Songs of the Heart

The Bride’s First Crisis Experience

Chapter 1, Verse 5

“I am black, but comely, O ye daughters of Jerusalem, as the tents of Kedar, as the curtains of Solomon.”

My Prayer

Lord, when I see my the shades of darkness in my life, help me not to despair. And when I see Your beautifying graces within me, keep me free from becoming proud and from the temptation to claim what is nothing of my doing.

Father, where there is darkness in me that offends others, deal with my heart, draw it out of me. Wash my feet daily, Jesus. I need the probing of Your Spirit because my tendency is not to see my faults at all, or to see them so clearly that I am consumed with them and driven to despair.

Help me never deny what You see - that I am beautiful, even when I am blinded by my shadows. Yet help me never forget my humanness, my darkness, when I see Your graces in my life. Help me live before others in humility, knowing that they may see my faults before they see Your beauty in me. Let me display the truths that honour You: I am dark, I do fail, I am not perfect but, because of Your grace upon me, I am beautiful!

Help us, Your people, understand both aspects of who we are. You know our temptation to despair or to become sinfully proud. Jesus, You want me to see both darkness and beauty in myself and in others. I cry to You for help with this

He Said

It is good you see yourself as dark. So often My people do not struggle with seeing themselves as dark - they struggle with believing themselves to be beautiful and lovely in Me! You struggle with the same thing. So why do you go to pieces when someone points out a darkness in your life? If others can see your weaknesses, should you not be grateful when someone points out a weakness you may not even be aware of?

Could your despair at seeing your weakness be the result of your forgetting My grace? Forgetting My redemption? Forgetting My work on the cross for you? You will always be dark BUT lovely. And it is your correct view of your darkness that will enable you to see your beauty without becoming proud and haughty. O My dear, sweet, lovely child! You are so beautiful within, so awesome! When you see your darkness, or when others point it out (kindly, or otherwise) just run to the Cross.

The Cross is your place of refuge - the place where My blood atones for your sin, the place of forgiveness, the place where I commission you to get up and go again. The cross is the place where you obtain My covering, My beauty, My beautiful robe of righteousness. Yes, there will always be shadows of darkness, but you are so very beautiful! I want My people to see their beauty as well as their darkness. Tell them for Me, won’t you?

Verse 6a

“Look not upon me, because I am black, because the sun hath looked upon me….”

My Prayer

Sometimes our weaknesses obscure the beauty of Your grace in our lives, Lord. And sometimes, we all spend more time looking at people’s weaknesses and infirmities rather than looking for Your graces. Lord, help me to spend more time looking for Your beauty and Your grace in others’ lives. Cover my darkness. May others never be made to stumble by any weakness or infirmity in my life.

And Father, I pray for the body of Christ in general that we would not be stumbled by the sins and failures, weaknesses and infirmities of those in places of leadership. Lord, You know there is enough weakness in any of us to cause others to stumble. But particularly where those you have called to be leaders - pastors, apostles, prophets, evangelists, teachers - have fallen into sin because of weaknesses in their lives, help Your Body to cover them - to release them to Your dealings - and to continue to follow after You!

Father, help the young ones especially to get their eyes off the darkness they see in others and focus their eyes on Your grace, Your love, Your forgiveness, Your power to restore and Your power to heal. Deliver us Lord from bad-mouthing Your prophets because of their infirmities and failures.

He Said

This is an awesome thing - a critical issue in My Body. I have leaders who, like Samson, have great power and strength and anointing yet struggle with great flaws and weaknesses in their character and in their lives. Because they are so visible in their ministry, people see their flaws and weaknesses and some become disillusioned, frustrated and bitter because they suppose My servants should be perfect!

The truth of the matter is that NONE of My servants are perfect. That is why I work in your life, My child. If you allow Me to prune your life and to catch the little foxes, you will never need to feel the shame of your weaknesses and infirmities. If you allow these things to be exposed to Me, I will deal with them so they are not exposed to others!

Keep humble before Me. Come often to the Cross. Lay down your life before Me. Spend much time in My presence for yourself - NOT for your ministry!

As you spend time with Me, I will pour My life into you and you will be strong in My power and anointing. And My glory will cover you. I always cover those who spend much time with Me. When you sense a lack of covering and you see your weaknesses, run again into My arms - into My presence. Let the passion of your life be to be with Me! O how I love you, My dear child! I bless and strengthen you today.

Verse 6b

“My mother‘s children were angry with me; they made me the keeper of the vineyards, but mine own vineyard have I not kept.”

My Prayer

Father, there are times when I feel I have been given more to do than I can accomplish. Sometimes I fail to meet others’ expectations and they become frustrated with me.

They may not even be angry with me at all but when I feel I fail to meet others’ expectations, I can easily believe they are - even without knowing!

Sometimes, though, our feelings are justified and our brothers and sisters can become our greatest enemies because we fail to be or to do what they expected we would be or do. I have experienced this a few times in my life, Father, and it is so painful to feel one’s self accused wrongly. And yet, no matter what others expect of me, my most important commitment is to keep my own vineyard - to spend time in fellowship with You.

Sometimes, Lord, it’s not even others’ expectations, but my own busyness and my own expectations that keep me from You. At this season in my life I need primarily and most importantly to be in Your presence, worshipping and loving You. My heart needs You more than it needs anything else. Come to me, my dear Shepherd. Help me tend my own vineyard so I can adequately care for other vineyards.

He Said

Come to Me and sit at My feet like Mary, the sister of Martha did. Ponder over the things I have spoken to you like My mother, Mary did. You may feel like you haven’t kept your vineyard, but I see much fruit in your life My Child. There are things you cannot always see yourself. So you need to rejoice in the fruit that is there!

You know dear one, if you will keep a thankful heart, that alone will keep out many weeds of self-pity, discontent, fear of the unknown, and frustration with yourself and with others. My Word says the joy of the Lord is your strength. You keep your vineyard when you speak My Word regardless of your feelings or circumstances. Just embrace those around you, receive My enabling and continue in My joy!

So