Quiet Love

"He will quiet you with his love"(Zephaniah 3:17)

... Let me relate a beautiful old story of how one Christian dreamed she saw three other women in prayer.

When they knelt the Master drew near to them. As He approached the first of the three, He bent over her with tenderness and grace. He smiled with radiant love and spoke to her in tones of pure, sweet music. Upon leaving her, He came to the next but only placed His hand upon her bowed head and gave her one look of loving approval. He passed the third woman almost abruptly, without stopping for a word or a glance.

The woman having the dream said to herself, "How greatly He must love the first woman. The second gained His approval but did not experience the special demonstrations of love He gave the first. But the third woman must have grieved Him deeply, for He gave her no word at all, nor even a passing look."

She wondered what the third woman must have done to have been treated so differently. As she tried to account for the actions of her Lord, He Himself came and stood beside her. He said to her, "O woman! How wrongly you have interpreted Me! The first kneeling woman needs the full measure of My tenderness and care to keep her feet on My narrow way. She needs My love, thoughts, and help every moment of the day, for without them she would stumble into failure.

"The second woman has stronger faith and deeper love than the first, and I can count on her to trust Me no matter how things may go or whatever people may do. Yet the third woman, whom I seemed not to notice, and even to neglect, has faith and love of the purest quality. I am training her through quick and drastic ways for the highest and holiest service.

"She knows Me so intimately, and trusts Me so completely, that she no longer depends on My voice, loving glances, or other outward signs to know of My approval. She is not dismayed or discouraged by any circumstances I arrange for her to encounter. She trusts Me when common sense, reason, and even every subtle instinct of the natural heart would rebel, knowing that I am preparing her for eternity, and realizing that the understanding of what I do will come later.

"My love is silent because I love beyond the power of words to express it and beyond the understanding of the human heart. Also, it is silent for your sakes- that you may learn to love and trust Me with pure, Spirit-taught, spontaneous responses. I desire for your response to My love to be without the prompting of anything external."

He "will do wonders never before done" (Exodus 34:10) if you will learn the mystery of His silence and praise Him every time He withdraws His gifts from you. Through this you will better know and love the Giver. ~selected
(February 9 entry from Streams in the Desert by L.B. Cowman)



I am noticing the beauty of this story because I can see me as ALL three of these praying woman at different stops on my path.... as I have continued to journey through this adventure called Life. I have been each one of these woman, and presently am just so thankful for GOD being ever present in my life....Today, I am good..... wish I could go back and repeat ONE thing that happened a year ago today.... but, thinking of that has REALLY made for a good day.... GOD is doing so much in my life.... I feel a Peace and a Joy like I NEVER have had before.... I'm TRUSTING HIM more than I ever had, which in turn is producing that Peace and Joy..... just can't put it into words.... I'm Loving HIM more and more each day.... I'm "Waiting with HOPE"..... that hope that is found only in, through, and with HIM.....

and it ALL really began a year ago.... with what GOD put, well who GOD put on my path.... with or without him in my life.... I sure am better off because of it all!!