(September 3, 2024) Norman and Margaret Moss share another precious meditation…

If you reside in Rowley Green please excuse my reference to where you live. Of course I think the majority of those who read this meditation will not have heard of Rowley Green.

It was well known to my family because it was there that my grandparents picked blackberries each year. Consequently it was to Rowley Green that my mother and my cousins and myself went each year to pick blackberries.

In those days it was I guess at least an hour including a bus ride to get there from where we lived. But the point was that once we had gone down a country lane and entered the Green, we could find blackberries in abundance and such large, beautiful refreshing blackberries! The taste remains as a memory in my mouth even after all these years.

There were blackberry bushes right near to our home, but nothing compared to Rowley Green!

Praising God in the Desert
We were meditating on Hosea 9:10, ‘When I found Israel, it was like finding grapes in the desert.’

And we felt the Lord was saying:

‘Grapes in the desert. Just think what that means! Travelling miles in blinding heat, parched throats andexhausted bodies and then suddenly an oasis!

‘And you come in and sit in glorious shade around pools of water and there are vines and hanging from themare juicy grapes and you pick them and they are sweet and delicious to your taste. And you praise my name who caused there to be oases in the desert.

‘So as you walk in the desert of this world, I cause there to be many oases for your refreshment and delight.

As for me when I found you and when I found my chosen people they were to me like finding grapes in the desert.

‘I want my people to be joyful, because I am joyful over them. To me they are delightful. My eyes look everywhere for those who worship in spirit and in truth. Over these I exclaim with delight and am well pleased. For these are the grapes in the desert, those who by faith are made one with me and the righteousness which I showed in my victorious life becomes their righteousness.

‘Hold fast to these mysteries and taste their sweetness again and again, for you are not condemned you areset free to love me and to follow me because you love me.

‘Praise offered from a sincere heart, prayer uttered in simple faith, temptation resisted and refused in my name, real and unaffected testimony to my goodness — this is fruit that pleases me, and there is much else beside. I AM forming fruit in your life, rejoice and again rejoice.’

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Norman and Margaret Moss — Link: charlesnmoss@gmail.com — pastored Queen’s Road Baptist Church, Wimbledon for over 30 years, experiencing charismatic renewal since the 1960s. Desiring still to encourage ministers, churches and groups hungry for more of the Holy Spirit, although ‘retired’ they preach and teach by Zoom, and contribute to Dr. Ayodele Afuye’s Vessels of Virtues Fire Ministries. They recommend Vessels of Virtues’ YouTube weekly presentations.
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