“The Son of Man has come to save that which was lost.” Matthew 18:11 NKJV
🥁 Lead on, O King Eternal,
The day of march has come;
Henceforth in fields of conquest
Thy tents shall be our home.
Through days of preparation
Thy grace has made us strong;
And now, O King Eternal,
We lift our battle song.
I have in mind to do one thing… but am quietly prompted to do another. “Trust God and be faithful, Crystal. He undoubtedly has plans for something better.” The chime of bells can be heard ringing in the air, the familiar strains of an olden day hymn.
I redirect my energy. Not quite certain what it is that I’m supposed to do next, I get up, get dressed, brush my hair, brush my teeth…decide to start off simple, so simply follow my feet. They carry me over to the dining room window where I lift the shade to take a peek at what’s out there. Upon doing so, I spy a small feather; obvious in its white pristine as it rests in the cracks between the pavers.
I feel a nudge to get out and moving. First things first, though; I pick up this feather!
I queue up my trusty Apple Watch and set out to begin my walk. Immediately I’m met with a much larger feather!
🪈 Lead on, O King Eternal
Till sin’s fierce war shall cease,
And holiness shall whisper
The sweet amen of peace.
For not with sword’s loud clashing,
Nor roll of stirring drums;
With deeds of love and mercy
The heav’nly kingdom comes.
I ponder the value of this find, clutch it tight between thumb and fingers. Glance up to enjoy a rather picturesque scene at the pond. Ha! Technically, I spy A LOT more feathers!😂
Moving along I turn a corner, taking time to care about, smile, and greet the neighbors. Lift an hospitable hand to wave at passers by… and I reckon you can guess…I come across more feathers!
Don’t they look lovely now beside this flame colored leaf?! Almost as if a hidden message was being re-iterated someplace.
I keep walking along, following after my feet, traveling along a busy, busy roadway; I cross at a quieter place. It leads to a green way where open fields inspire. The weather’s just glorious! I’m excited by the prospect of what’s things might be met yet!
The sides of the path are strewn with all kinds of seeds. They remind me of principals that are really important: like dying to one’s self and reaping and sewing. I gather some clusters, tuck them into my growing collection. I pause to appreciate the warmth of golden sunlight and gaze in wonder at the unique bouquet taking shape.
🎤 Lead on, O King Eternal,
We follow, not with fears,
For gladness breaks like morning
Where’er Thy face appears.
Thy cross is lifted o’er us,
We journey in its light;
The crown awaits the conquest;
Lead on, O God of might.
My heart smiles, my face smiles. They’re simple, little things, God, but they sure mean a lot.
At this exact moment the flutter of orange wings passes by.
How blessed I am to be able to be a part of this moment! Thank you, GOD, for eyes to see, for ears to hear, and for the imparted prose and lyrics. Thank you for two feet that carry me along…and for the two hands needed to operate this phone, the camera of which can’t possibly capture the magnitude of Your goodness!
A gentle breeze comes to blow. It tugs a bit at the bouquet I hold. Some of the seeds break off, lift on wings to take flight. I watch for a moment as they dance out of sight. I turn around to head back home and think, “Ruffling to fluff and fluffing to ruffle. Nudges that move, and movements that nudge us. Yes, LORD, You are sovereign. You always know best!”
I pass back by the busy, busy roadway. Back past the pond; yup, the twelve geese are still there. I return to the house, shut the front door behind me. Lay everything gathered in a pile on the counter. Fire up my computer and take a minute chat with you.
There was another something I spied while out on my walk today. Holding on to it like a prize, I figured I’d save the best part for last!
Some will feel it’s too early, but I understand. It’s the underpinning of today’s entire experience! The Most Beautiful Nosegay of all, far too big to fit in my hand! But what God supplied on my walk was the essence of the gist. Thank You, God…thank you, Jesus…for this!
“You have not chosen Me, but I have chosen you and I have appointed and placed and purposefully planted you, so that you would go and bear fruit and keep on bearing, and that your fruit will remain and be lasting, so whatever you ask of the Father in My name, as My representative, He will give to you. This is what I command you: that you love and unselfishly seek the best for one another.”
John 15:16-17 AMP
“I have told you these things so that you will be filled with My joy. Yes, Your joy will be overflowing!” John 15:11 NLT
** “Lead on, O King Eternal” Ernest W. Shurtleff, 1888
*** And a reference to the number 12, as in geese…
12 is the numeric symbol of the divine plan and authority of God in all its perfection, completeness, harmony and unity. I liken it to both known and unknown history…as in the 12 tribes of Israel, the 12 apostles of Jesus Christ, and the story of our lives as they continue being written today.
Godspeed, dear friend! Jesus loves you..and I do, too!