Imagine Stillness

Posted on May 1, 2014 by Martha

800px-Sun_and_Clouds_001“The power at work within us is able to accomplish abundantly far more than all we can ask or imagine.”  Ephesians 3:20

     When I first began entering The Stillness I felt very awkward, almost timid with our Lord.  After all, who was I that He would deign to come to me.  I was but a speck of dust in the universe.  Even so, the urge, the desire, to enter again and again was so strong that I could not stay away.

As time went on in my Journey Through The Stillness, His leading grew stronger too.  I was able to connect with Him more easily, more fervently.  His power was at work within me.  And yes, He lead me in ways far more than I could ever ask or imagine.

Time in The Stillness has increased my faith, and my pressing need for a close relationship with Him remains ever strong.  Through His power within I have found both courage and strength to share my journey publicly and invite others to join Him in The Stillness so they too can be lead on their own unique faith journey with Him.

If you have never tried being still before our Lord, take a moment to imagine yourself in Stillness before Him.  Know that He will meet you there and it will be far greater than anything you imagined.  First imagine.  Invite Him into your heart then wait in the silence for Him.  He has been there patiently waiting for you.

My prayer is that through Stillness our Lord will bring you to a closer and fuller relationship with Him.

Digiprove sealCopyright secured by Digiprove © 2012-2014
Posted in Faith, Habits, Inspiration, Meditation, Prayer | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Abandoned To Your Enemies

Posted on April 30, 2014 by Martha
Colosseum, Rome

Colosseum, Rome, Italy, 2011, taken by Martha Wiggins

“Our offenses and sins weigh us down, and we are wasting away because of them.  How can we live?”  Ezekiel 33:10

We often look at ourselves through eyes of self-doubt.  Often we see our failures and our weaknesses more than we see our good and our strength.  Through the same eyes of self-doubt we also see God.  We wonder how He can possibly love us the way we are.

God looks upon you and sees His creation.  He sees each of us through eyes of love.  Even though we make mistakes and sometimes do evil, God does not impute evil to us.  He sees us as intrinsically good.  “As surely as I live, declares the Sovereign LORD, I take no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but rather that they turn from their ways and live.” (Ezekiel 33:11)

When we live with self-doubt, questioning our worth, we waste our life.  As in the first quote above from Ezekiel, we waste away under the weight of our sins.  We become too weak to help ourselves out of the depths of our misery, and our sins.  In His love and mercy for us God sends us help.  He gives us His Word.  He gives us the examples of His faithful.  He gives us His Sacrificial Lamb.  “But when they were oppressed they cried out to you.  From heaven you heard them, and in your great compassion you gave them deliverers, who rescued them from the hand of their enemies.” (Nehemiah 9:27)

     Nehemiah continues on, “But as soon as they were at rest, they again did what was evil in your sight.  Then you abandoned them to the hand of their enemies so that they ruled over them. And when they cried out to you again, you heard from heaven, and in your compassion you delivered them time after time.” (Nehemiah 9:28)

We all wallow in our miseries at times.  God understands this.  He also knows there are times when no matter how long, or how hard He stands at the door and knocks, we won’t let Him in.  He has endowed each of us with free will to walk in His Ways or to walk in our own ways.  When we choose to go our own way we are abandoned into the hands of our enemies, our sins.  And then, our sins take control of our lives; they rule over us.  They will continue to do so until we can look through different eyes at ourselves, until we see ourselves through His eyes of love.  Then, when we cry out to Him again, in His compassion He will deliver us again.

Do not let yourselves be abandoned into the hands of your enemies, your sins.  Seek Him out and ask Him to show you how He sees you.  Then ask for His deliverance from your self-doubt and from your weaknesses.  He will be there to rescue you.

Digiprove sealCopyright secured by Digiprove © 2011-2014
Posted in Biblical, Faith, Habits, Inspiration, Meditation | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Prayer: Help Me Trust

Posted on April 29, 2014 by Martha

St Mark's Cathedral, Venice, Italy

My Lord and My God,

Help me to trust in You always, even when it hurts.  Help me to turn my life over to you; every tiny detail, every hope, every dream, every desire.  Help me to see Your Hand at work, even when the way I trod is not of my choosing.  Help me to love and serve You in all things.  Amen.  (From Journey Through The Stillness: May 17, 2011)

Digiprove sealCopyright secured by Digiprove © 2011-2013
Posted in Habits, Prayers for Worship | Tagged , | Leave a comment

Prayer Of The Presence

Posted on April 28, 2014 by Martha
St Mark's Cathedral

Saint Mark’s Cathedral, Venice, Italy, 2012

“[Of David] I thank you, Yahweh, with all my heart, for you have listened to the cry I uttered.  In the presence of angels I sing to you, I bow down before your Holy Temple.  I praise your name for your faithful love and your constancy; your promises surpass even your fame.  You heard me on the day when I called, and gave new strength to my heart.”   Psalm 138:1-3 

I have a beautiful prayer book from my youth entitled, Blessed Be God, that is now quite weathered looking.  It is a favorite of mine and used daily in my prayer routine.  I especially like this exquisite prayer proclaiming the presence of God.

“O ALMIGHTY and eternal God, Whose majesty filleth heaven and earth, I firmly believe that Thou art here present; that Thine all-seeing eye is upon me; that Thou knowest all things, and art most intimately present in the very center of my soul.  I desire to bow down all the powers of my soul to adore Thee; I desire to join my voice with all Thy blessed angels and saints, to praise Thee and glorify Thee now and forever.”

I am especially struck by two phrases in this prayer.  The first being, “Thine all-seeing eye is upon me.”  Knowing He is present is one thing, but knowing He is watching evokes a different feeling of His presence.  It is a feeling of security.  He knows, He sees …everything that I do and everything that is done to me.  His eye never wavers.

The second phrase is, “I desire to bow down all the powers of my soul to adore Thee.”  Being in His presence evokes feelings of humility and devout worship from deep within our soul.  We must gain complete control of our very core in order to lose our self in total adoration.  We must bow down before Him.

Then, like David in the Psalm at the top, He will hear us on the day we call giving us new strength of heart.  And, like David we will thank Him with all our heart.

His presence is real.  Be still and know…

Digiprove sealCopyright secured by Digiprove © 2011-2014
Posted in Biblical, Habits, Inspiration, Prayers for Worship | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Arise With Christ Every Morning

Posted on April 25, 2014 by Martha

450px-Alba_sugli_Appennini_001 “Put on the full armor of God, so that you will be able to stand firm against schemes of the devil.”  Ephesians 6:11

I recently ran across this beautiful prayer.  It is rather long and most often well known for one particular verse.  It is the next to the last verse and begins, “Christ with me, Christ before me, Christ behind me…”  The entire prayer is really one affirmation after another.  If you are not familiar with Saint Patrick, other than the March 17th, wear green and drink green beer celebration, then this is a beautiful insight into his faith.  This wonderful prayer can be recited at any time, in any need, but is also beautiful as a morning prayer to begin each day.  There are shorter versions which can be found on-line if desired.  My favorite verse is, “I arise today, through the strength of Heaven: light of Sun, brilliance of Moon, splendour of Fire, speed of Lightening, swiftness of Wind, depth of Sea, stability of Earth, firmness of Rock.”  How could one not feel totally energized and confident to face the day!  It is believed that Saint Patrick recited the prayer in preparation for conquering paganism.  Let it be a breastplate for each of us who fight against Satan and his evil.

The Breastplate of Saint Patrick

I arise today through a mighty strength, the invocation of the Trinity, through belief in the Threeness, through confession of the Oneness of the Creator of creation.

I arise today through the strength of Christ with His Baptism,
through the strength of His Crucifixion with His Burial,
through the strength of His Resurrection with His Ascension,
through the strength of His descent for the Judgment of Doom.

I arise today through the strength of the love of Cherubim
in obedience of Angels, in the service of the Archangels,
in hope of resurrection to meet with reward,
in prayers of Patriarchs, in predictions of Prophets,
in preachings of Apostles, in faiths of Confessors,
in innocence of Holy Virgins, in deeds of righteous men.

I arise today, through the strength of Heaven:
light of Sun, brilliance of Moon, splendour of Fire,
speed of Lightning, swiftness of Wind, depth of Sea,
stability of Earth, firmness of Rock.

I arise today, through God’s strength to pilot me:
God’s might to uphold me, God’s wisdom to guide me,
God’s eye to look before me, God’s ear to hear me,
God’s word to speak for me, God’s hand to guard me,
God’s way to lie before me, God’s shield to protect me,
God’s host to secure me:
against snares of devils, against temptations of vices,
against inclinations of nature, against everyone who
shall wish me ill, afar and anear, alone and in a crowd.

I summon today all these powers between me (and these evils):
against every cruel and merciless power that may oppose my body and my soul, against incantations of false prophets,
against black laws of heathenry,
against false laws of heretics, against craft of idolatry,
against spells of witches and smiths and wizards,
against every knowledge that endangers man’s body and soul.
Christ to protect me today
against poison, against burning,
against drowning, against wounding,
so that there may come abundance of reward.

Christ with me, Christ before me, Christ behind me, Christ in me,
Christ beneath me, Christ above me,
Christ on my right, Christ on my left,
Christ in breadth, Christ in length, Christ in height,
Christ in the heart of every man who thinks of me,
Christ in the mouth of every man who speaks of me,
Christ in every eye that sees me,
Christ in every ear that hears me.

I arise today through a mighty strength, the invocation of the Trinity, through belief in the Threeness, through confession of the Oneness of the Creator of creation.
Salvation is of the Lord. Salvation is of the Lord. Salvation is of Christ. May Thy Salvation, O Lord, be ever with us.

 

Digiprove sealCopyright secured by Digiprove © 2011-2014
Posted in Faith, Habits, Inspiration, Meditation, Prayer | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Lord, You Are Wisdom

Posted on April 24, 2014 by Martha

482px-Transfiguration-006

Lord, You Are Wisdom.

Forgive me, Lord, when I fail to realize that all knowledge, all wisdom, comes only through You.  No matter what I learn, no matter what I read, unless it is of and from You, it is worthless.

Thank you, Lord, for Your many wonderful offerings and opportunities to gain a more complete knowledge of You, to gain wisdom at Your feet.  Help me to ever grow more in Your Image and Likenss to better serve and honor You.

Amen.

Digiprove sealCopyright secured by Digiprove © 2013
Posted in Affirmations, Faith, Habits, Inspiration, Prayer | Tagged , | Leave a comment

Angel Of God…

Posted on April 23, 2014 by Martha

graveyard-set_2823473“no evil shall befall you, no scourge come near your tent.  For he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways. On their hands they will bear you up, so that you will not dash your foot against a stone.”  Psalm 91:10-12

Angels are everywhere, doing the Lord’s bidding, and He bids them take care of His creatures.  They go before us diverting dangers, clearing our path.  They follow behind guarding and protecting us from the unseen.  We eat, sleep, and live side by side with our angels. We are never separated from them. Our guardian angels are more than a friend, more than a family member.  They are part of God’s everlasting arms.

If you think you do everything on your own and deserve all the credit, think again.  Keep an eye out today for the help and handiwork of your guardian angels.  Thank and praise God for sending them to you.

Digiprove sealCopyright secured by Digiprove © 2013-2014
Posted in Biblical, Faith, Habits, Inspiration, Meditation, Uncategorized | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Jesus Shows Thomas

Posted on April 22, 2014 by Martha

Sacred_Heart_of_Jesus_by_Batoni“Now Thomas (also known as Didymus), one of the Twelve, was not with the disciples when Jesus came.  So the other disciples told him, ‘We have seen the Lord!  But he said to them, ‘Unless I see the nail marks in his hands and put my finger where the nails were, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe.”  John 20:24-25

Don’t you wonder where Thomas was when Jesus appeared to the other disciples.  What was so important that he missed out on such an important revelation?  And then, when the other disciples try to tell him what he missed in his absence, he all but tells them they are crazy.  He wasn’t there and he won’t believe until he sees for himself.

Many of us, like Thomas, miss out on important things because we are focused on things that we think are more important.  I am moved by the fact that Jesus understands this about us and meets us right where we are!

Thomas needed proof; Jesus provided proof.  He didn’t criticize Thomas.  He simply showed Thomas what he needed to see in order to believe.  What is it you need to help you believe more fully in all that Jesus teaches, in all that Jesus is?  Ask Him, He will meet you right where you are.

Digiprove sealCopyright secured by Digiprove © 2011-2014
Posted in Biblical, Faith, Inspiration | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Stonger Than Evil

Posted on April 21, 2014 by Martha
Resurrection Tapestry, Vatican Museum, taken by Martha Wiggins 2012

Resurrection Tapestry, Vatican Museum, taken by Martha Wiggins 2012

“Jesus rises from the grave. Life is stronger than death. Good is stronger than evil. Love is stronger than hate. Truth is stronger than lies.” … Excerpt from HOMILY OF HIS HOLINESS BENEDICT XVI at Saint Peter’s Basilica, Holy Saturday, 7 April 2012 (from the Vatican Website)

Can you just imagine the scene in hell at the time Jesus was being tortured and crucified?  There had never been celebrating such as this over the conquering and death of any other soul.  Satan himself was dancing and jumping for joy, his demonic smile bazenend across his face.  He had won!  Jesus was being killed, and at the hands of his own people!  Goodness was dead, evil had won!  So he thought.

I also like to imagine the scene in hell when Satan first realized that Jesus didn’t stay dead!  That demonic smile turned to a scowl.  The dancing and leaping turned into crying and cringing.  Jesus had risen… life was stronger than death; good stronger than evil; love stronger than hate, and truth stronger than lies.

Two thousand years and counting, it remains so.  Jesus is the Way, the Truth, and the Life.  Jesus is love, and He has risen.  Jesus lives… in each of us.

Digiprove sealCopyright secured by Digiprove © 2012-2014
Posted in Faith, Habits, Inspiration | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

My Pierced Jesus, Prayer Before A Crucifix

Posted on April 18, 2014 by Martha

289px-Crucifixion_001“But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds we are healed.”  Isaiah 53:5

Because by Thy Holy Cross Thou hast redeemed the world … 

Prayer Before A Crucifix

Look down upon me good and gentle Jesus,

while before thy face I humbly kneel.

And with burning soul, I pray and beseech Thee

to fix deep within my heart

lively sentiments of faith, hope, and charity,

true contrition for my sins,

and a firm purpose of amendment.

Meanwhile, I contemplate with great love

and tender mercy Thy five most precious wounds,

pondering over them within me, and calling to mind,

the words which David, in prophecy,

made Thee say concerning Thyself, my Jesus,

They have pierced my hands and my feet;

They have numbered all my bones.

Digiprove sealCopyright secured by Digiprove © 2011-2013
Posted in Faith, Inspiration, Lent, Prayer, Prayers for Worship | Tagged , | Leave a comment