Check out part three here!

Love, Cindy

Taki gazed out across the cool green lawns, admiring the rocky outcroppings which her landscape artists had created for her enjoyment. The sun could not reach her where she reclined, shaded by cypress trees and just beginning to be sleepy. A gate rattled and Taki looked up, expecting to see her serving girl bearing refreshments, but the man who strode through her gate was a stranger. A mild surge of alarm awakened in her breast. As he approached, she stood, watching him. He didn’t appear to be dangerous, and no one had ever hurt her. He was most likely some maintenance man she had yet to meet. By the time he reached her, she felt only curiosity.

The handler spoke in a low, soothing voice as he clipped a collar around her neck. Taki supposed she must be going to see the vet for one of her frequent check-ups and followed willingly. The vet had a quiet, gentle manner, and always offered treats when she had finished with her examination. Taki liked her. But this new human turned the wrong direction, and Taki immediately took notice. She had never been led in this direction before. She peered around her with interest as they walked. A few moments later, they stopped and the man tossed a bit of food into a crate that sat in the back of a vehicle. Taki knew this trick. He would close the door after she leaped in and she would be stuck there for a time, but it was not too great a price for a treat. What did she have to do besides sleep? And a crate was as good a place as any to do it. She gracefully jumped into the box, and in a few moments they were off, bouncing down the road.

Taki didn’t care for the bouncing, and with the back gate of the vehicle closed, she couldn’t see what was going on outside. It seemed that they bounced and bounced for a very long time. She felt the sun must have passed halfway across the sky by the time the jarring and jolting finally stopped. The rear gate of the vehicle opened and the handler snapped the leash back onto her collar. The sun, high and hot, washed out any brightness of color her surroundings might have had, but it felt good on her back as she leaped out into the light.

In every direction she looked she saw space. Openness. Nothing but golden grass and hot, sharp wind. Taki crouched in fear . . . not terror, not yet, but she had never seen such a place, never felt such a huge expanse around her. Always, Taki had been encased in a womb of walls — not too close, but not so far away as to fail to offer protection, insulation from the things happening around her quiet enclave. Here, she saw no walls at all, and so far as she could tell, nothing at all happening around her, either. Only the vast open expanse of nothing. She pressed her body against the warm ground and made herself as small as she could.

Every muscle taut, Taki furtively took in those sights she could see without moving, and smelled the smells. These were not the loud smells that drifted over the walls into her yard at home . . . smells of humans and food and the nearness of many kinds of animals. These smells were subtle, wafting scents of grasses and heat and the occasional hint of another animal. The smell of the Land Rover still lingered, and of her handler crouching nearby, quietly waiting . . . for what?

More later . . . .

Note to those of you reading on this page . . . my blog is moving to www.journeyintotheson.com. I’ll post the rest of this story there.

Life From the Hand of God

Love, Cindy

Light Breaks Through

The Light of Men

Blind Eyes Seeing and Seeing Eyes Blind

Hearing the Shepherd’s Voice

Light for this Generation

The last one I haven’t published here to this site. It (and all the others as well) is on my brand new site, which you can access at http://www.journeyintotheson.com/. I hope to see all of you there.

Love in Him, Cindy

The Road Goes Ever, Ever On

Today I registered a new URL for Journey Into The Son. For those of you who already follow my posts, Thanks! Please update your address book! The new home place, www.journeyintotheson.com , looks a lot like the old one thus far, but as time moves on and I learn stuff, I hope to make the site both more useful and more beautiful.

For those of you who haven’t gotten acquainted here yet, come on in and have a glass of lemonade. Well, I wish I could offer you a glass of lemonade, but as things are — if you have a pitcher in the ‘fridge, pour yourself some! I’ll have one, too. Hope to see you around!

Blessings, Cindy

• I’m not really satisfied with the blog template I’m using at the moment, and I’ll be experimenting with some others. High values for me are, a) ability to personalize header and/or background, b) easy to use, c) has RSS and e-mail access widgets, d) can add “share this” links–like to facebook, twitter, etc. I’m not sure the last is available on WordPress. As far as I can tell, it’s not available in my current template, but I’m not sure I’d recognize it if I saw it. So . . . any suggestions as to your favorite template? Any advice on how to make it easier for friends to share a post they like?
• My posts are a little different. I realize that I may (and likely do) hear from God inadequately or even incorrectly at times, but I like to put these things out for others to evaluate and judge and possibly even be blessed by. I started out explaining every symbol, metaphor, scripture reference, but it didn’t work–the posts became too long and any poetry was lost. This is essentially my journal. (Actually only the bits that apply to others besides me and the body of believers I fellowship with.) Some of it is difficult to understand and some I don’t understand completely myself. That said, if you’re in my target demographic (follower of Jesus), is it reasonably comprehensible to you most of the time?
• I’m thinking about getting my own URL, but I like the exposure I get by being part of the WordPress.com site. I’d still use WordPress’ platform. Any input on that? Suggestions? Hosts to use or not to use? Or is it best to just stay here despite the (tolerable) creative restrictions?
• Any other suggestions? It’s late and I’m exhausted after a long and pleasant day showing new friends around, so I’m probably not thinking of half the things I should be asking. If you see anything else that you’d change, please let me know. And thanks so much for your input.

Blessings, Cindy

My husband is always saving news articles for me that he thinks I’ll find interesting. Usually, I do. A couple of days ago, he left one on my computer about all the economic trouble that’s currently afflicting Europe and how difficult it is for Europe to hold together. It made me think of something a friend and I were talking about during our weekly bible study together–somehow our discussion drifted briefly from the gospel of Matthew to the above passage in Daniel. I asked the Lord about it after I read the article, and here’s what I sensed Him saying to me:

My time for these things has not yet come, though you are always eager. Soon. Soon, My bride–soon. But not just yet . . . .

To you, the fired clay represents something less weak than the wet clay–yet wet clay clings and flexes, while brittle fired clay only crumbles and shatters and breaks apart. It can take no impact or shifting. There is no give. Inflexible, rigid, dry and dead; it cannot be made alive, but it will be given the appearance of life for one brief period of time before I shatter it, along with the iron (which is also brittle, though stronger).

This dead thing with the crumbling feet is the enemy’s appalling answer to My one new man. How little he comprehends of life! How flawed and diseased and depraved is his vision of living, of power. This is the best he can fabricate; joining bits he’s found lying about; scattered remnants of glory past; discarded shells and dry leaves disguised as precious things. His sin-crazed heart can no longer see the true wealth or the true glory, which is love. He is depraved beyond all redemption, and was so the moment he chose to seek his own above all else.

The iron and clay–he has nothing better to work with. He used all the more suitable and beautiful materials first, and now, when at last he has come to the first–the foundation–the feet, he has but iron and clay, which, though he knows to be grossly inadequate, he must use or fail utterly. It will hold together for an hour–a day–an abysmally short time. If I did not crush it, this aberration would crush itself by its own absurd and unthinkable weight. All the weight of all the years, bearing down on those feet of iron and clay.

You will be able to see it go, but you will not have a hand in it. Only with your eyes will you behold and see the salvation of your God. In this will My righteous servants be justified. In this will My sons and daughters receive the glory I have kept back, to bestow it on them at maturity. In that moment, as the dead are raised, as the righteous are vindicated, as the wicked are destroyed, as the sovereignty passes to the daughters and the sons of My hand–in the moment of final triumph shall death be swallowed up in victory and sin in peace.

My question, which He never really answers to my satisfaction: “But how long, Lord? How long must we wait until You come? How long until we see Your face?”

Soon, Child–very soon. You will see these things unfold. You will see Europe darkened and the pale greenish glow of the angry star of Ishtar as it rises to give its ghastly light. A light that obscures and obfuscates–that hides and confuses and misrepresents–a light only the blind can embrace–and there are many, many blind. This “light,” instead of shining out, sucks everything into itself, like a collapsing star–like a dying star.

But you, My daughters and sons–but you, My noble children, shall watch with me as My firstborn, the Son of My love, cleanses and annihilates and utterly shatters the nations. He shall dash them into shards, like a potter’s vessel. He shall grind them into powder and scatter them to the four winds. He shall retrieve the earth for its final day, for its Sabbath rest, for the ice cream, the celebration, the last good day, the reunion time, the time of rest and remaking–of the making of mighty sons and glorious daughters. My family shall I have, My bride and My body–My city of priests covering the universe. One city, one body, one bride, one people. The dream of God and man come together in one.

I didn’t know anything about Ishtar and figured I’d probably seen his name in the bible as some pagan god. It’s not in the bible, at least not in this form and in any of my translations. I did find Ishtar on Wikipedia, and it’s a she–not a he. A really interesting article. Plus, the “star of Ishtar” apparently has further meaning, but I haven’t time this morning to read up on it. If you know anything, feel free to post it. Otherwise, when I’ve studied it a little while, I’ll post an article about it.

Blessings, Cindy

Again on the healing of the man born blind (John 9), this is what I heard from God.

The people of this world are ALL born blind. The children know this and depend on others for sustenance, guidance, wisdom–but they too contend with the nature of Adam. You are all born blind, but such as the children, who know their need, who see their utter helplessness, who cling to Me, shall see.

My ways look circuitous and ill-kept and dangerous to you. Remember the Beruna Crossing, though. (In CS Lewis’ “Prince Caspian,” Lucy is asked to follow Aslan (Christ figure) alone though no one else believes she is seeing and following Him.) Though you must follow Me alone, yet follow. I know what lies ahead and I know the best and most direct way is not often the shortest or easiest.

Come with Me and I will take you by paths you will never find alone. You must learn to hear Me. It is imperative that you learn to hear Me. I will honor the one who hears and listens to My voice and follows, with life. ALL who come to Me I will receive. DO NOT follow an impostor. DO NOT be deceived. There is no more time for that.

Value those things that are of genuine worth, not the things deemed valuable by the world, but the things truly worthy of being valued. Value My Son. Value loyalty and obedience to Him. Value your brothers and sisters, whom you see. Value the pleasure of your bridegroom. All the things you see around you–all of them–will return to Him who made them and gave them. Nothing will be lost, but all will return to Him, and He will re-make them. If you have life within you, then you will remain. The soul that sins (by refusing Him) will die and its life will return to its maker.

I saw in my mind a landscape of hazy mountains, so I asked what it meant.

That is the future, and it is smoke, not mist. Into that you must go, but you will not long remain. You are light, for light dwells in you, yet a little time you must remain, and I will be in you and guide you and at the right moment, pluck you out. Do not remain in the toxic places, but go to the places where you find air. There remain until I send for you, and I will send My own Son at the right moment, and pluck you out–you and those you have acquired in that place–the children which the Lord shall give you. You will lead them out as freed captives rescued from the poisoned land. With their little ones and their goods you shall rescue them, and I will bring you home.

This is what I received the next day:

You are My chosen, and to you I have bequeathed light. To you, My children–to you, My bride, to you, My anointed ones, have I given light. Your eyes, which once were darkness, now are light. Your thoughts, which once were muddled and confused, now follow and come into conjunction with Mine. Your part, which has been obscure to you, you now begin to see.

Out of darkness, which you once were, the light is sparked; the flax begins to smolder. Light comes when its time is right. It will not be sanctioned before its time because the power to sustain it is not there, but as I lay the fire for lighting, so you must place things in order for the One who kindles.

Believe Me when I say that you shall not walk much longer in secret. The time for revealing shall not wait much longer, but it now stands just beyond the door. Will you be ready? Pray for the brethren that they may be prepared, that they know how to walk with godly intent, that they know My ways, My countenance, My expression, that they may be guided by My eye.

I will make you all what I want you to be, both as a body and as individual members. See that you all prepare yourselves in fasting and in prayer to receive My words to you as you walk in the way and as you sleep and as you wake. Look to Me moment by moment and hour by hour as you travel with one another, as you rest, and as you journey. Seek Me day and night and you will find I am always where you need Me.

If you do these things on a consistent basis, your eyes, will be opened (though you were born spiritually blind). But now, blessed are your eyes, for they see–and your ears, for they hear. Listen, then. Look and you will see. Don’t neglect to walk apart with Me so that you may be refreshed. In this time I will supply you with My strength and I will fill your spirit with the joy you will require for the day’s needs. Surrender to Me and I will fill you with My life.

Previous posts on this vein:
Light Breaks Through
The Light of Men
Blind Eyes Seeing and Seeing Eyes Blind