The Stone of Departure

A group of us are preparing to walk part of the Camino de Santiago in late May and we have been busy preparing here in Northern Ireland with some wonderful walks and building relationships with each other.

Yesterday we walked up the side of Slieve Croob, County Down as a circular route, the weather patchy but probably nothing compared to the Pyrenees!

The views on a clear day are breath taking, (but not today). You can normally see Scotland, The Isle of Man, Lough Neagh etc etc. It’s an area I have personally come to love over many years and with Jude we used to have picnics at the top & fall asleep under the summer sun.

I have written about the Stone of Departure in the past but I can’t seem to find my original notes. I felt yesterday for a few moments to take the lads to a rather large granite stone just slightly over from the summit and share a few words.

Earlier in the week I had been reminded of the Stone of Ezel in 1 Samuel 20:19. David was waiting to hear from Jonathan about whether or not it was safe for David to return to King Saul. King Saul was very jealous of David & he was plagued by an evil spirit sent by God. He was on the war path to eliminate David, who was destined to become Israel’s next king.

David was hiding by the Stone Ezel to await the outcome. Jonathan on his return from his father would get a young boy to collect some arrows he had shot in the direction of the stone. The boy didn’t know David was there but the landing of the arrows gave David the sign whether he was welcome back or not. The arrows went ahead of the stone which meant Saul was looking to have David’s head if he caught him. David had to depart, leave the area and go on the run.

Nothing is wasted in the scriptures. The Stone Ezel means Departure or Showing the Way, and for a few moments I shared some practical aspects of this word and how we can find ourselves sometimes in a tight spot looking for Direction. These times can come while under severe pressure but because of the Providence of God we can trust Him in guiding our footsteps if we simply acknowledge Him in all our ways. Prov 3:5-6

It takes courage to step out even if it seems we are on the run like David……BUT what a Destiny awaits !!

The Dawn Of A New Day !

The release of the Israeli hostages over the weeks has been both sweet & sour. The joy & ecstasy of families re-united coupled with the hard news for some of the death of loved ones. What an emotional roller coaster which will take a long time to heal. But it is good news for many and I would just like to share about the Dekel-Chen family in particular.

Avital Dekel-Chen was eight months pregnant when her husband Sagui was abducted by Hamas. What caught my eye was the child was to be called Shachar which means dawn or sunrise. Sagui certainly had been sitting in darkness in the shadow of death before the sunrise of release, such joy! His daughters name certainly prophetic, holding out in a time of darkness until the light came flooding in.

It took me back to the day Jude took her last breath, 2^nd September 2021 at 6.30am which was the time of the sunrise in Belfast.

Zechariah, John the Baptists priestly Father prophesied after the birth of John of the Christ and referred to Him as the Dayspring, which means the sunrise.

“Through the tender mercy of our God; whereby the dayspring from on high hath visited us, to give light to them that sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace.” Luke 1:78-79

One of the greatest blessings I have received through bereavement are the writings of the Scottish divine Samuel Rutherford. One of his biographers quoted about the closing moments of Rutherford’s life into glory.

“With the dawn of the 29^th March 1661, “it was said unto him, ‘Come up hither’: and the renowned eagle took his flight unto the Mountain of Spices.”

For believers in Christ, this Jesus the Daystar should give us much hope when we are in a dark place or about to take our last breath. He can be trusted to do what’s best.

David Watson whose book “Fear no Evil”, outlines his battle with cancer said regarding our last breath,

“Death is only putting out the lamp at the rise of a new dawn”.

We thank God again for the amazing reunion of the Dekel-Chen family.

I would recommend the following books for encouragement.

Fear No Evil by David Watson Click Here

The Inspirational Treasury of Samuel Rutherford Click Here

Tender Mercies

“Heavenly Father, thankyou that whatever this life may throw at us your right beside us, and some of the circumstances we encounter are the finger prints of God. Give us eyes to see you LORD in the good and the bad and remember to give you thanks in everything. Amen”

This is the prayer Jude ended with when she gave a talk on the first five verses of Psalm 103 just a few months before being diagnosed with Leukemia.

The Church at St Johns, Hillsborough like so many others were in the midst of the Covid outbreak so Pastor Raj asked Jude to do a few recordings to benefit the congregation during a difficult time.

Some of her opening words on this incredible Psalm written by King David were as follows;

“There are times when we need a good dose of Psalm 103 to wash out that complaining spirit & replace it with a heart of gratitude to The LORD”

Regarding the benefits outlined in the Psalm Jude quotes Spurgeon;

“God selects a few of the choicest pearls, from a casket of divine love, threads them on a string of memory, and hangs them about the neck of gratitude”

Just for a moment, I want to focus on the latter part of verse 3, “….and heals all your diseases”, Jude said:

“Healing is another one of God’s great benefits to our bodies, He brings healing to us in this life through natural & miraculous ways, He promises ultimate healing for all His people in the age to come”

Jude had already said that she had received a miraculous healing, (from the menopause). Read the account by Clicking Here.

Also, and prophetically she would later fulfil ultimate healing. Read the story by Clicking Here.

I came across Jude’s notes recently on this talk and was blessed to be able to watch a short video which is still ministering to saints today.

If you would like to watch Jude give this talk it will encourage & challenge you.

Tender Mercies: A talk by Jude Gray based on the first five verses of Psalm 105.

Click Here

May The LORD bless you with His benefits.

The Trump Of God !

Some years ago, I remember seeing some beautiful flowers, resembling trumpets when delivering mail to a particular property. I knew the customers and after commenting on the flowers, I was blessed some weeks later with a gift of bulbs. They are called Nerine Bowdenii of South African origin.

The story goes that the flowers drifted on the seas from South Africa, eventually washing up on the shores of the island of Guernsey. It was this ocean voyage that earned the flower its name: ‘Nerine’, in a reference to the 50 beautiful daughters of the sea-god Nereus. The flower is also known as the Guernsey Lily in the UK.

Some say that the Nerine Bowdenii expresses what is often left unsaid, thus bridging the gap between heart and mind. “I care about you”.

As the flowers have just blossomed in the garden it reminded me especially in the area of grief, things that were left unsaid. Like so many others who experience deep grief you cannot help thinking whether you did enough and it takes time & prayer to bring healing to our emotions. You don’t always see things at the time but friends remind me I gave my best to Jude especially in the closing days.

Somethings are left unsaid, but love goes beyond words when it is deep & secure in a healthy marriage. I close with a “Life verse”, that encourages me daily regarding my re-union with Jude if I’m still living at the blast of a Trumpet !!!.

Be encouraged Christian if loved ones in Christ have been sent ahead…..

“But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him. For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep. For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so, shall we ever be with the Lord. Wherefore comfort one another with these words.” 1 Thess 4:13-18

The Heart Of The Lily Is Love….

“Consider the lilies how they grow: they toil not, they spin not; and yet I say unto you, that Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.” Luke 12:27

Yesterday I noticed the lilies about to open, they were a gift to Jude from one of her customers and every year I have the joy of not only seeing them open but being able to enjoy their dazzling display. No wonder Jesus said the lily was better clothed than King Solomon in all His finery and for us not to worry about what we shall wear ourselves !!.

Symbolically, lilies are associated with love, and sympathy for the departed.

I think the heart shaped STIGMA is amazing. The stigma is part of the female reproductive system of a flower. It is found in the center of a flower and helps to collect pollen. The stigma is on top of the style and is the apex of the reproductive system. It is waxy or sticky to collect the dry pollen which is blown by the wind or transferred by insects.

The heart shaped stigma is just like real love because it serves a purpose and just as the the stigma attracts pollen so our life in Christ should be attractive to those who we come in contact with.

I must admit when I saw the lilies open this morning, the sight of the stigma made me rejoice and praise The LORD not just for His amazing creation but for His love for me. May you be blessed also.

An extra blessing to you today….

Thank you………

After completing Jude’s book and sending out the link, I would just like to say a big thank you for the amazing response and the kindest of words.

I was struck by the number of nations where people have viewed from. I continue to pray that Jude’s book will be a great comfort to many believers going through a valley and also a warning to those outside of Christ that personal salvation is the only answer to life’s questions.

Here are a few of the comments received;

“A beautiful person reflected in a beautiful book”. AW

“At the end of the day it’s not the sermons we have heard or the books we have read, but the precious lives of the people that the Lord put alongside us that have the biggest effect. These are the true blessings that we treasure. Sister Jude was most definitely one of those treasures that the Lord Jesus blessed us with, and we thank Him daily”. AK

“I’m so impressed with this book. I hadn’t realised she was writing it and I think it’s wonderful that you’ve finished it”. AH

“Aw, thank you so much. I loved Jude and this brought a tear to my eye” G

“Your book is poignant and powerful and beautifully written- a masterpiece just like your beloved”. A

Thank you again and may God richly bless your life.

Andy