Psalm 37: says to delight in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart and Proverbs 3:6 says in all your ways acknowledge Him and He will make your paths straight.
So all of us who have had the veil removed can see and reflect the glory of the Lord-who is the Spirit-make us more and more like Him as we are changed into His glorious image.
It is about relationship with the Lord. As we cultivate our relationship with Jesus, by spending time with Him, (because time is how we build relationship) we begin to see His love for us and because of His love, we fall more in love with Him.
The more we know Him, the more we trust Him. We can trust that He loves us perfectly, completely, and unconditionally. We have no reason to fear anything, because we know that not only is He able, but He is willing, to provide our every need and to care for us.
Love is not self seeking, it's not selfish. When we love, we put others first, above our own needs and wants. As we are being conformed into His image our desires begin to line up with His desires. Our hearts begin to beat in sync with His heart. So what was once so important to us begins to change and we begin to see with His eyes. We begin to lose our selfish motives and we learn to trust Him to work things out for our good, to benefit us and others, and to bring Him glory.
There was a woman (read 2 Kings 4:8-37) who had a servants heart. She recognized a man of God and she served him; she did this from her heart. She served without selfish motives and her service was recognized and rewarded. She delighted in her service to the man of God, it was her service to the Lord.
The woman had no children. We can imagine (from v.16) that it was her desire to have a child and she had reached a place of understanding and submission to God (v. 13) that her service was solely to serve and honor God.
I imagine, before she reached the place of v.13, of acceptance of His will and trust in Him, she probably spent time, and many nights, crying out to God for a child. When she did not conceive, she submitted to His will and relinquished her own. We know she did not become bitter or turn away from her faith because v.9-10 reveals the attitude of her heart.
Have you reached that place yet? Have you laid down your desire, your agenda, placed it on the alter and committed to 'not my will, but Your will'?
It's natural, when we want something, to try to manipulate things to bring it about. We plot and plan and obsess in attaining it; whatever that "it" may be. We may even deceive ourselves into thinking it is God's perfect will for us. When we spend more time acquiring "it," we spend less time on seeking Him to know if it's really His best for us. We hinder the supernatural move of God.
We may strive so hard to get "it" that we don't realize we are not ready for "it" when "it" comes.
(Romans 5:1-6) We can rejoice in the hope of the glory of God. We know that perseverance produces character; and character, hope. Hope does not disappoint because the love of God has been poured out into our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given us.
When we align ourselves with God's will, when we can submit our wants to Him, and trust that He will bring it to pass; if the desire, vision, came from Him; then we can truly be conformed into His image.
Habakkuk 2:3 reminds us the vision is for an appointed time, it will come to pass. We can trust Him, if it's from Him, He will complete the work that He has begun.
As we can learn from the Shunammite woman, when she gave her desire to God, focused on Him, He gave her the desire of her heart. And when we know it is from Him, no bad report will move us, we will not give way to doubt; we trust Him.
It is all in His timing, for your benefit and to His glory.
Be free and stay free.
Thursday, June 19, 2014
Thursday, June 12, 2014
Sunday, June 8, 2014
Appointment at the Well
It is easier to free fall when you know you have a safety net. It's about trust; trusting that God has you in the palm of His hand. Believing that even though you feel you are free falling, you are actually being elevated to a better place that will position you for the purpose that He has for you.
It is about faith in the perfection of His love and learning to rest your weakness in His strength. It's about resisting the impulse to flail your arms to grasp what is closest to keep you from the exhilarating fall and letting go of everything that you have made an idol. You will never be complete when you cling to your self-made safety net, because that net becomes a hard shell that will block revelation. It will cover your spiritual ears and restrict you from hearing His whisper that says, "Let go, I have you."
I went to the well to draw water. I always go in the afternoon; because in my shame, I don't want to go when the other women are there. They mock me. Even in their silence I can feel their scorn and judgment. Do they really think I chose this kind of life?
They don't know, or understand, where I have been. They do not know that I would have given anything for their life; in fact, I have, I gave everything. Now I am just empty, depleted, and left with nothing more to give. Everything has been taken, stolen. I reach my hand out, only to be pushed away. I open my arms, only to be shunned. I give my heart and my body, only to be rejected.
I don't want to see anyone, or face anyone, because if they look in my eyes they may see me. If they look in my face they will see my shame, regret, anger, fear, sadness, despair, hopelessness and dirt. Yes, their judgment may be correct, but it still hurts.
There is a Man there. He is sitting quietly and peacefully. I can't say that He is particularly attractive, but there is something about Him that I am drawn to. He has something different.
He ask me to give Him a drink. Why would He ask me? There are better women than me. He must not know me. I am not one of His kind. If He knew who I was He would not even acknowledge me. He would see me like everyone else does and He would be right in doing so. "Why do you ask me for a drink?" I ask Him.
He looks right in me and tells me if I knew the gift of God, and who He was, I would ask Him for a drink and He would give me living water. I don't understand, but I feel there is truth in what He said. I want to ask Him to give me that water, but I am afraid. If I talk I will expose myself and He will leave, just like everyone else.
But, there is something about Him. It is as if He see's me, I mean really see's me; yet He is still there. He makes no move to leave. He is offering me something and He is waiting for me to ask. I hesitate and try to change the subject. I feel naked, as if He can see in me, through me. I feel naked, but not ashamed.
He is not moved. He is not offended. He is patient. He speaks of a fountain of water that gives everlasting life. I want it! I want to feel alive. I want to breathe.
My heart sinks when He tells me to go call my husband to come. I can say nothing but that I have no husband. He smiles. "You have spoken well," He said. Then He began to tell me about me. I feel warmth and love in His words and His voice. He is bathing me in a warm shower of His love. I feel the burden lifted off my shoulders. I feel the mire of shame, regret, filth and sin fall off me.
I tell Him it is as if God Himself were speaking to me, because only God could know such things, secret things.
With His eyes He smiles again and says, "I who speak to you am He."
God revealed Himself to me. He took time to speak to me, touch me and He didn't cringe, He wasn't disgusted or disappointed. He was there for me. Waiting for me.
I cannot contain the joy I am feeling. This is the first time I felt clean, free. I have to tell someone. I have to tell everyone.
God came down and He spoke with me. He knew me and loved me anyway. He wrapped His love around me. He removed my shame and filth and replaced it with love and acceptance.
Now, I know He is God and He is no respecter of persons. But, I have to say, that moment, that time with Him, I felt like I was all that mattered to Him. I felt loved.
John 4:7-29
Be Free & Stay Free
It is about faith in the perfection of His love and learning to rest your weakness in His strength. It's about resisting the impulse to flail your arms to grasp what is closest to keep you from the exhilarating fall and letting go of everything that you have made an idol. You will never be complete when you cling to your self-made safety net, because that net becomes a hard shell that will block revelation. It will cover your spiritual ears and restrict you from hearing His whisper that says, "Let go, I have you."
I went to the well to draw water. I always go in the afternoon; because in my shame, I don't want to go when the other women are there. They mock me. Even in their silence I can feel their scorn and judgment. Do they really think I chose this kind of life?
They don't know, or understand, where I have been. They do not know that I would have given anything for their life; in fact, I have, I gave everything. Now I am just empty, depleted, and left with nothing more to give. Everything has been taken, stolen. I reach my hand out, only to be pushed away. I open my arms, only to be shunned. I give my heart and my body, only to be rejected.
I don't want to see anyone, or face anyone, because if they look in my eyes they may see me. If they look in my face they will see my shame, regret, anger, fear, sadness, despair, hopelessness and dirt. Yes, their judgment may be correct, but it still hurts.
There is a Man there. He is sitting quietly and peacefully. I can't say that He is particularly attractive, but there is something about Him that I am drawn to. He has something different.
He ask me to give Him a drink. Why would He ask me? There are better women than me. He must not know me. I am not one of His kind. If He knew who I was He would not even acknowledge me. He would see me like everyone else does and He would be right in doing so. "Why do you ask me for a drink?" I ask Him.
He looks right in me and tells me if I knew the gift of God, and who He was, I would ask Him for a drink and He would give me living water. I don't understand, but I feel there is truth in what He said. I want to ask Him to give me that water, but I am afraid. If I talk I will expose myself and He will leave, just like everyone else.
But, there is something about Him. It is as if He see's me, I mean really see's me; yet He is still there. He makes no move to leave. He is offering me something and He is waiting for me to ask. I hesitate and try to change the subject. I feel naked, as if He can see in me, through me. I feel naked, but not ashamed.
He is not moved. He is not offended. He is patient. He speaks of a fountain of water that gives everlasting life. I want it! I want to feel alive. I want to breathe.
My heart sinks when He tells me to go call my husband to come. I can say nothing but that I have no husband. He smiles. "You have spoken well," He said. Then He began to tell me about me. I feel warmth and love in His words and His voice. He is bathing me in a warm shower of His love. I feel the burden lifted off my shoulders. I feel the mire of shame, regret, filth and sin fall off me.
I tell Him it is as if God Himself were speaking to me, because only God could know such things, secret things.
With His eyes He smiles again and says, "I who speak to you am He."
God revealed Himself to me. He took time to speak to me, touch me and He didn't cringe, He wasn't disgusted or disappointed. He was there for me. Waiting for me.
I cannot contain the joy I am feeling. This is the first time I felt clean, free. I have to tell someone. I have to tell everyone. God came down and He spoke with me. He knew me and loved me anyway. He wrapped His love around me. He removed my shame and filth and replaced it with love and acceptance.
Now, I know He is God and He is no respecter of persons. But, I have to say, that moment, that time with Him, I felt like I was all that mattered to Him. I felt loved.
John 4:7-29
Be Free & Stay Free
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