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Can you imagine God's patience with us as we cower and tremble and cry, when He is gently reminding us, "Hey, Child, I'm here; look at Me. You have nothing to fear. Nothing is greater than I am, nothing worries Me, nothing threatens Me. You are in My hands. Nothing - NOTHING - enters your life without My knowing. I am the God who sees (Genesis 16:13). NOW. Trust Me, and let's get going. I've got plans for you, and they do not include hiding. Come on ... I've got you."
Ephesians 5:1,2 says, “Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children. And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave Himself for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.”
“Walk” verses: Dt 10:12,13 And now, O Israel, what does the Lord your God require of you, but to fear the Lord your God, to walk in all His ways, to love Him, to serve the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul, and to keep the commandments of the Lord, which I am commanding you today for your good? Amos 3:3 Do two walk together, unless they agree? Micah 6:8 He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God? Isaiah 30:20,21 And though the Lord give you the bread of adversity and the water of affliction, yet your Teacher will not hide Himself anymore, but your eyes shall see your Teacher. And your ears shall hear a word behind you, saying, This is the way, walk in it, when you turn to the right or to the left. Jeremiah 6:16 Stand by the roads, and look, and ask for the ancient paths, where the good way is, and walk in it, and find rest for your souls. Psalm 23:4 Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for Thou art with me! (I love this old language) Isaiah 40:31 They who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; they shall walk, and not faint. Galatians 5:16 Walk by the Spirit. 2 John 6 And this is love, that we walk according to His commandments.
So you look up, and wind from angels’ wings moves the hair from your forehead, and you hear a thundering, rolling, powerful cry, borne of experience and battle:
“WORTHY! Worthy is the Lamb who was slain! JESUS is worthy!
He is worthy to receive power [and many angels raise their swords]
and wealth [and many angels look to the souls of the earth]
and wisdom [and many angels cover their faces as they remember the cross]
and strength [and many angels glance toward His defeated foes]
and honor [and ALL the angels lift their eyes and wings toward Him]
and glory [and all the angels bow, sweeping their wings low and whispery]
and praise [and all the angels erupt in holy flight]!
WORTHY is the Lamb who was slain! Hallelujah!
Comparison and the Christ-follower
Yes, believe, me, I know. Jesus has been pointing out how often I have been comparing lately - and it’s an ugly picture. His correction came as I was studying John 21:22. Peter and Jesus were having a conversation about the fate of John, who was probably just out of ear-shot. Peter wonders, “Well, what’s going to happen to him?” (Suz translation.) Jesus pointedly said that it was not Peter’s concern what was going to happen with John; Peter needed to focus on following Jesus.
And the light went on: all of the good and beautiful things that God is doing around me are for His glory, under His care, and right. God was saying to me, YES, I’ve ordained this devoted woman to be hysterically dry-humored and capture the attention of the United States; YES, I’ve allowed that woman to create significant Bible studies that are sweeping the nation; YES, you are small and unknown and devoted and doing what I’ve asked. *Don’t take the bait of envy.* Look at ME, not at them; look upward, not outward.
“Yes, Sir,” I said, sorry that I had gotten distracted, sorry that I had felt restless and compared my self and job to others, sorry that I had forgotten Him and gotten consumed with me. So ... things He has taught me: His plans for me are good; His call to me is to be faithful; my job is being where He wants me to be and doing what He has called me to do; my focus is what He said: “You must follow Me.” YES.
Unfathomable God
Every step you take is an invitation to go deeper into God.
Every prayer, every plea; each time you stop and wonder about the growth and stars and color and insects and anatomy; every time a new pair of eyes opens to learn light and dark hues; every difference, every nuance as people of different cultures worship ... deeper.
Every wall, every block, every NO ... deeper. Every emotion ... deeper. Every travesty, every injustice; every harm, every breaking drives us to the T-junction: shall I continue pursuing You, going deeper with You, or shall I turn away from You?
Each YES, each question, each exclamation ... deeper into Him we can step, little by little, hearts open and fears lessening. Every opportunity to explore, every hope ... deeper.
Here’s praying you and I will go deeper today. Amen!
What does freedom on the inside look like?
Less worry, less fear, less anxiety; giving up control and trusting that GOD HAS THIS DAY. GOD HAS ME, sees me, knows me, and loves me. I can relax and trust His love to order this day as He thinks best. I can pray about anything that is making me churn, LET GO, and grab His peace instead. I can quit worrying about performing and perfection and trust that I am loved in my imperfection - even treasured! - by God. I can rest at a deep level, sure and settled, because God is stronger than any sledgehammer, bigger than any boss, larger than any lie, and sovereign over every circumstance.
This is freedom on the inside, and I want to walk in freedom today - all day. Join me.
When I was near her, I asked, “Father, what do I do with this woman?” I was vacillating between thinking she was part of a ring, pimped out for money, or really in need.
The verse quoted above came to mind like a ray of sunshine burning away fog. If she misused the money, that was on her; what mattered now, between me and God, was what I could and would do, and what my attitude toward her was.
So I touched her shoulder, spoke gently, calling her “Mama,” a universally understood word. An approachable word, a word without animosity. She turned my way slowly. I whispered a blessing, put in a coin, and left to join my group.
God forgive me if I was wrong; God forgive her is she was wrong. Amen.
Jesus opens all He has & is to us; we open all we have & are to Him. We bind ourselves to Him; He to us, FOREVER. That's real. That's intimacy. Lean into the One who love you so dearly.
