Time with Jesus - Thursday, 23
August 2012
Hi all,
If you like Irish folk tunes with words changed to
Christian lyrics, you’ll find today’s meditation more or less what you would
like. I’ve taken “Maggie”, changed the word to “Master” and made it applicable
to Phyllida and me.
Blessings
Jim
& Phyllida Strickland
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Matt 10:8
Freely you received, Freely give |
Time with Jesus – Thursday, 23 August 2012
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Matt 10:8
Freely you received, Freely give |
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©
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These
devotionals are the intellectual property of Jim Strickland and copyright
protected. You are welcome to copy and distribute them to anyone provided it
is for non-commercial Christian purposes
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©
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INTRODUCTION
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DAILY
LIGHT EVENING SCRIPTURES
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In 2010, Phyllida and I took a Trafalgar Tours bus trip to places
which included England, Scotland, Irish Republic and Wales. It was a
wonderful tour which we thoroughly enjoyed. We “fell in love” with Ireland.
It’s one of the few places in the world outside South Africa, we would like
to live. It is aptly called “The Emerald Isle” The greenery is beautiful. We
loved Limerick. We went to Blarney Castle but didn’t kiss the stone. We
couldn’t face all those steps to the top!
The journey brought back old memories for me. Memories of 1952 and the
song “Galway Bay”. I’m not sure why this song was popular at that time. It’s
more like a traditional Irish folk song than anything else. The Irish are a remarkable
people. The nation has been through so many unhappy incidents over the past
couple of hundred years. But this has not embittered the people. We found
them warm, open and friendly. We loved listening to their extraordinary
music. “Riverdance” has highlighted many of their talents and traditional
Irish dancing has taken the world by storm. Part of “Riverdance” features the
Uilleann pipes. It has a
strange, “haunting” sound that is matchless. Sometimes called Irish bagpipes,
they are uniquely Irish!
The songs of Foster and Allen have been favourites of ours for many
years and today’s meditation takes its cue from one of their songs. Entitled
“Maggie” it’s a song about an “old” Irish couple looking back down the years
of their lives. Primarily it is the man singing to the love of his life and
recalling the things of yesteryear. I loved it the first time I heard it sung
by them. A small bit of research tells me they recorded the song back in 1996.
However, I can remember the song from the mid 1980’s
For some time I thought that if Foster and Allen could immortalise
“Maggie” I could have a go at using the song as a basis for a Christian
version. This one not based on “Maggie”, but upon “The Lord Jesus Christ”. The
word, “Master” seemed appropriate. So a number of years ago I composed the
song “Master” in similar vein. In this case it was my own personal tribute to
Jesus. Then it struck me that the words applied to Phyllida and me equally.
So this morning I revisited the song, added a verse and came up with a
version that applies to both of us rather than for me alone. I’m glad I did.
The Lord has given us over thirty years of life together as husband and wife.
They have been wonderful years. At times they have been very hard. Not hard
between us as a couple. That love has blossomed, grown and gets better every
day. But we are no longer “young” We have followed Him all our married life
into our golden years. Now we pause, look back on the past and look forward
to being with Him forever.
Jim
& Phyllida Strickland
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4 I
will be your God throughout your lifetime--until your hair is white with age.
I made you, and I will care for you. I
will carry you along and save you.
Isaiah 46:4 NLT
1 But
now thus says the LORD, he who created you, O
Jacob, he who formed you, O Israel: "Fear not, for I have redeemed you;
I have called you by name, you are mine. 2 When you pass through the waters, I will be with you;
and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you; when you walk
through fire you shall not be burned, and the flame shall not consume you.
Isaiah 43:1-2 ESV
4 And I'll keep on carrying you when you're old. I'll be
there, bearing you when you're old and grey. I've done it and will keep on
doing it, carrying you on my back, saving you.
Isaiah 46:4 MSG
11 Like an eagle that rouses her chicks and hovers over
her young, so He spread His wings to take them up and carried them safely on
His pinions. 12 The LORD alone
guided them; they followed no foreign gods.
Deuteronomy 32:11-12 NLT
9 In
all their suffering He also suffered, and He personally rescued them. In His
love and mercy He redeemed them. He lifted them
up and carried them through all the years.
Isaiah 63:9 NLT
8 For Jesus doesn't change--yesterday, today, tomorrow,
he's always totally himself.
Hebrews 13:8 MSG
38 For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels
nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, 39
nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all
creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus
our Lord.
Romans 8:38-39 ESV
15 The
LORD answers, "Can a mother forget the baby
who is nursing at her breast? Can she stop showing her tender love to the
child who was born to her? She might forget her child. But I will not forget
you.
Isaiah 49:15 NIrV
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(Based on
“Maggie” sung by Foster and Allen)
We've laboured
so long in the field, Master;
Or bodies are
ageing and grey.
Our spirits are
longing to yield, Master,
And go to our
home far away.
We've loved You
with all of our heart, Master,
And tried to do
all You have said.
We've done all
we know to be part, Master,
Of following
where You have led.
You let us be
husband and wife, Master
When things
seemed to go down the drain
Wonderful
partners for life, Master
You caused us
to love once again.
We didn’t know
how it would be, Master
We’d been
through the pain of divorce
Your loving set
both of us free, Master
And put us back
on the right course
It's been such
a wonderful life, Master,
In everything,
we are replete.
You've
husbanded us like Your wife, Master,
Through
fellowships gentle and sweet.
You've helped
us in all we have done, Master;
Provided
assistance and aid;
Together we've
had so much fun, Master
And You brought
us back when we strayed!
So as we look
back down the years, Master,
Remembering all
we have known;
The laughter, the
joy and the tears, Master,
We see now how
much we have grown.
You've caused
us to come to this place, Master,
Of utter
contentment and peace.
Your wonderful
love and Your grace, Master
Have caused all
our strivings to cease.
So what can we
do but adore, Master,
The God Who
allowed this to be,
A life that has
meant so much more, Master,
Than all we expected to see!
Jim Strickland
Finalised 23rd August 2012 |
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