Countryside in NC can cure ‘many a ills’. Brilliant colors hang and blow from her limbs blowing in words that only an artist with a brush or wordsmith could capture in a moment that flees as fast as the breeze. O Glory waves with a meaning that stings at times with the news blowing from her top brass. The beauty of the leaves fleeing so fast makes me wonder if my prayers have been as fleeing as the leaves in the breeze! O Glory of God come and fill our land, I pray! The pain hurts but the truth salves the pain.
The walls of our truth seekers in DC are engraved in marble that states “And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” John 8:32
thedailylily.com 
The picture that immediately flashed to my mind when I read this is that you, Sara, are an ‘Artist of God’s word’…just like the picture and phrase you penned of the artist in your book, “Dressing for His Glory,” …”Be an Artist of God’s Word”.
May your words not flee but capture and be captured by the One who will answer and can do exceeding abundantly beyond all you ask or think. I agree with your prayer above and am grateful that “The pain hurts but the truth salves the pain.”
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“…the truth salves the pain…” I continue to pray that truth in our Nation will prevail. My husband and I follow many of the Psalms in our prayer lives and think the Psalmist sings truth into our hearts. We strive to pray with David and believe for God to move upon our land and lives. Salving the pain of lies and deception brings to my mind another Prophet and story; Jeremiah asked this rhetorical question, “Is there no balm in Gilead? Is there no physician there? Why then has not the health of the daughter of my people been restored?” (Jer. 8:22) The grave conditions of the people that caused them to need salve/balm was given in the previous verse. “For the brokenness of the daughter of my people I am broken; I mourn, dismay has taken hold of me.” Jeremiah was dismayed that the condition of the people had gotten so bad.
Am I dismayed enough with the condition of my nation to pray for salve/truth to be revealed!
Reading above the verses from Jeremiah it stands out to me that the prophet distinguishes between the daughter of the people and the people. The daughter is broken but the balm is need for the larger region of Gilead. The brokenness of an individual doesn’t occur in isolation. There is a ripple effect, a far reaching effect. Many are affected. The innocent as well as the guilty are affected. “the Psalmist sings truth into our hearts”…brings hope of recovery and healing in answer to prayer.
Footnotes from my Bible for John 8:32 says: “Jesus himself is the truth that sets us free (8:36). He is the source of truth, the perfect standard of what is right. He frees us from continued slavery to sin, from self-deception, and from deception by Satan. He shows us clearly the way to eternal life with God. Thus, Jesus does not give us freedom to do what we want, but freedom to follow God. As we seek to serve God, Jesus’ perfect truth frees us to be all that God meant us to be.”
Now, that’s TRUTH!
Jesus is truth and we are the voice of truth when we see and hear all that have no truth. Big shoes to fill when we walk in the sandals of truth.
The Word of God is sharper than a two-edged sword. It cuts both ways. When it cuts and slices open the Truth for all to see, blood flows freely and heads roll. When it cuts with a surgeon’s scalpel the corruption of men is revealed, exposed to the LIGHT and driven out. Nothing can escape the Light of the Word. Maybe not immediately, but eventually and thoroughly and surely comes the unmasking of the
sin. And then may justice triumph. And then the judgment!
Your mentioning salve brings to mind the Scripture that Jesus spoke in the Revelation 3:18, “I counsel you to buy from ME gold refined in the fire, so you can become rich; and white clothes to wear, so you can cover your SHAMEFUL nakedness; AND SALVE TO PUT ON YOUR EYES SO YOU CAN SEE.”
When we were in grade school an assignment was to read a little 2 or 3 page pamphlet entitled “CURRENT EVENTS” . There would be a little blurb in there about some big occurrence in our country, etc. It was meant to keep little grade school children apprised of the ‘news’ and what was happening.
Now that we are all grown up we can read the Bible and find out its incredible prophetic prowess as it uncovers, discloses, prophesies the astounding events that are taking place in our nations and around the world right now at this date November, 2012.
Sara mentioned one above. There is the story of Lot, Abraham’s nephew, and his flight from Sodom. There is the city of Jerusalem and the prophecy of Jesus Who told His disciples not a stone would be left upon a stone. The Bible is full of events and forecasts and predictions some of which are occurring in our nation, cities, towns and counties right now that Jesus warned about.
Yes, ” the grave condition of MY people…that is God’s people, let alone the worldly people….If we are to be like Jesus…then we have to “cry” over ‘Jerusalem’ and ‘Judea’ and the uttermost parts of the world before it’s too late.
“or wordsmith could capture “…
wordsmith: 1. an expert in the use of words.
I think it is significant that Jesus, God, is referred to as The Word. That is His character and entire being according to John 1:1-2 ” In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God.
So I think to be a True wordsmith one must be filled and directed by the Word Himself. That is the power that captures the wind…”news blowing from her top brass” …and knows what to do with it and how to direct it as it is captured.
To know truth, I think we have to know the Father of truth (vs the father of lies, satan). But we can’t know the Father staying far from Him. And the only way to get to Him (like getting permission to see a king or royalty) is through Jesus.
“Jesus told him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me.” John 14:6