Newsletter

Ruth Bowser

WILD Hearts 24/7 
And I will give them a heart to know me.
Jeremiah 24:7

I first met Ray in the summer of 1995 while visiting him as a Home Health Nurse. Ray was pretty much alone in his small room at an assisted-living facility in Aurora, except for a niece who came to see him. He seemed almost imprisoned by his room but even more so by his body. As Ray aged, he became both legally deaf and blind, but never complained. Ray, a retired pastor, shared with me that a miracle happened every day in his life. The daily miracle was confirmed by his niece, the manager of the facility and many who worked in the home.

When Ray would get up each morning, he would find his chair. Then, each day as Ray opened his Bible, he was given sight. When he finished his time with God and closed his Bible he would find himself blind again. As a result, Ray touched everyone he came in contact with. He ministered greatly-even in the midst of very difficult circumstances. Ray, you see, built his life around an intimate relationship with God.

Lessons I have learned from Ray are many. I learned the value of a focused life---a life without distractions. I learned that the God of the universe desires an intimate relationship with Him and the great length He goes to---just to be with us.

What Ray teaches me most of all… that all I am and all I do must flow out of worship and an intimate relationship with God.

I find that each day is a challenge to keep that vision in front of me. For you see, I have a tendency to let life get in the way. Whether it is the pain of the past, the fear of an uncertain future, or the distractions of the daily grind, I find myself blind to His Presence.

Before I know it I am running in self-sufficiency rather than living in God-dependency.

Douglas Rumford in Soul Shaping says it this way:

"The spiritual journey is grace from start to finish. The greatest sin is not our failure; it is our presumption that we can succeed without full dependence on Christ."

I believe when we nurture an intimate relationship with God, it is there that He breathes life in us, fills us with His love, and sends us out to minister to others. I think of Jesus' interaction with Peter in John 21 after Peter denied Jesus. It seems that Jesus’ primary concern was about Peter’s relationship with Him, not his failure. Before Jesus sent Peter out to minister, he asked, "Do you love me?" three times. Henry Nouwen reminds us that it is not how many people take you seriously, or how much you are going to accomplish in your work or ministry, but the central question is, are you in love with Jesus?

• Linger for a moment and open yourself up to His Presence.
• Invite Him to meet you where you are at this moment.
• Ask Him what He desires to say to you.
• Are you willing to lay down any obstacle (failure, busyness, fear, sin, hurts etc) that  keeps you at a distance? Now hold it out to Him and let Him take it.
• Ask  Him to draw you near to Him.
• Thank Him for His unconditional & radically passionate love

My prayer for you and for me is that we would follow Ray’s pirit to open our eyes to His love and Presence.  Then out of that, I believe will flow an intimate relationship resulting in a transformed life fit for Him to use for His glory.

Journeying together,

Ruth