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Father’s eyes are set
upon you: You who have known such pain and loss. Your sons have been
stolen from you; they have gone out and have not come back and your tears
and your sorrows, spilled like water from rain gutters have not gone
without My notice.
I have numbered your
wanderings; I have saved your
tears
in My bottle; Are they not in My book? I have seen them; yes I have
counted each tear as an offering, pure and holy before Me. As the orange
must be squeezed for its juice to flow, and as the grape is crushed for
its wine to come forth, so you have been squeezed and you have been
crushed. The book of your story has been one of weeping and of sorrowing.
Yet I will turn your
weeping into rejoicing and your sorrowing into gladness. I will cause My
sun to shine upon you and you will see a New Day as I turn My eye upon
you; for I have watched you and I have made silent witness of your
faithfulness and your watchings and your waitings. You have cried out to
Me in the night hours; you have longed to see My glory. Therefore I will
come to you and I will woo you and I will call you My own and you will be
a jewel, even a precious stone to Me says your God. And as the light of My
glory shines upon you and as you turn this way and that way to reach out
to the fallen and the broken and the unlovely and the unwanted, I will
cause you to shine even as a prism brings forth the colors of the rainbow.
And each color shall be a gift to you, for you will be gifted beyond your
understanding.
I
will raise you up from your affliction and I will Husband you and will
be your Rear-guard. I will protect you and you shall you not weep from
sorrow any more, and I will cause sons to be born and to be raised up
from you who shall go forth in My strength and in My power. They shall
wear My crown and shall carry My sword to the nations of the earth in
this New Day says your God.
The poem below was written by
Jude Dunne of County Cork, Republic of Ireland. I met Jude in the summer
of 2004 and was impressed by the simple and straightforward faith and
insight he shared with me.
Don’t go
back
To what?
For what?
Remember
the narrow way
Enlist
the help of others
The body
of His army
Get in
line
Stay in
step
Not
conformity’s gait
Rather
grace’s dance
Watch out
for legality
Controllers subtle disguise
Keep your
freedom free
Pick up
the slackers
Love the
backpackers
They are
freer than free
Oh please
do not forget
Those who
strayed
Don’t
turn away in judgment
I dare
you to be different
Beware
the group speak
Or
passionless death
Will grip
you
Be alive
and vibrant too
This is
who you are in Christ
A diamond
rare
Uniqueness’ signature
From the
Father’s heart
“Written
upon the palms of His hands”
“Written upon the
palms of His hands” (Isaiah 44:5 NIV)
©
Jude Martin Dunne
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A
Word for Ireland
