. So let us respond”
~ Robbie Seay, We Are Free
Night has fallen and it is time to retire the day.
Let’s give our soul’s a space to rest.
All the thoughts that we might have kept at bay.
Like tea leaves stirred at last sip.
The dregs of what the new week may hold, mixed in with the hopes for a new beginning may begin to surface.
Let’s slow.
And savor a stillness.
No need to push it all away.
Let your hands open.
{Breathe}
Let your heart come near as is.
All that matters is that you are here now.
You are loved.
You are seen.
You are heard.
You are accepted.
Come.
And draw near.
To Jesus.
As you are.
See.
In this very moment.
What He longs to show you.
What you’ve longed to show Him.
Listen.
To the Inner Voice of Love.
That whispers to you now.
Let it echo in you.
Confide
In Him as friend to friend.
What you’ve longed to whisper and ask.
Let your voice echo to Him.
#Soulrest. It’s #soulbeautiful.
A Soul Conversation
Take a moment now to be with Jesus.
He has prayed in the darkness before.
Many times.
At the end of a long day.
Let Him show you He understands. Step into a memory He longs to confide in you. About one night in particular.
Enter into the soulful whitespace in Mark 6:45-52 —
Immediately he made his disciples get into the boat
and go before him to the other side, to Bethsaida,
while he dismissed the crowd.And after he had taken leave of them,
he went up on the mountain to pray.
And when evening came,
the boat was out on the sea,
and he was alone on the land.
And he saw that they were making headway painfully,
for the wind was against them.
And about the fourth watch of the night
he came to them, walking on the sea.He meant to pass by them,
but when they saw him walking on the sea
they thought it was a ghost, and cried out,
for they all saw him and were terrified.But immediately he spoke to them and said,
“Take heart; it is I.
Do not be afraid.”And he got into the boat with them,
and the wind ceased.
And they were utterly astounded,
for they did not understand
about the loaves,
but their hearts were hardened.
Do you see Jesus?
Which scene is coming alive most visually for you? Or maybe it’s the sound of the water lapping against the boat after the storm has calmed that most draws your attention?
Where are you in this unfolding story?
Are you —
getting in the boat, ready to journey to somewhere new?
making headway painfully?
seeing Jesus in the distance — passing by?
hearing Jesus whisper — Take heart. It is I.
longing for Jesus to get into the boat
breathing with release from the calmness He’s brought to you today?
or … what do you see?
{ if you feel prompted, click to comment. }
My Words
Lord Jesus. I am thankful for so much kindness you’ve brought into my life. I know I’m surrounded by others who are on the journey of faith as well. But, I’m unsure about where you’re sending me.
Across to the other side. Of what I know. Don’t pass me by. It’s not enough that I’m like Moses, hidden in the cleft of the rock, only catching a glimpse of you passing me by.
Don’t pass me by tonight.
I want to see you.
I want you to come towards me.
I need you to step into this boat.
In the chaos of my thoughts, dreams, hopes, tumbling around in uncertainty and worry.
I need to hear you speak.
Above the storm swirling my conviction to be your Beloved.
I need to hear you say it. Again.
Take heart. It is I.
Hear me Jesus.
Be merciful.
Take my hand.
Reassure me.
His Words
I’m not going to pass you by.
I hear your calling out to me.
I hear your cries.
I hear your questions.
I can’t answer them all the way you want them — the way you need them to be answered right now.
Sweet child.
Let me near.
Let me hold you.
Let me just be with you.
Don’t you see me?
I’m coming.
I’m real.
I’m not a ghost — a figment of your imagination.
Touch me.
You see? I’m real.
Listen.
I’m whispering to you.
Confide.
Tell me all about it.
Tell me e.v.e.r.y.t.h.i.n.g.
Because…
Take heart. It is I.
I love you.
But immediately he spoke to them and said,
“Take heart; it is I.
Do not be afraid.”And he got into the boat with them,
and the wind ceased.”
~ Matthew 6:48-52
~~~~~
Confide in Jesus, as friend to friend.
~ Jesus is coming to you. Here is near. He is here.
~ It’s time for you your words now.
~ Open your heart. And share the words you want to pray.
And let us quietly make space for each other, offering them as incense in this Night Prayer. Our Compline.
Pull up a chair. Click to comment.
{ Remember… Soul rest is soul beautiful. }
~~~~~
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23 Comments
Going over my Jesus Project verses before bed. (It is 10:30 ,here in Ohio) Pondering John 1:14,” The Word became flesh and dwelt among us.” There are times I just need to be with Jesus…quietly listening.
I am “breathing with release from the calmness He’s brought to you today?” And I am holding his hand in the calm, while He waits patiently for me to trust Him enough to find the same kind of calm within myself.
The words you wrote, “Jesus has prayed in the darkness” released my doubts if unworthiness. So many times we think we have to be a perfect Christian forgetting that Jesus walked where we walk. We can only be made perfect when entering the gates of heaven. This journey brings us closer to Him when we realize we must put all our trust in Him. Thank you for the gentle reminder once again that we are His Beloved and we can look at ourselves and Be.loved
I went to bed early tonight… exhausted. Needing sleep…but much is on my mind. So, i pulled out my tablet to read and saw this in my e-mail. A word from you, Bonnie. Somehow you always bring me to aplace of reflection (thank you for that). Tonight i so need Jesus in the boat with me. I had two moms that contacted me today. Both deeply grieving and scared. One is a mom whose 17 year old son attempted suicide. She found him this morning. Still alive. But barely. She is dealing with fear, questions, drs., feelings of failure. The other is a mom whose 18 year old daughter got involved with the wrong young man. She was an insecure girl and he was manipulative. He committed a murder and she drove the car away from the scene, not knowing what he had done. She was sentenced to life in prison. Tonight her mom just needed to vent. About never being able to see her daughter a bride, a mother. This is her only child, so she will never know the joy of being a grandparent. They will never share a meal together, watch a movie together… be together on a holiday. My heart breaks for both these women and their children. Oh, i want them all to know just how beloved they are. They believe,but they are weary. Thank you for the reminder that Jesus comes to us in the storm, climbs in the boat and calms the seas. We are never alone. We are beloved.
Beautiful dissection of the Scripture, Bonnie. What a lovely way to ask about each part of how we feel with Jesus right now. I love this. I want to ask this of women I am mentoring as well. Today I feel a mix — He is passing by (and I don’t fear as they did, that He is a ghost) but, so much of me longs for more of Him and I don’t feel He is going to get in the boat. I want to sit with this some more. I so long for Him to come into the boat with me! I relate to your longing. In so many ways I sense He is near, and yet there is this deeper thing (which you seem to always touch) that is under even that sense of His nearness. Refining — always refining love. He draws up more of what blocks me from Him in moments like this. I thank you for putting words to that longing — and again for that sweet word “confide.” I will confide tonight and I will pour out my heart. It seems trite to say, “God bless you, sweet Bonnie,” but it is the desire I have for you — that God would truly bless you in this next season where your boat is heading through “what” and to “I don’t know.” He knows the answers to both and He can calm the storms with a whisper.
Seeing Jesus in a distance, calling out to Him. Yearning to get into the boat with Jesus. To be alone with Him, yearning for Him to calm this my anxious soul, yearning for His company to satisfy this lonely soul.
Most of all I yearn to hear Him whisper “Take heart, it is I. Come alone to Me and I will give you rest”
So tired……
Hie Bonnie, Thank you so much for the encouragement. I can see Jesus looking at us in the middle of the lake as we struggle because the wind is against us. I am thankful because He looks at us and knows our struggles. He knows that our desire is to go to the other side of the lake, despite the storm. The same way He came to the disciples and got into the boat and the wind ceased is the same way He will come to us if we cry to Him. Surely He will not pass us by He is the same yesterday, today and forever. He came through yesterday. he will come through today. You are blessed my dear.
I so needed this encouragement this morning. Thank you, Bonnie. I am longing for Jesus to get into my boat of tempestuous thoughts, to say “Don’t be afraid. Take heart. It is I.”
This touched me deeply (as so much of what you
write bears such strong witness and understanding deep in my soul). I don’t usually comment, but I read this last night at 1 am after spending the weekend in bed, in pain, and utterly defeated. I had just spent 2 hours telling my husband that I am giving up, resigning myself to a lifetime of suffering. For so long I have held on, thinking he would come for me. That somehow He would finally calm the storm, heal the PTSD and memories and the broken body that came as a result. I have fought to heal and to hope against every odd that it would all turn out better somehow. For His glory. I have spent the past 2 years trying again, to pursue a healing I had given up on because I was so sure I thought I heard His voice and that He said He was healing me. But today I am just done hoping that it all turns around. That it all heals and is used for His glory. I wanted that so badly. I feel He sees my boat and intends to pass me by, and that He is. And I can relate to the hard hearts of the disciples. Because I don’t understand why He is leaving me here, passing me by. Why not a single hope or word from scripture I claimed as promise has come to pass since 1995 when all of this began for me. I’m so sorry to vent and be so negative. It’s just that I needed a place to be honest and just spill it. I will Understand if my comment is moderated to the trash bin. Please pray for me.
SC, I just read your post and it breaks my heart. I’m so, so sorry for your pain. It’s so hard to understand why things happen. I’m so glad you wrote. Please keep reading Bonnie’s posts. Her words touch a deep place in my soul as well. You are not alone. Jesus, please lift SC’s bleeding soul and hold her so close to your heart that she hears the rhythm of Your unfailing love for her.
Trudy, thank you for your heart and your words and prayer. Today I have a small bit of hope so that is what I will cling to. Bless you.
Dear SC, there have been so many times when I couldn’t understand the endlessly re-occurring pain, no matter what I did and how faithful I tried to be. During one such time Jesus gave me a picture, where he was drawing out His words on my hand. I believe from personal experience that in some places, we can be so wounded, that we simply don’t have the ‘receiving equipment’ to be able to hear Him, even though we desire this with all our heart. Wounds can make us spiritually ‘deaf and dumb’ in places, but Christ will always be with you, working out His way to bring you back to Himself. John 10:28 “no one will snatch them out of my hand”. God bless you SC as you travel.
Wendy, yes this is exactly where I am. I just spent so much time trying to explain this when your words expressed it so perfectly. I do not have the receiving equipment for this place. I have to trust that He knows this and will reach me anyways – thank you so much for these words! <3
Thank you so much, Wendy. My heart said, “That’s it exactly.” So beautifully expressed!
Bonnie, in the immediate aftermath of my father passing away last week, I am so comforted by this post. Thank you for your peaceful and encouraging words.
“Take heart. It is I.”
These are the words that wash over my spirit this morning – bringing me the calmness I so desperately crave. The waves are pretty steep, and the wind is howling loud. But, praise the Lord, I can still hear His whisper.
GOD BLESS.
Glad for the calm He’s given me this season, that I can sleep, like Him, taking my rest in safety. I also appreciate the new laughter and learning for my whole family. Thank you for reminding us about this Bible boat story, Bonnie. Your writing is blessed with Supernatural (in)sight. I love you. You are so gifted! Thank you for humbly and kindly sharing with us. Praise the LORD Whose Presence goes with us and gives us rest. Blessings of His Comforting Presence to you and yours too:)
I love your words “soul rest is soul beauty”. I read that and then read again and nodded. I have worked on calming my life pace down this year and being more quiet. Quiet is actually my word for the year. I have found the soul rest so so good. I am slowly seeing beauty again. Thank you for summing it up in five words. Bless you!
“making headway painfully?” in the midst of storms……. wishing, praying, and longing for the calm that might come to me. I saw a ray of hope, this past week, a small bit. I saw Jesus come and get in the boat with me and it calmed a bit. My husband went and talked with a pastor at the church……… I have longed and prayed he would talk to anyone. I have NO clue if he will continue or how God will use it or if my husband will let God use it. But it was a ray of hope and an answer to prayers! Much chaos is abounding and still hurting, but the ray is there.
http://princessmorag.blogspot.com/2014/01/soul-rest-im-falling-catch-me-jesus.html
Wonderful. Beautiful. #soulrest #soulbeautiful. Real. Morag, it would be wonderful to have you share this in the Faith Jam on Thursday. Would you mind placing the badge and link into the end of the post and then submitting it on Thursday? I think it would be wonderful to add this reflection to bless our community. Thank you…
sure can!
Your posts are always so beautiful, Bonnie. I haven’t been online like I was in the past and just caught up on the last 3 posts from you in my inbox. They are just what I needed to read. Thank you for all you do for others through this site. Blessings, J
Thanks for the reminder of Jesus as friend. We view him in so many ways, but this one is key to building an authentic relationship with him!