"Permit the children to come to Me; do not hinder them; for the Kingdom of God belongs to such as these. Truly I say to you, whoever does not recieve the Kingdom of God like a child will not enter it at all."
-Jesus
When you go through a world such as this one, the perversion and confusion of it all changes the way you see things. Your eyes begin to take on a new lens. It doesn't matter what your life has looked like, where you've been, or who've known. Some people have seen more than others, but we have all seen enough.
When I thought briefly about what I have seen in my 21 short years, it broke me.
I have seen injustice as thick as a blanket large enough to cover a nation and silence those who cry for mercy. I have seen the hunger of orphans swallowed up by the greed of rich bureaucracy. I have seen prisons full of mothers who left behind children that had no choice but to grow up in their absence. I have seen dreams put to death in favor of efficiency, and desire sacrificed on the altar of best interest. I watched the stories of lust replacing love, and pity being substituted for compassion.
This is no Eden.
All of these horrors and numerous others find their way in front of my face and slowly into my heart. They assault me night and day until I want to shut my eyes to the world completely and give way to the cynicism waiting to consume me.
Yet how could I listen the voice of a loving Father if I let the things that I have seen teach me about trust?
Bitterness does not remind me of the stories He told of abundant life, though it is an easier course and a wider road. I could certainly swallow the poison of hopelessnesss and lay aside the difficulties of faith and expectation. It would nothing more than a natural response to the state of the world.
Or.....there is another option.
I could get new eyes. Eyes of innocence.
Friday, July 10, 2009
Sunday, July 5, 2009
the circle of One who never ends
I must dream.
It is the call of being alive. To live a life without desire is nothing more than mundane, and I refuse to walk through this world as though I am merely another animal.
I must dream, and these fantasies must be bold and beautiful.
And so, I find myself at His feet again. The only thing worth dreaming about is love. It alone is wild enough, vast enough, and rich enough. He is love. No one else is love. Only Him.
So what else can I dream about? What else can I long for?
He starts all my dreams, and they all end up with nothing else left.
I must speak.
I cannot ignore this burning in my heart and soul. This fire would consume me if left alone, so I must find a way to pour it out. But how? What should be done with passion as intense as white-hot flames? The answer must be in the source.
So I look to the maker of my soul, and I see that I burn for the joy of His salvation and the longing of His face.
What else could I do with these flames but pour them out at His feet in worship, and then use them as a testimony to spark the same in others? Fire that is born of the Lord will not be quenched in any other way but in His presence, and even there, it will not go out, but only grow.
Dreams and flames and all such things are the same. They come from Him, are satisfied by Him, and then in His glory they are sparked anew. Our lives are eternity already. And the best part is that we have forever to discover them and waste them at His feet.
It is the call of being alive. To live a life without desire is nothing more than mundane, and I refuse to walk through this world as though I am merely another animal.
I must dream, and these fantasies must be bold and beautiful.
And so, I find myself at His feet again. The only thing worth dreaming about is love. It alone is wild enough, vast enough, and rich enough. He is love. No one else is love. Only Him.
So what else can I dream about? What else can I long for?
He starts all my dreams, and they all end up with nothing else left.
I must speak.
I cannot ignore this burning in my heart and soul. This fire would consume me if left alone, so I must find a way to pour it out. But how? What should be done with passion as intense as white-hot flames? The answer must be in the source.
So I look to the maker of my soul, and I see that I burn for the joy of His salvation and the longing of His face.
What else could I do with these flames but pour them out at His feet in worship, and then use them as a testimony to spark the same in others? Fire that is born of the Lord will not be quenched in any other way but in His presence, and even there, it will not go out, but only grow.
Dreams and flames and all such things are the same. They come from Him, are satisfied by Him, and then in His glory they are sparked anew. Our lives are eternity already. And the best part is that we have forever to discover them and waste them at His feet.
Wednesday, July 1, 2009
i repent
I spoke of things I knew not of.
I professed that the highest calling of this life was simply to love the One we were made for. Amen.
But the truth is I have not known what it is to love Him.
To love the LORD is in part:
to love His judgments
desire His ways
fear His name
cherish humility
I thought that I knew much about my King and His kingdom. I was, and I am wrong. I know little and almost nothing. Yet ignorance is not an excuse. He has made Himself known. In the word and in the Word made flesh, He is known in part. And in my ignorance, there are parts of Him that I have refused to see, and parts of myself that I have likewise been blind to. If the eyes of my heart have been opened now, even though I see as through a slit, the things I see in myself terrify me. This is not patronizing nor self-deprecating. It is truth. I have been, and I am prideful, arrogant, jealous, and whatever is the complete opposite of loving. When I catch a glimpse of the sinful nature of my flesh and how often I choose to live out of it, I want to run and hide forever in my shame. The only thing that prevents me is love. Perfect love casts out fear. The terror of sin is nothing in comparison with the great power of the Father's love. Nothing.
It is this love that has enabled me, even to the smallest degree, to look at the weight and depth of my sin. It could only be love to allow someone to see their need for grace. And how great that Love would be if it removed the shame and punishment of sin, and yet let us see the weight of it in order that we would mourn our carnal condition and turn to the Savior of our soul in order to be renewed day by day. Love and sin are not competing.
Where sin abounds, grace (and love) abound all the more.
The continuation of what I have ignored in the past but now greatly desire to see, is that there is more to His love than the end of sin.
His love is justice. Righteousness. Authority. Glory. Weight.
His love is entangled in His complete and right judgements of my heart. I cannot know Him without knowing Him as the perfect Judge. The terror of sin is gone; no fear of evil and no fear of man. Now, I am longing and hopefully learning to replace them with the fear of His Name. How foolish would I be if I looked into the face of the LORD of hosts without trembling? Our God is a consuming fire, and the fear of Him is the beginning of Wisdom. I see now that fear is to be greatly desired. I pray for Him to teach me, and I humble myself before Him that I might begin to learn things as they are. I know very little and almost nothing. All I can do is repent. Repent of my pride, humble myself, and set my heart towards His face. The Holy Spirit, the Counselor, wants to teach me all things. I pray that I will have eyes to see and ears to hear.
I professed that the highest calling of this life was simply to love the One we were made for. Amen.
But the truth is I have not known what it is to love Him.
To love the LORD is in part:
to love His judgments
desire His ways
fear His name
cherish humility
I thought that I knew much about my King and His kingdom. I was, and I am wrong. I know little and almost nothing. Yet ignorance is not an excuse. He has made Himself known. In the word and in the Word made flesh, He is known in part. And in my ignorance, there are parts of Him that I have refused to see, and parts of myself that I have likewise been blind to. If the eyes of my heart have been opened now, even though I see as through a slit, the things I see in myself terrify me. This is not patronizing nor self-deprecating. It is truth. I have been, and I am prideful, arrogant, jealous, and whatever is the complete opposite of loving. When I catch a glimpse of the sinful nature of my flesh and how often I choose to live out of it, I want to run and hide forever in my shame. The only thing that prevents me is love. Perfect love casts out fear. The terror of sin is nothing in comparison with the great power of the Father's love. Nothing.
It is this love that has enabled me, even to the smallest degree, to look at the weight and depth of my sin. It could only be love to allow someone to see their need for grace. And how great that Love would be if it removed the shame and punishment of sin, and yet let us see the weight of it in order that we would mourn our carnal condition and turn to the Savior of our soul in order to be renewed day by day. Love and sin are not competing.
Where sin abounds, grace (and love) abound all the more.
The continuation of what I have ignored in the past but now greatly desire to see, is that there is more to His love than the end of sin.
His love is justice. Righteousness. Authority. Glory. Weight.
His love is entangled in His complete and right judgements of my heart. I cannot know Him without knowing Him as the perfect Judge. The terror of sin is gone; no fear of evil and no fear of man. Now, I am longing and hopefully learning to replace them with the fear of His Name. How foolish would I be if I looked into the face of the LORD of hosts without trembling? Our God is a consuming fire, and the fear of Him is the beginning of Wisdom. I see now that fear is to be greatly desired. I pray for Him to teach me, and I humble myself before Him that I might begin to learn things as they are. I know very little and almost nothing. All I can do is repent. Repent of my pride, humble myself, and set my heart towards His face. The Holy Spirit, the Counselor, wants to teach me all things. I pray that I will have eyes to see and ears to hear.
Saturday, June 20, 2009
like a moth
Leave everything behind.
Fly towards the light.
You might hit a barrier along the way. You might hit more than one. There might even be barriers that you won't see until you collide head-on. That's okay. You will heal from the impact, and you will learn to recognize the blocks in your path.
Maybe you didn't even know that you have wings. You do.
Stretch yourself until you leave the ground of the ordinary, and your wings will catch you by surprise.
Fly with all your strength. The steady rhythm of movement may seem pointless at times. It's not. Your effort is valid, and it changes everything.
You will find that the light does more than look pretty.
It will completely consume you.
It will take over your body like a fire and burn in you forever.
This may seem like death.
It is.
Leave everything behind.
Fly into the Light.
Fly towards the light.
You might hit a barrier along the way. You might hit more than one. There might even be barriers that you won't see until you collide head-on. That's okay. You will heal from the impact, and you will learn to recognize the blocks in your path.
Maybe you didn't even know that you have wings. You do.
Stretch yourself until you leave the ground of the ordinary, and your wings will catch you by surprise.
Fly with all your strength. The steady rhythm of movement may seem pointless at times. It's not. Your effort is valid, and it changes everything.
You will find that the light does more than look pretty.
It will completely consume you.
It will take over your body like a fire and burn in you forever.
This may seem like death.
It is.
Leave everything behind.
Fly into the Light.
Thursday, June 18, 2009
isolation
Cold. Shivering. Uncomfortable.
Can't sleep. Can't get warm. Cold to your bones, not cool.
Tossing and turning. Scrunched shoulder that don't quite fit on a park bench that was built only for sitting. Shifting, turning, arms wrapped around yourself stupidly trying to keep your body warm. No blanket, no bedmate, no pillow.
When you're homeless, you have nothing but yourself, your own body, and whatever you find to lie upon. No mattress beneath you, no person beside you, no roof covering you.
You.
It's you, yourself, floating in the midst of a wide world that is unsure of how to respond to your touch. Some will shrink away. Some will draw near.
Of the ones who come close:
Some will only stare.
Some will promise much.
Some have nothing to give.
A few have grace in abundance.
How will you know the peoples' hearts? How many will you trust before the hurt and fear become too great? What will you give up on first? the government? the church?
How many people will you see with kindness in their words and pity in their eyes? How many times will you be handed treasure that is already fading away?
And when the whispers come of something more, will you let your heart believe or will you shrink away from the fear of being rejected by one more?
I don't have all the answers. I hardly have any of them. I don't know how to love you the way you deserve. I don't know what to tell you. I don't know who you are or where you've been.
I want to know you.
But even without your story, I can tell you we are the same. We are both humanity. We need Christ the same way. Both guilty without Him and both clean if we come under the banner of His name. The ways of the world are nothing but walls and confusion.
Barriers have been put in place, and even now are continually being erected. They exist only to create distance between people. That is the enemy's goal.
We have not yet begun to see what is happening but we feel the effects of the walls between each other. We are at a loss of how to reach each other, and if we stopped trying, the walls would eventually grow until we would become blind all together and forget that we were made for community.
Made for it and cannot function without it-- oh how dangerous these barriers are. In separating us from each other how quickly they have separated us from our Father. We have forgotten what it is to do life with another person. Can we remember what it means to do life with Him?
We must come back to community.
It is what He is doing. It is where He is.
"For He Himself is our peace; who made both groups into one and broke down the barrier of the dividing wall." Ephesians 2:15
The walls were broken the day He died, and if we looked with His eyes we would see only freedom. Our blindness has led us astray. Let us look again. Maybe we will finally see for the first time.
Humanity is family.
He loves us all the same.
He cares for us all the same.
He died for us all the same and wants us all the same.
[We have got to learn to love each other]
Can't sleep. Can't get warm. Cold to your bones, not cool.
Tossing and turning. Scrunched shoulder that don't quite fit on a park bench that was built only for sitting. Shifting, turning, arms wrapped around yourself stupidly trying to keep your body warm. No blanket, no bedmate, no pillow.
When you're homeless, you have nothing but yourself, your own body, and whatever you find to lie upon. No mattress beneath you, no person beside you, no roof covering you.
It's you, yourself, floating in the midst of a wide world that is unsure of how to respond to your touch. Some will shrink away. Some will draw near.
Of the ones who come close:
Some will only stare.
Some will promise much.
Some have nothing to give.
A few have grace in abundance.
How will you know the peoples' hearts? How many will you trust before the hurt and fear become too great? What will you give up on first? the government? the church?
How many people will you see with kindness in their words and pity in their eyes? How many times will you be handed treasure that is already fading away?
And when the whispers come of something more, will you let your heart believe or will you shrink away from the fear of being rejected by one more?
I don't have all the answers. I hardly have any of them. I don't know how to love you the way you deserve. I don't know what to tell you. I don't know who you are or where you've been.
I want to know you.
But even without your story, I can tell you we are the same. We are both humanity. We need Christ the same way. Both guilty without Him and both clean if we come under the banner of His name. The ways of the world are nothing but walls and confusion.
Barriers have been put in place, and even now are continually being erected. They exist only to create distance between people. That is the enemy's goal.
We have not yet begun to see what is happening but we feel the effects of the walls between each other. We are at a loss of how to reach each other, and if we stopped trying, the walls would eventually grow until we would become blind all together and forget that we were made for community.
Made for it and cannot function without it-- oh how dangerous these barriers are. In separating us from each other how quickly they have separated us from our Father. We have forgotten what it is to do life with another person. Can we remember what it means to do life with Him?
We must come back to community.
It is what He is doing. It is where He is.
"For He Himself is our peace; who made both groups into one and broke down the barrier of the dividing wall." Ephesians 2:15
The walls were broken the day He died, and if we looked with His eyes we would see only freedom. Our blindness has led us astray. Let us look again. Maybe we will finally see for the first time.
Humanity is family.
He loves us all the same.
He cares for us all the same.
He died for us all the same and wants us all the same.
[We have got to learn to love each other]
Wednesday, June 10, 2009
for me, it's words.
I have other thoughts, but these are the burning ones.
When the Lord gives you passion for something, He's not joking around. This world ain't no playground. You and I were created with a heavy glory upon us. Beautiful, vibrant, and adventurous, and heavy. This Glory invades your life the minute you accept Christ's proposal of marriage. When you give your life for His, your heart becomes the Holy of Holies, the dwelling place of the Living God.
For too long, we have been ignorant of the importance of our hearts, and quite frankly, if we want to live life the way that we were meant too, we can no longer afford this.
Your heart is a wellspring of life.
He has brought life to our hearts.
We need to learn to live out of them.
What is in your heart?
Wakeboarding, painting, writing, music, running, teaching, dancing?
It is not "what are you good at?" or "what have you learned to do?"
What is in your heart?
For me, it's words.
My heart beats out of my chest every time I get to write, everytime I get to speak in front of people. When I can express what I'm thinking on a blog or in a conversation, or speak truth into someone's life, or give testimony of His Goodness, I feel that Jeremiah 20:9 fire in my bones. And I love it.
This is the one thing that the Lord has encouraged me in over and over again. More times than I can remember, it has been prayed and prophesied over me that my mouth is an instrument in sharing the Lord's glory, and that He likes it when I speak for Him and about Him. Recently, I've also recieved prophesy encouraging me in writing. These things come up in dreams, in visions, and in everyday thoughts.
And everytime the Lord speaks to this desire in my heart, everytime He confirms His approval and encouragement, my heart soars. I grasp onto these confirmations and hold them close. They speak life to me. They tell me that it's okay to want things. That my heart is not stupid or dirty.
I want to speak. I want to write. I am not ashamed anymore.
In all of this, I have been fiercely opposed.
I cannot remember any time that I have spoken in front of anyone that I have not been discouraged in some way before or after and usually both. I write this blog and everytime I post, I am taunted with the idea that it doesn't matter. That my words are stupid and have no bearing.
My motives are attacked.
"You're so full of pride. You think you are so important. You just want attention."
My actions are attacked.
"You're not a writer. Look at them, they can write. You're just a joke." "You can't really speak. You don't even understand what you're talking about. No one agrees with you. You're hurting people. You're saying it wrong, that's not even in the Bible."
And I have made agreements with those lies. I have said in my heart that it must be true. I have told my heart that it is wrong to wish for opportunites to speak to packed crowds, that these desires were selfish. I told my heart that it was prideful for thinking that the things I write could be important and beautiful.
No more.
I broke those agreements.
I'm going after the desires of my heart.
I want the things that Jehovah told me He would give me when I delight in Him. It's time to give Him the chance.
Have you made agreements with the enemy regarding your heart?
Break them.
Ask Jesus what He put in You.
Fight the opposition.
Go after it.
When the Lord gives you passion for something, He's not joking around. This world ain't no playground. You and I were created with a heavy glory upon us. Beautiful, vibrant, and adventurous, and heavy. This Glory invades your life the minute you accept Christ's proposal of marriage. When you give your life for His, your heart becomes the Holy of Holies, the dwelling place of the Living God.
For too long, we have been ignorant of the importance of our hearts, and quite frankly, if we want to live life the way that we were meant too, we can no longer afford this.
Your heart is a wellspring of life.
He has brought life to our hearts.
We need to learn to live out of them.
What is in your heart?
Wakeboarding, painting, writing, music, running, teaching, dancing?
It is not "what are you good at?" or "what have you learned to do?"
What is in your heart?
For me, it's words.
My heart beats out of my chest every time I get to write, everytime I get to speak in front of people. When I can express what I'm thinking on a blog or in a conversation, or speak truth into someone's life, or give testimony of His Goodness, I feel that Jeremiah 20:9 fire in my bones. And I love it.
This is the one thing that the Lord has encouraged me in over and over again. More times than I can remember, it has been prayed and prophesied over me that my mouth is an instrument in sharing the Lord's glory, and that He likes it when I speak for Him and about Him. Recently, I've also recieved prophesy encouraging me in writing. These things come up in dreams, in visions, and in everyday thoughts.
And everytime the Lord speaks to this desire in my heart, everytime He confirms His approval and encouragement, my heart soars. I grasp onto these confirmations and hold them close. They speak life to me. They tell me that it's okay to want things. That my heart is not stupid or dirty.
I want to speak. I want to write. I am not ashamed anymore.
In all of this, I have been fiercely opposed.
I cannot remember any time that I have spoken in front of anyone that I have not been discouraged in some way before or after and usually both. I write this blog and everytime I post, I am taunted with the idea that it doesn't matter. That my words are stupid and have no bearing.
My motives are attacked.
"You're so full of pride. You think you are so important. You just want attention."
My actions are attacked.
"You're not a writer. Look at them, they can write. You're just a joke." "You can't really speak. You don't even understand what you're talking about. No one agrees with you. You're hurting people. You're saying it wrong, that's not even in the Bible."
And I have made agreements with those lies. I have said in my heart that it must be true. I have told my heart that it is wrong to wish for opportunites to speak to packed crowds, that these desires were selfish. I told my heart that it was prideful for thinking that the things I write could be important and beautiful.
No more.
I broke those agreements.
I'm going after the desires of my heart.
I want the things that Jehovah told me He would give me when I delight in Him. It's time to give Him the chance.
Have you made agreements with the enemy regarding your heart?
Break them.
Ask Jesus what He put in You.
Fight the opposition.
Go after it.
Monday, June 8, 2009
OneThing. One thing or nothing.
I want to say things as they are,
live for what's important,
and let everything else fall.
If I could speak my heart without fear of estranging others, I would not say half the things I say now. I would give up all semblance of normal conversation and I would talk of crazy things, of love and freedom and life abundant.
A time will come, when everything will change. There will be confusion, destruction, and persecution as we have never known.
Almost everything will fall.
If I am still on the earth when that day comes, I will be asked whether I will be known as a christian or as a member of the world.
In this tribulation, there will be joy in my heart to be known by only one thing.
Yes. I am one of those believers. No. I will not follow another.
I wait for this day,
and I pray for the Lover of my soul to hasten its coming and His.
In the world and not of it?
Yes, for today and maybe tomorrow.
But not forever. I was made for another world.
So were you.
live for what's important,
and let everything else fall.
If I could speak my heart without fear of estranging others, I would not say half the things I say now. I would give up all semblance of normal conversation and I would talk of crazy things, of love and freedom and life abundant.
A time will come, when everything will change. There will be confusion, destruction, and persecution as we have never known.
Almost everything will fall.
If I am still on the earth when that day comes, I will be asked whether I will be known as a christian or as a member of the world.
In this tribulation, there will be joy in my heart to be known by only one thing.
Yes. I am one of those believers. No. I will not follow another.
I wait for this day,
and I pray for the Lover of my soul to hasten its coming and His.
In the world and not of it?
Yes, for today and maybe tomorrow.
But not forever. I was made for another world.
So were you.
Thursday, May 28, 2009
beloved
You are so close to my heart, and yet, I have no words for You. I don't even know You. You are wild and mysterious to me. Closer than my skin, and yet, I have never seen You, never touched You.
I don't know the tone of your voice. I haven't seen the hues in your eyes. Tell me, how big are your hands? How gentle are your hugs?
Deep calls out to deep, so the deepest parts of me are abandoned to You, but what is deep in You? You have no end. What could be your depths? Your love is like the ocean. Is it the pacific or atlantic? You must be greater than both, but which could describe You?
I'm tired of cliche sermons and songs that leave me with the same stale incomplete picture of who You are.
I want to know You.
Which flowers are You most like? A lily? A daisy? And how could You be all of them at once? The bright orange of a wildflower, soft velvet of a rose, sweet nectar in them all- how beautiful that would make You, greater than I could know. The sun blinds me, leaving me stumbling, trying to catch my breath, yet it could not be brighter than you.
I have fallen in love with a mystery.
The answers are unknown.
Could a mountain be higher than You?
Yet You were lowered into a human grave.
Who are You? What are You?
God?
Jehovah?
Messiah?
I use them. I use them because I am told they are your names, but I don't know them. Your word shows truth, but more than anything, it leaves me with a weight upon my heart that says that there is more to You.
Lily of the Valley?
Bright and Morning Star?
You dressed the lilies. You named the stars.
King of kings and Lord of lords?
Yet You are more than a king and I am more than the servant of a lord.
The Alpha and Omega?
You have no beginning. You have no end.
A million names, each true, yet, all incomplete.
What then shall i call you? Who are You to me?
Father?
Husband?
Master?
Friend?
Beloved?
Yes. I must call you beloved, for that is all I know. I don't know you, but You must know me. I am feeble, weak, and frail. I would gaze upon You, but my eyes would fail. I would wait for the sound of your song over me, but my ears would deafen at delights they have not imagined. And how could i stand before You? How could I touch your glory?
I am feeble, weak, and frail. I do not know You, and yet, I know of your love. I heard the stories of Love come down. I know your Love was sacrificed for us, for me. I met Love. I do not know You but I know your love. What else could I call You except Beloved?
You are mine and I am yours.
You have said there will come a day when I will see You face to face, a day when I will know in full even as I am fully known.
Beloved, I believe You. Let it be.
I don't know the tone of your voice. I haven't seen the hues in your eyes. Tell me, how big are your hands? How gentle are your hugs?
Deep calls out to deep, so the deepest parts of me are abandoned to You, but what is deep in You? You have no end. What could be your depths? Your love is like the ocean. Is it the pacific or atlantic? You must be greater than both, but which could describe You?
I'm tired of cliche sermons and songs that leave me with the same stale incomplete picture of who You are.
I want to know You.
Which flowers are You most like? A lily? A daisy? And how could You be all of them at once? The bright orange of a wildflower, soft velvet of a rose, sweet nectar in them all- how beautiful that would make You, greater than I could know. The sun blinds me, leaving me stumbling, trying to catch my breath, yet it could not be brighter than you.
I have fallen in love with a mystery.
The answers are unknown.
Could a mountain be higher than You?
Yet You were lowered into a human grave.
Who are You? What are You?
God?
Jehovah?
Messiah?
I use them. I use them because I am told they are your names, but I don't know them. Your word shows truth, but more than anything, it leaves me with a weight upon my heart that says that there is more to You.
Lily of the Valley?
Bright and Morning Star?
You dressed the lilies. You named the stars.
King of kings and Lord of lords?
Yet You are more than a king and I am more than the servant of a lord.
The Alpha and Omega?
You have no beginning. You have no end.
A million names, each true, yet, all incomplete.
What then shall i call you? Who are You to me?
Father?
Husband?
Master?
Friend?
Beloved?
Yes. I must call you beloved, for that is all I know. I don't know you, but You must know me. I am feeble, weak, and frail. I would gaze upon You, but my eyes would fail. I would wait for the sound of your song over me, but my ears would deafen at delights they have not imagined. And how could i stand before You? How could I touch your glory?
I am feeble, weak, and frail. I do not know You, and yet, I know of your love. I heard the stories of Love come down. I know your Love was sacrificed for us, for me. I met Love. I do not know You but I know your love. What else could I call You except Beloved?
You are mine and I am yours.
You have said there will come a day when I will see You face to face, a day when I will know in full even as I am fully known.
Beloved, I believe You. Let it be.
Wednesday, May 27, 2009
rain down
So really this is just funny.
I had just come home today from a quick trip to the post office, and before I got out of my car and went inside I decided to sit for a minute and seek the Lord about something. It had been raining on and off all day, but had recently slowed down to the point of almost no rain. So I'm sitting in my car, in my driveway, asking the Lord what I should do about this specific thing, and I hear from the Lord, "Go." And thought to myself, "Is that an answer to my question?" and as soon as I thought that I just instantly knew, "No, He's saying go inside right now." And then I was so fascinated that I had just heard that from the Lord and responded that way, I just sat in my car thinking about it. About 10-15 seconds later, it started pouring, I mean the type of rain that happens when the whole sky falls out. I couldn't have walked from car to my house without getting soaked. It was so funny!!!! What an amazing Father who would interrupt my prayers, to tell me to go inside before I get soaked in the rain. I love it. But at that point I was still sitting in my car, so then I just waited for it to stop raining before I went inside, which was like 10 minutes later.
Good times :)
I had just come home today from a quick trip to the post office, and before I got out of my car and went inside I decided to sit for a minute and seek the Lord about something. It had been raining on and off all day, but had recently slowed down to the point of almost no rain. So I'm sitting in my car, in my driveway, asking the Lord what I should do about this specific thing, and I hear from the Lord, "Go." And thought to myself, "Is that an answer to my question?" and as soon as I thought that I just instantly knew, "No, He's saying go inside right now." And then I was so fascinated that I had just heard that from the Lord and responded that way, I just sat in my car thinking about it. About 10-15 seconds later, it started pouring, I mean the type of rain that happens when the whole sky falls out. I couldn't have walked from car to my house without getting soaked. It was so funny!!!! What an amazing Father who would interrupt my prayers, to tell me to go inside before I get soaked in the rain. I love it. But at that point I was still sitting in my car, so then I just waited for it to stop raining before I went inside, which was like 10 minutes later.
Good times :)
Thursday, May 21, 2009
Taken: He will come for you
I watched the movie "Taken" today for the first time. I wasn't originally paying attention, but as I was watching I realized that in a narrative way, it illustrated alot of spiritual truths. Hence, I decided to write down what the Lord had taught me from the movie....
Basic story: Liam Neeson loses his daughter. She is kidnapped, partially by result of the poor decisions of herself and the girl that she is with and partially because of the cruelty and greed of the world around her. She is kinapped and abused in a vicious world of sex, rape, drugs, and slavery. Her dad learns the truth of what has happened to her, is not angry at her in any way, and driven by love, he goes into some of the world's darkest places to get her back.
Here's what impacted my heart: the dad has to hear, see, and experience, some of the most horrible things that happen in the world. He goes to the places where women are being sold like cattle, he sees the beds where innocence is lost, and he holds the body of a girl wrecked by drugs. He goes to these dark places unflinchinly and willingly not because he is okay with these horrible things, but because it is where his daughter is.
So it is with the Lord.
For example, Christ making the offer of eternal life to the woman at the well.
"Go, get your husband and come here."
He knew. He knew that this was her shame, her percieved identity, her life. He knew, and He was unafraid.
"I have no husband."
I'm not going there with you. Let's not talk about that. If you knew.... That's too dirty, too shameful. I'm not going there with you.
"You have correctly said, 'I have no husband'; for you have had five husbands, and the one whom you now have is not your husband; this you have said truly."
You are right, and I see you where you are and I'm not scared. It's not okay. It's not right, but I'll go there with you. This is where you are. I know the depth of it all, and it is not too deep. I'll go there with you.
I don't know if I'm really communicating this well at all. All I know is that the Lord sparked something in my heart that I didn't understand before and this is it. It makes the biggest difference in the world, and it would change so much if we really understood it. On a individual level, on a family level, on a coporate level; everything could change. He is not afraid. He really is greater than He that is in the world, and He will come to us, wherever we are.
Basic story: Liam Neeson loses his daughter. She is kidnapped, partially by result of the poor decisions of herself and the girl that she is with and partially because of the cruelty and greed of the world around her. She is kinapped and abused in a vicious world of sex, rape, drugs, and slavery. Her dad learns the truth of what has happened to her, is not angry at her in any way, and driven by love, he goes into some of the world's darkest places to get her back.
Here's what impacted my heart: the dad has to hear, see, and experience, some of the most horrible things that happen in the world. He goes to the places where women are being sold like cattle, he sees the beds where innocence is lost, and he holds the body of a girl wrecked by drugs. He goes to these dark places unflinchinly and willingly not because he is okay with these horrible things, but because it is where his daughter is.
So it is with the Lord.
For example, Christ making the offer of eternal life to the woman at the well.
"Go, get your husband and come here."
He knew. He knew that this was her shame, her percieved identity, her life. He knew, and He was unafraid.
"I have no husband."
I'm not going there with you. Let's not talk about that. If you knew.... That's too dirty, too shameful. I'm not going there with you.
"You have correctly said, 'I have no husband'; for you have had five husbands, and the one whom you now have is not your husband; this you have said truly."
You are right, and I see you where you are and I'm not scared. It's not okay. It's not right, but I'll go there with you. This is where you are. I know the depth of it all, and it is not too deep. I'll go there with you.
I don't know if I'm really communicating this well at all. All I know is that the Lord sparked something in my heart that I didn't understand before and this is it. It makes the biggest difference in the world, and it would change so much if we really understood it. On a individual level, on a family level, on a coporate level; everything could change. He is not afraid. He really is greater than He that is in the world, and He will come to us, wherever we are.
Saturday, February 14, 2009
Oh my foolish heart.
Today of all days, I am so aware of my heart's longing to be with the LORD in full. I hate that it's Valentines day. I am completely not a fan of silly cliche stupid things that are made up to make people feel a certain way, and I don't feel that my emotions are influenced by the date, and yet, today of all days, I find myself desperately longing for my lover. I want no one else because no one else is like Him. No one else satisfies, no one else is quite so beautiful, so holy, or so perfect in their love for me. Jesus is my Beloved, today and forever. He has come for me, died for me, lives to intercede for me, and will come again as the conquering King. I know that He is mine, but oh how I want to be with Him today. How I am so aching to be at His feet.
My mind knows that He does not tarry for Himself, but that He is patient in His grace, wanting more to come to know Him. My mind understands, and yet, when I try and tell my heart, it does not comprehend. There are times when I am at peace on the earth, knowing the purpose for which i am here, but today is not one of those times. Today, my heart doesn't know why her Lover is waiting to come for her. It is scary to admit the depths of my selfishness, but today, my heart doesn't care about those who would perish if the King returned today. She knows only the name of the Lover and a greater desire to see His face than ever before. Today, I, a daughter, am jealous of the angels. They are always in His presence, before His very throne! Earth is ridiculous..... I feel as if I will explode if I am here for even another moment. I was made for heaven, and i know that heaven is invading earth and that I can live in the Lord's presence even while here, but today it does not seem to be enough.
Oh how I want You!!! LORD! Is this how you long for us? How do you remain alive in your aching? How can you contain yourself when you see your children turn away? How you must break everyday. Your heart is surely not mine; how You can pour out love, even while You ache for us is more than I can know. You are love, God. Your heart is unfathomable. Teach me to be steadfast in patient love for You, even as you are longing to come to me.
"I am my Beloved's and His desire is for me."
~Song of Solomen 7:10
"I, Jesus, have sent my angel to testify to you these things for the churches. I am the root and descendant of David, the bright morning star. The Spirit and the bride say, 'Come.' And let the one who hears say, 'Come.' And let the one who is thirsty come; let the one who wishes take the water of life without cost.
He who testifies to these things says, 'I am coming quickly.' Amen. Come Lord Jesus."
Revelation 22: 16-17 & 20
My mind knows that He does not tarry for Himself, but that He is patient in His grace, wanting more to come to know Him. My mind understands, and yet, when I try and tell my heart, it does not comprehend. There are times when I am at peace on the earth, knowing the purpose for which i am here, but today is not one of those times. Today, my heart doesn't know why her Lover is waiting to come for her. It is scary to admit the depths of my selfishness, but today, my heart doesn't care about those who would perish if the King returned today. She knows only the name of the Lover and a greater desire to see His face than ever before. Today, I, a daughter, am jealous of the angels. They are always in His presence, before His very throne! Earth is ridiculous..... I feel as if I will explode if I am here for even another moment. I was made for heaven, and i know that heaven is invading earth and that I can live in the Lord's presence even while here, but today it does not seem to be enough.
Oh how I want You!!! LORD! Is this how you long for us? How do you remain alive in your aching? How can you contain yourself when you see your children turn away? How you must break everyday. Your heart is surely not mine; how You can pour out love, even while You ache for us is more than I can know. You are love, God. Your heart is unfathomable. Teach me to be steadfast in patient love for You, even as you are longing to come to me.
"I am my Beloved's and His desire is for me."
~Song of Solomen 7:10
"I, Jesus, have sent my angel to testify to you these things for the churches. I am the root and descendant of David, the bright morning star. The Spirit and the bride say, 'Come.' And let the one who hears say, 'Come.' And let the one who is thirsty come; let the one who wishes take the water of life without cost.
He who testifies to these things says, 'I am coming quickly.' Amen. Come Lord Jesus."
Revelation 22: 16-17 & 20
Friday, February 6, 2009
there is nothing else
Why yes, i do have an 8:00am class and a test at 12:00, but since i can't think about anything but the LORD anyways.... i might as well put my thoughts out there.
The LORD was teaching me about compassion tonight. In crazy ways. I thought I was just going to FCA like every other thursday just to fellowship and experience the Lord and learn and worship, which all happened tonight but not in the way i expected. Instead of sitting in Tillman auditorium hearing a message about being the church, I was lying in a hallway physically aching for the presence of God to fall on the eight hundred people just a room away. I have never been so hungry. The Lord just told me that it was time: time for His people to have what they want from Him, time for the lost to be found, time for His love to become a tangible thing in our lives, time for revival, time for freedom, time for no more death, time for only life.
It's time.
So let's get it. After the LORD everyday, resting in His heart, receiving His love and grace, and ministering everything poured out on us. It's not about striving, it's not about recognition, it's not about duty. In fact, it's not even about us at all. Praise the LORD. It's about Him. It's about what has already been done. It's about the things of heaven that He wants to pour out on a thirsty world. It's about the cross that has already provided everything we will ever need. It's about His hunger for his lost sheep to come home. It's about His Name that deserves to be exalted more and more everyday. This is the Kingdom. There is nothing else.
and also...
Compassion is not some far off spiritual idea that we can't understand, and it's not some warm fuzzy thing that makes us feel good when we serve someone. Compassion is nothing more or less than us laying back in the arms of God, lost in His presence and resting in His intimacy. When we become so close to Him that our hearts beat for what His heart beats, we will know compassion.
And compassion like that will ruin us forever.
Ruined in the best way, but unashamedly not the same. Ruined for the pleasures of this world, ruined for the ease of staying in a church and not seeking out the lost, ruined for approval of mere men, ruined for the comfort of saying no to God's seemingly insane promptings, ruined for anything but Him.
I just want to wake up everyday and lay aside my long-engrained dreams of normalcy to pursue my heart's desire of worshipping the One who is worthy.
there is nothing else.
The LORD was teaching me about compassion tonight. In crazy ways. I thought I was just going to FCA like every other thursday just to fellowship and experience the Lord and learn and worship, which all happened tonight but not in the way i expected. Instead of sitting in Tillman auditorium hearing a message about being the church, I was lying in a hallway physically aching for the presence of God to fall on the eight hundred people just a room away. I have never been so hungry. The Lord just told me that it was time: time for His people to have what they want from Him, time for the lost to be found, time for His love to become a tangible thing in our lives, time for revival, time for freedom, time for no more death, time for only life.
It's time.
So let's get it. After the LORD everyday, resting in His heart, receiving His love and grace, and ministering everything poured out on us. It's not about striving, it's not about recognition, it's not about duty. In fact, it's not even about us at all. Praise the LORD. It's about Him. It's about what has already been done. It's about the things of heaven that He wants to pour out on a thirsty world. It's about the cross that has already provided everything we will ever need. It's about His hunger for his lost sheep to come home. It's about His Name that deserves to be exalted more and more everyday. This is the Kingdom. There is nothing else.
and also...
Compassion is not some far off spiritual idea that we can't understand, and it's not some warm fuzzy thing that makes us feel good when we serve someone. Compassion is nothing more or less than us laying back in the arms of God, lost in His presence and resting in His intimacy. When we become so close to Him that our hearts beat for what His heart beats, we will know compassion.
And compassion like that will ruin us forever.
Ruined in the best way, but unashamedly not the same. Ruined for the pleasures of this world, ruined for the ease of staying in a church and not seeking out the lost, ruined for approval of mere men, ruined for the comfort of saying no to God's seemingly insane promptings, ruined for anything but Him.
I just want to wake up everyday and lay aside my long-engrained dreams of normalcy to pursue my heart's desire of worshipping the One who is worthy.
there is nothing else.
Thursday, February 5, 2009
Monday, January 19, 2009
i'm unfaithful. God is mercy.
"You have bound Yourself to man, despite all his unfaithfulness. You pour out mercy, and You open Your heart....
All man's empty promises lie broken at your feet, but You have never broken one. You open Your heart time and time and time again."
~Luke Wood
I was studying in Panera and thinking about the Lord and praying for divine opportunities and then this man came and sat down near me, eating at a table with his wife. He had a sling on his arm and they were talking about the prescriptions that they had just ordered for his arm. And I thought to myself, "the Lord can heal this man." and I prayed "Lord, can i go pray for this man? What are you doing Holy Spirit?" and I really felt like i should pray for this man, and i was kinda apprehensive because I had no idea how this man or his wife felt about the Lord and i was thinking " i hope they don't freak out if i mention prayer" but i was really feeling ok, and i was like ok then, i'm gonna pray for this man. So I was sitting down and waiting... don't know what i was waiting on, i just kinda was like i'm gonna wait a minute cuz i don't want to go right now, but i'll go to them before they leave. And then, this little boy was talking to me and i wasn't paying attention, and the man and his wife left. As soon as i noticed, i went out in the parking lot and looked for them, but they were definitely gone.
Moral of the story: when the Lord gives you an opportunity, be obedient. In hesitation, you might miss out on receiving or being a blessing. Also, Praise the Lord that he gives mercy and continues to open up His heart to us even when we are unfaithful. What grace it is that my unfaithfulness to the Lord's voice today has no impact on the Lord giving me opportunities to serve Him tomorrow.
All man's empty promises lie broken at your feet, but You have never broken one. You open Your heart time and time and time again."
~Luke Wood
I was studying in Panera and thinking about the Lord and praying for divine opportunities and then this man came and sat down near me, eating at a table with his wife. He had a sling on his arm and they were talking about the prescriptions that they had just ordered for his arm. And I thought to myself, "the Lord can heal this man." and I prayed "Lord, can i go pray for this man? What are you doing Holy Spirit?" and I really felt like i should pray for this man, and i was kinda apprehensive because I had no idea how this man or his wife felt about the Lord and i was thinking " i hope they don't freak out if i mention prayer" but i was really feeling ok, and i was like ok then, i'm gonna pray for this man. So I was sitting down and waiting... don't know what i was waiting on, i just kinda was like i'm gonna wait a minute cuz i don't want to go right now, but i'll go to them before they leave. And then, this little boy was talking to me and i wasn't paying attention, and the man and his wife left. As soon as i noticed, i went out in the parking lot and looked for them, but they were definitely gone.
Moral of the story: when the Lord gives you an opportunity, be obedient. In hesitation, you might miss out on receiving or being a blessing. Also, Praise the Lord that he gives mercy and continues to open up His heart to us even when we are unfaithful. What grace it is that my unfaithfulness to the Lord's voice today has no impact on the Lord giving me opportunities to serve Him tomorrow.
Wednesday, January 14, 2009
The day of the Lord's mighty love
So today I was in my nursing class this morning (research: ridiculously boring class) and i heard one of my friends say something about how her back has been killing her lately. My first thought was I should totally pray for the Lord to heal her. She knows and loves the Lord and I was like, that would be such a blessing to pray for her. So, I meant to talk to her after class, but she peaced out pretty fast and i couldn't find her. I was like "crap, but oh well. I will just pray for her now and then pray over her whenever i see her again." So then, I had lab this afternoon and she was in my lab group and everything! I was like "Sweet. Thank you Lord I might have a chance to pray over her after lab." So we have lab for three hours and then as we are leaving, I walked out with her and asked where she was going and she was like "I guess i'm going to Hendrix to wait on the bus cuz it won't be here for another 30 minutes." Perfect timing, Thank You LORD! So we went to the student center together and sat down together and I just asked her if I could pray for her back pain, and she was like "Yes, please do, and while you're at it, can you pray about this other situation too?" So she shared with me a lot that has been going on with her in her life and just some things recently that she has been seeking the Lord on that are good, but also really hard for her. I was so blessed that I just got to pray over her and speak truth about the Lord's faithfulness and peace over her. Prayed for her heart and for her back, prayed for her to recieve the Lord's comfort and love and it was so fun! Prayer is so good!! We exchanged phone numbers and we just agreed that we should pray together often and lift each other up and grow in fellowship with the Lord. I told her that I would be continuing to pray over her.
I love it! We have the best Dad in the whole world.
I love it! We have the best Dad in the whole world.
Tuesday, January 6, 2009
hope does not disappoint because....
HOPE:
-strong encouragement in the promises of God.
-a confident expectation of coming good from God.
This is what i am beginning to see and want to understand more:
I can take the LORD at His word.
One thing that I have had trouble believing is that revival is really happening. That the Lord is really breakingthrough. That people are really going to respond to the Gospel and turn to the Lord. That the Lord will answer with power when we call upon His name. I don't want to agree with that doubt. So I turn to the Lord and affirm His truth. This is what the Lord says:
Ah. So much truth.
Here's what I've got:
The fields are white. People are ready to receive the Gospel; all that is needed is the laborers (that's us) to go out into the field and reap. We are reaping what we didn't even sow, others have sown and we simply gather. There is a harvest to be had, in clemson, in columbia, in wherever the Lord has placed you. Jesus said it first, there is a harvest to be had.
Jesus is the intercessor forever. He is ALWAYS able to save and redeem anyone and everyone who calls upon His name. My Jesus came into this world to save sinners and that is what He is doing forever. I know that the Redeemer lives.
The Glory of the Lord has risen upon us, His children. We are in His image, and in surrender to Him, We are walking in the fullness of His shining light. Thank You LORD.
The Father has chosen to give us His kingdom. We are heirs and therefore owners of the kingdom of God. Seriously, if I even knew the full implications of this statement I would pass out right now in my chair. This is the extent that we have captured the heart of God, that He has CHOSEN GLADLY to give us all that is His. Let's not minimize the authority that we have but rather receive it in grace. The LORD is ridiculously good.
The Holy Spirit is able and intended to teach us all things. ALL Things. Yep, that's the Holy Spirit. Sent from the Father as our Helper, Teacher, and Reminder. Surely, we can trust the Spirit to do these things. He will teach us everything we need as we listen to His voice.
Shorter version:
-People are ready to come into the Kingdom.
-Jesus can save anyone
-We have the Glory of the Lord upon us
-We have been given authority in the Kingdom of God
-The Holy Spirit is our Teacher and knows everything we need to know
yes. the Lord is bringing revival. yes. I am seeing people awaken to the love of God. yes. the Lord loves to answer with power when we call on His name.
yes. yes. yes.
-strong encouragement in the promises of God.
-a confident expectation of coming good from God.
This is what i am beginning to see and want to understand more:
I can take the LORD at His word.
One thing that I have had trouble believing is that revival is really happening. That the Lord is really breakingthrough. That people are really going to respond to the Gospel and turn to the Lord. That the Lord will answer with power when we call upon His name. I don't want to agree with that doubt. So I turn to the Lord and affirm His truth. This is what the Lord says:
"Lift up your eyes and look on the fields, that they are white for harvest." John 4:35
"Therefore He (Jesus) is able also to save forever those who draw near to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them." Hebrews 7:25
"Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord has risen upon you. For behold, darkness will cover the earth and deep darkness the peoples; but the LORD will rise upon you and His glory will appear upon you. Nations will come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your rising." Isaiah 60:1-3
"Do not be afraid, little flock, for the Father has chosen gladly to give you the Kingdom." Luke 12:32
"But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you." John 14:26
Ah. So much truth.
Here's what I've got:
The fields are white. People are ready to receive the Gospel; all that is needed is the laborers (that's us) to go out into the field and reap. We are reaping what we didn't even sow, others have sown and we simply gather. There is a harvest to be had, in clemson, in columbia, in wherever the Lord has placed you. Jesus said it first, there is a harvest to be had.
Jesus is the intercessor forever. He is ALWAYS able to save and redeem anyone and everyone who calls upon His name. My Jesus came into this world to save sinners and that is what He is doing forever. I know that the Redeemer lives.
The Glory of the Lord has risen upon us, His children. We are in His image, and in surrender to Him, We are walking in the fullness of His shining light. Thank You LORD.
The Father has chosen to give us His kingdom. We are heirs and therefore owners of the kingdom of God. Seriously, if I even knew the full implications of this statement I would pass out right now in my chair. This is the extent that we have captured the heart of God, that He has CHOSEN GLADLY to give us all that is His. Let's not minimize the authority that we have but rather receive it in grace. The LORD is ridiculously good.
The Holy Spirit is able and intended to teach us all things. ALL Things. Yep, that's the Holy Spirit. Sent from the Father as our Helper, Teacher, and Reminder. Surely, we can trust the Spirit to do these things. He will teach us everything we need as we listen to His voice.
Shorter version:
-People are ready to come into the Kingdom.
-Jesus can save anyone
-We have the Glory of the Lord upon us
-We have been given authority in the Kingdom of God
-The Holy Spirit is our Teacher and knows everything we need to know
yes. the Lord is bringing revival. yes. I am seeing people awaken to the love of God. yes. the Lord loves to answer with power when we call on His name.
yes. yes. yes.
Monday, January 5, 2009
this is what i want to learn.
"for you were called to FREEDOM, brethen, only do not turn your freedom into an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another. " Galatians 5:13
This is the call of Christ, to follow in His path: walking out divine servanthood with all boldness, freedom, and authority, knowing that we are co-heirs with the King of kings. We are set free from the bondage of sin, so that we may then enter in to the fellowship of God as His dearly beloved children. This fellowship is so beautiful and we are invited to live out of this place, a place of freedom, healing, grace, forgiveness, bold confidence, humility, love, compassion, and joy. I don't know a lot, but I know this. This is what we were created for and surely this is also what we were redeemed for. God wants freedom for His children. Freedom from sin, freedom from unbelief, freedom from religion, from dead works, freedom from affliction, freedom from self-condemnation, freedom from expectations. It is for freedom that we have been set free. IT IS for freedom that we have been set free. God does not offer what He cannot deliver. He promised freedom, know that it is coming if you put your hope in Him. Freedom is His desire for us and if we are willing to receive what Jesus died for us to have, it's available. It's not far away, it's not untouchable. It's in the hands of God who is waiting and longing to give it to us when we ask for it in His name. God doesn't play games, and God doesn't go halfway. If God promised us something- He will give it to us, and we can have it in fullness. He cannot not be faithful to His word. We can cling to promises. We can bank on them. God does not lie. This is what He has for us.
So in this freedom (full freedom that throws off every burden) we are enabled to serve each other and love each other with the Love that Christ taught us. Seriously, when we are not walking out freedom, we are living as enslaved people. We're either just trying to make it through the day, broken down by condemnation and sin; or we are striving to prove ourselves good and earn the approval of God by our actions, which are worthless in our own strength. Either way ends up leaving us walking in defeat, and yet the spirit of defeat is the very opposite of what we were created in and for. Christ died on the cross for victory, and we receive that victory through His grace in the simple faith that we have, it's ours. So we have victory. We don't have to try to earn anything, and we don't have to live wallowing in our sin. (I feel like i'm being redundant but this is really good news, so I don't really care) In this release, we are enabled to serve. Because i'm not trying to prove myself, I am released to love the people around me freely, without expectations or hidden motives. Jesus is always the perfect example. Being free from the Law, Jesus didn't use His freedom to indulge Himself, but rather to show greater love. In freedom from the Law, He healed on the Sabbath. In freedom from the Law, He ate with the tax collectors. In freedom from the Law, He forgave a prostitute. Is this not the same way that we should also walk out our freedom? Jesus gave his disciples directions to do the same things that He did:
"How much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without blemish to God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the Living God?"
Hebrews 9:14
This is the call of Christ, to follow in His path: walking out divine servanthood with all boldness, freedom, and authority, knowing that we are co-heirs with the King of kings. We are set free from the bondage of sin, so that we may then enter in to the fellowship of God as His dearly beloved children. This fellowship is so beautiful and we are invited to live out of this place, a place of freedom, healing, grace, forgiveness, bold confidence, humility, love, compassion, and joy. I don't know a lot, but I know this. This is what we were created for and surely this is also what we were redeemed for. God wants freedom for His children. Freedom from sin, freedom from unbelief, freedom from religion, from dead works, freedom from affliction, freedom from self-condemnation, freedom from expectations. It is for freedom that we have been set free. IT IS for freedom that we have been set free. God does not offer what He cannot deliver. He promised freedom, know that it is coming if you put your hope in Him. Freedom is His desire for us and if we are willing to receive what Jesus died for us to have, it's available. It's not far away, it's not untouchable. It's in the hands of God who is waiting and longing to give it to us when we ask for it in His name. God doesn't play games, and God doesn't go halfway. If God promised us something- He will give it to us, and we can have it in fullness. He cannot not be faithful to His word. We can cling to promises. We can bank on them. God does not lie. This is what He has for us.
So in this freedom (full freedom that throws off every burden) we are enabled to serve each other and love each other with the Love that Christ taught us. Seriously, when we are not walking out freedom, we are living as enslaved people. We're either just trying to make it through the day, broken down by condemnation and sin; or we are striving to prove ourselves good and earn the approval of God by our actions, which are worthless in our own strength. Either way ends up leaving us walking in defeat, and yet the spirit of defeat is the very opposite of what we were created in and for. Christ died on the cross for victory, and we receive that victory through His grace in the simple faith that we have, it's ours. So we have victory. We don't have to try to earn anything, and we don't have to live wallowing in our sin. (I feel like i'm being redundant but this is really good news, so I don't really care) In this release, we are enabled to serve. Because i'm not trying to prove myself, I am released to love the people around me freely, without expectations or hidden motives. Jesus is always the perfect example. Being free from the Law, Jesus didn't use His freedom to indulge Himself, but rather to show greater love. In freedom from the Law, He healed on the Sabbath. In freedom from the Law, He ate with the tax collectors. In freedom from the Law, He forgave a prostitute. Is this not the same way that we should also walk out our freedom? Jesus gave his disciples directions to do the same things that He did:
"Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those who have leprosy, drive out demons. Freely you have received, freely give" matthew 10:8All we can do in this life is to follow the example of Christ who has gone before us and shown us the way to bring glory to the Father. It's freedom and servanthood, boldness and humility, compassion and rejoicing. The seemingly paradoxical things of the Kingdom are the best parts. These are the riches of God: That it is about now what it's always been about, the blood of Christ poured out for us.
"How much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without blemish to God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the Living God?"
Hebrews 9:14
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