Far Nobler

Far nobler the sword that is nicked and worn;

Far fairer the flag that is grimy and torn

Than when to the battle fresh they were born.

He was tried and found true; he stood the test;

'Neath whirlwinds of doubt, when all the rest

Crouched down and submitted, he fought the best.

There are wounds on his breast that can never be healed;

There are gashes that bleed and may never be sealed,

But, wounded and gashed, he won the field.

And other may dream in their easy chairs;

And point their white hands to the scars he bears;

But the palm and the laurel are his -- not theirs!

-- Author Unknown

A Sadness that no Longer Hurts...

"There are few easier hiding places than a sadness which no longer hurts or a burden that is no longer heavy. We find ourselves with an ideal excuse to remain weak and comfortable, ideal because it spares us from being condemned. Few would criticize us for not going forward, while they think that staying put is so hard."

The Omega Network (p. 74-75)

by Thomas Locke

Asking the Right Question

I find it interesting that Jacob wrestled all night with an angel, yet was the recipient of neither a blessing or a victory. It seems that the biggest problem he had was he was asking for the wrong thing!

Although his personal history would seem to indicate a preoccupation with 'blessings', a part of me would like to think that it should never have taken an all-nighter to figure out that he should be asking for something different.

As soon as he asked, "Tell me, I pray thee, thy name," Scripture records these words. "And he blessed him there." It seems that God is far more interested in blessing those who are wanting to know WHO HE IS more than WHAT HE CAN GIVE!

We can spend our whole lives begging God for things, becoming in nature what Paul rebuked some worshippers for one day. Thinking that we will get "for our much asking", rather than loving God and getting close to him, trusting that "no good thing will He withold" from us.

Reminds me of an old song that says:

More of you, more of You

I've had all, but what I need is just more of You

Of things I've had my fill, yet I hunger still

Empty and bare, Lord, hear my prayer

For more of You