I have often prayed for the Holy Spirit to take me back to the place where I first believed. And He often does so. In retrospect, I have come to learn, that many of the memories that are revealed to me in answer to my prayers are not in chronological order. I smile when that happens and ‘joke’ with the Holy Spirit by saying…Oh, that’s right, My Lord, You are not inhibited by time and space,.
So, it was no surprise to me this week when I sat down at my computer to begin composing this week’s blog. I sent up a quick prayer to my Father which included only four words…Lord, take me back! I went to my file cabinet and pulled out one of many file folders containing unpublished chapters from a book I have been intending to finish for a number of years. Below is an excerpt from one of the chapters entitled “Promises Given In A Still Small Voice”.
| “Tell Me Oh Pretty Sky” (An original song written by the Blogger) Tell me oh pretty sky, What makes the stars so high? What makes the rivers, What makes the streams? What makes the flowers and grass so green? If I knew all of that I’d be so happy and gay. God knows it all He’s the One who knows. Tell me oh pretty sky. |
The above song was actually written by my big sister, Simone, and me when we were just kids about ten and eleven years old. I remember we were sitting on our back porch of the little yellow house on Kimball Street, in a small town in Illinois, USA. We were looking upward at the the starry sky in total silence for a very long time. I was thinking, where did all those clouds go that I had seen earlier in the day.
Finally, my sister began to speak the first words of the song above. I soon interrupted her with a contributory word here and there. When the song was finished, we jumped up and ran into the house to sing it to the whole family in two-part harmony.
Surprisingly, I have remembered that song and sang its words all during my adult life. I love it! But little did I know how authentic a prayer it was until one evening about 47 years later. According to my journal, it was a Friday night in May 1996 about 12:30 a.m. while I was preparing my Sunday School lesson.
Often, I would begin my Bible study time with a song and that night I sang, “Tell Me Oh Pretty Sky.” After I had prayed, I began my study by reading the following Bible scripture: “I have swept away your offenses like a cloud, your sins like the morning mist.” Isaiah 44:42
As I paused to meditate on those words, the Holy Spirit began to speak to me in response to my inquiry through song. He said, My child, one reason why I set the clouds up above your back porch those many years ago was to remind you that I will not forget you and have swept away your offenses like a cloud. And as for why I made the morning mist; that was just to remind you that like the mist, your sins disappear from before Me long before high noon.
Hallelujah! At last I had confirmation to all those questions in that song. The ‘what‘ turned out to be the ‘Who’. For indeed the Lord declares in a still small voice…“I am the Lord who has made all things, who alone stretched out the heavens, who spread out the earth by Myself.” Isaiah 44:24b
My prayer of thanksgiving…
To my Beloved Master, I thank and praise You for truly You are a promise keeper, a Lord of lords, a Rock in a weary land, and a Teacher extraordinaire. For I am at odds numerous times, just like Mary and Martha, why Your ways are so forgiving and Your actions are so lovingly expressed towards me. Teach me, Heavenly Father to never doubt You again, for truly You are the Joy and the Strength of my life. Amen and Amen!
Scripture Lesson: “So I say, live by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature. Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit.” Galatians 5:16, 25
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Conversations With God Using Scripture 
What a beautiful memory and words. Sister Fowler, it was a pleasure and a blessing to see you in Sunday School last Sunday. Your Blog truly is a blessing and inspiration to me.
Sister Wilson
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May the Holy Spirit dwell in you richly, too, Cathy. So glad to physically meet you and put a face to a name. Let’s pray that all of our Sunday School class members soon return to the class room. The Spirit is so much higher when our participation is in the House of God instead instead of on Zoom. Stay toned.
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