and then He spoke

I saw a beach laid out before me, only sand as far as my eyes could see. Lying on the beach in a line in front of me were children, young people dressed as though from every nation of the earth. The line also went on as far as my eyes could see. Looking at them, I thought they were dead. They were unmoving, crumpled in awkward positions. Then, as I kept looking at them, the first one in front of me suddenly got up, smiling a huge smile with his mouth open. Throughout the line, all the children began to get up, all smiling with their mouths gaping open. I felt like the Lord said “They were dead, but I brought them back to life.”

Then I was on the beach inside the vision.

I felt warmth all around me and I felt like I was lying on sand. I stood up and I felt crowds and crowds of people all around me. There were so many people that they were pressing in on me. I felt like I heard them, and they were all praising God. They kept adoring Him, using all kinds of different praises. “Glorious, worthy, perfect, all-mighty, wonderful is the Lamb! We love Him. We love Him. He saved us and we love Him! He is ours forever! We will always love him. He is always kind! Always good! We will ever praise Him! Forever He is right.”

One pushed me in the back, saying, “Come. Come. All the upright give Him praise.” They spun me around and I started laughing and dancing and jumping as they shouted praises to the Lamb. I began shouting with them, “Wonderful! Perfect! You will always reign! No one will defeat You because You gave yourself up.” I started crying. “You’re worthy. The only One worthy. You are Worthy.” I fell to the ground. “We love you Jesus. We love your sacrifice. There is no one else that we will adore. You’re the only One worthy.” I laid facedown. “I cannot bring You the praise that You’re due, but all the honor, all the love, all the worship in my heart belongs to You. I will lavish myself on You, the righteous King. No one will usurp my love. I will guard it with all I have and give it only to You. Always to You. You are my only love.”

I felt His breath over me as I lay on the sand; it was hot, perfect, terrifying, and sweeter than I have ever known. Everything in me lined up with one reality, He was near me. He was close. His presence was altogether shocking, and all at once familiar. It was completely at home, and more distant than the farthest stars. Wilder than the most unsearched mountains, safer than the garden you have grown up next to, a burning fire that knows no hesitation, and a crashing wave that plummets you to the depths of the sea. I knew I was completely saved, yet I was sure I was utterly lost. How can one possibly recover from such a touch? How can there be any return? All faith is answered. All hope is gone. At the end of my understanding, He kept bringing me into His presence. His voice shook my dreams and questions, and it answered all my longings.

“Beloved. I am. You will be all that I have planned. You will love me with your whole heart, whole strength, whole mind. I will purify your heart, and you will give it all to Me. You will pour out your life for Me. As I have loved you, you will love Me. You will give Me all that you have. I will create in you a clean heart. I will fix your eyes on my face. You will see Me and be satisfied. You will see me and rejoice. All your longing will be answered. All your waiting will end. I am just and right. I will not leave you alone. I will come to you. I have not lied. I am only pure, always pure. You will know my righteousness. You will know my justice. You will see my indignation poured out on the earth and you will say ‘Perfect is the Lamb. Right are all His ways.’ I will teach you my love, beloved. I will teach you my ways. You don’t yet understand, but I will teach you. I will not leave you confused. You will know me. You will know me well. You’re caught in a whirlwind, beloved. I will not let you go. You will never be alone.”

perspective

There is a fire in my heart for you, my love. There is a fire in my heart for you. The lie that I don’t care about your sin is the same lie that says that I don’t want all of you. It’s the same lie that says that I don’t love you well or I don’t love all of you. But I do.
I love all of you there is to possibly love. I love you.

Do you know what jealousy is, beloved?
Jealousy means that nothing takes place over desire.
Every physical obstacle, every emotional barrier, every distraction, every earthly lust, every demonic torment is lesser than and subject to the higher reality of my jealousy.

Nothing gets past me.

And we know that all things work together for good
to those who love God
to those who are the called according to His purpose
But as for me, the nearness of God is my good
I have made the Lord God my refuge
that I may tell of all your works

I make it all work out for your good because I can’t bear anything pulling you away from my love. I’m not incompetent. I have contended for you and I never lost the fight.

My love, beloved, it came into your life and it won you.
I fought for you with all my heart and I won.