How to expect the unexpected. To become comfortable with being unprepared. To let go of what is reasonable, reassuring, responsible. God is Masterful at lovingly pointing out those things we need yet to take care of.
It has been said that “God loves us the way we are…but He will not leave us that way.” In a recent activation lesson for the School of Faith course I attend, I was challenged about my barriers to expecting the unexpected.
The first difficulty was to not only name but create a tangible record on a piece of paper of those things or feelings that occupy my mind, distract and cause anxiety or pain. Once written, the paper was to be held in open, upturned hands asking God to take them, to deal with them. Turning the hands over, the paper with all its hurts and problems floated to the floor, not to be retrieved! We were then encouraged to turn our hands upward again to receive from God, asking Him to give us what He felt we needed in that moment.
Almost immediately I began to laugh as He handed me a handbagā¦with no bottom in it! I could see right through and the light from beneath was shining up into the bag. Iād had a moment of frustration earlier that day, hunting through my bag for my keys, grumbling about the black interior of handbags that makes finding anything difficult.
No dark interior, no corners for things to hide in, rummaging around in the darkness looking for somethingā¦only to find something unexpected, lost, maybe even best forgotten. I asked Jesus what else He might be telling me.
The next morning, I thanked God for the amusing vision and that it had made me laugh. This was His response through my journalling:
“I thought it best to highlight the lightā¦. the light that shines in every dark place, illuminating everything, chasing out the darkness, and to show you this bag in which you carry things you perceive you āneed ā for those āwhat if” moments. Your attempt at preparednessā¦covering all bases in the contents of your bag?
Now that makes Me laugh!!
Your ābagā is bound by your perceptionā¦limited by your imagination for what your outing, your day, may hold. But you feel safeā¦covered and prepared for having it with you. The thing is, your bag is a gathering place of old mindsets and beliefs, for items from your past days that no longer speak to todayās potential.
You keep things in there because they were handy in a situation passed. You carry your limitations and past into your present and futureā¦and its packed so well, there is no room for possibilityā¦to acquire something new! You may carry home something small that causes you to sift through and discard an item or two but then you place the rest back in your bag because they are a comfortā¦familiarā¦Who knows? It might come handy. And if you discard the lotā¦that will be the time you discover you needed that thing!
Make room for Me!! Make space for the newā¦the randomā¦the impossible even!
There was a reason for Me telling the disciples to take nothing with them when I sent them outā¦no extras, no just-in-case, no plan B ā¦Just total reliance on My provision.
Trust Me to provide for youā¦to supply your every need. Expect Me to do it!! You donāt need to think and plan aheadā¦I have done that already! The clay doesnāt brace itself, holding to its idea of what might eventuate. It sits, ready, submissive to the creative hands of the potter.
I have something beautifulā¦.so beautiful in mind for you. Its already in the making!
Watch. Wait expectantly. Thank Me in advance and rest in Me.
I have had some deeply personal and heart-breaking conversations of late. Those that have no reasonā¦no wisdomā¦no answers. You know the ones. Where empathy and sympathy just donāt suffice and no words, I could offer would answer the unanswerable and lingering questionā¦ā Where was God whenā¦.ā? At least no earthly wordsā¦.
I am drawn to the biblical story of Lazarus in John 11 in these questions.
Lazarus and his two sisters, Mary, and Martha were good friends of Jesus. In this account in the gospel of John, Lazarus is grievously ill. Jesus is travelling with his disciples and is a few days away when a messenger tracks him down with a plea from the sisters to return quickly to Bethany, their hometown. I can relate to the distress and worry, in Mary and Marthaās message to Jesus. There was an urgency and expectation in the message delivered to Jesus, a simple and clear statement of fact that spoke volumes.ā Lord, he whom you love is ill.ā
Even so, Jesusā response appears nonchalantā¦.ā This illness will not end in deathā¦. but will bring glory to God and will reveal the greatness of the Son of God by what takes place.ā He was calling into existence that which was not. What could Jesus see? What did He know in the moment that was not known to anyone else? John then saysā¦ā Now even though Jesus loved Mary, Martha, and Lazarus, he remained where he was for two more days.ā
Back in Bethany, Mary and Martha waited and watched their beloved brother’s health deteriorate. What must have been going through their minds? Why the delay? Where was Jesus? Surely, he would come and heal Lazarus! Clearly this was their expectation.
āFinally on the third day, Jesus says to his disciplesā¦.ā It is time to go to Bethanyā¦Lazarus, our friend has just fallen asleep. It is time I go and awaken him.ā The disciples, concerned for Jesus āsafety with a threat on his life, do not understand his need to return there but Jesus announces then that Lazarus has diedā¦āand for your sake, I am glad I wasnāt there ā¦. because now you have another opportunity to see who I amā¦so that you will learn to trust in me.ā
To complete setting the stage for this storyā¦when Jesus arrives in Bethany, Lazarus has been in the tomb four days. Martha hears Jesus has come and runs to meet him. āIf only you had come sooner, my brother would not have died.ā Was this an accusatory statement? Was she levelling blame for what happened unnecessarily? Is a statement like this, spoken in grief or pain, accusatory? Things had clearly not gone to her script. He should have come, and this would not have happened.
Given her next statementā¦.ā But I know that if you ask God for anything, he will do it for you.,ā was Martha giving Jesus an opportunity to make amends for his tardiness? For not fulfilling her expectationsā¦for causing her and her sister grief? Jesusā response is one of a test I thinkā¦.
ā Your brother will rise and live.ā ā¦For Martha, a test of her belief in who he is and what that means for her, for Lazarus. Did her statement above carry with it sufficient faith in his ability to take this situation to another level?
He uses this moment to declare to her a new understanding to her already held belief in the resurrection of the dead in the last days…to teach, to proclaim his intent and purpose. āYou donāt have to wait until thenā¦I am The Resurrection; I am Life Eternalā¦.do you believe this?ā Martha says she has always believed he is the Son of God come to save us, and yetā¦. still misses the point.
Maryās encounter with Jesus is completely different. She runs to Jesus, falls at his feet in tears and repeats Marthaās wordsā¦ā Lord, if only you had been here, my brother would not have died.ā Same expectation of Jesus and the outcome, yet his response to Maryās deep emotion was to mirror it. He responded to the mood of the moment ādeeply moved with tenderness and compassion.ā Then the Scriptures say something intriguing. āJesus wept.ā
Why? Why would he weep? Was he caught up in the emotion of the moment? He knew what he was about to doā¦. with power from heaven and authority. Why then did he weep? Powerful two words. In his humanness in that moment, he expressed his compassion, his empathy. It says here āHe shuddered with emotion and was deeply moved with tenderness and compassion.ā What pains us pains Him! In Jeremiah 23:23 God says, āAm I a God at handā¦and not a God afar off?ā
ā¦and there in this window of time, a stark realisation of the trajectory of his mission to overcome death and the grave for humanity and all that it would involveā¦. all that he would have to endure to give me the freedom his impending death and resurrection would pay for, was what Godās compassion and immeasurable love had set in motion here.
āThen Jesus, with intense emotions came to the tombā¦.āand announced Godās intention. Roll away the stone. He knew the outcome was victory. He knew what he was about to do. Martha confirmed her struggle to remain in faith, questioning Jesusā next move. Afraid of the smell, Martha was caught up in the earthly moment. Jesus is about to bring heaven crashing into itā¦that space between the tangible and what is possible by faith. Jesus reminds her again who he isā¦.ā Didnāt I say, if you believe you will see God unveil His power?ā
Jesusā sights were on a bigger picture. In a loud authoritative voice, he announced Godās intentionā¦. for Jesusā glory, and called to God, thanking Him for hearing his prayer and listening to his every wordā¦and so all present would believe, he would use the power he was given. He then calledā¦. āLazarus! Come Out!ā
Lazarus, bound in burial cloths, embalmed, came groping out of the tomb into the light of day, responding to the voice of Jesusā¦acting on his command over death and the graveā¦His authority over the elements, redeeming life, family, joy and bringing glory to his Father. And in it, Jesus is glorified in His Fatherās eyes.
Such a poignant story in light of so much distress and questions in this day and age. It comes with that commonly asked questionā¦ā Where was God whenā¦ā? ā¦. a trip factor and often a deciding factor against faith. I too, have asked this question, fist shaking to the sky, tears streaming down my face, completely broken in the moment. My understanding of what God should do, if He is there at allā¦and my expectation of this unseen entity in the claim that He loves me and wants the best for me gives me difficulties in reconciling the pain and sufferingā¦.my own, of those I love, ā¦and of the world in general.
āWhere were you whenā¦. God?ā
It is in this story of Lazarus, I see the tension between my understanding, hope and expectation and heavenās perspective in my situation. I know many tout the line about ābeing taught a lesson.ā While I believe there may be some truth in thatā¦because life is learning, I donāt believe God intentionally causes bad things to happen to me or allows me to suffer so I ālearn lessonsā. That contradicts everything I believe about God being a loving Father. I do believe however, that despite the circumstances I find myself in, I have the opportunityā¦the choice, I guessā¦.to ask for some deeper truth to be found in the pain and confusion of the past, in the loss of life or innocence, in the places and spaces of unanswered and sometimes unanswerable questions this side of heaven.
But the tension remainsā¦ā¦
Martha says to Jesus, when He arrives, post her brotherās death and burialā¦.ā If you had been hereā¦this would never have happened.ā
Could it be that I narrow down to my own visible, tangible world in an attempt to contain my circumstances to, wellā¦. just ME?
What if what happens to me in any given moment of time, is part of a much bigger pictureā¦a diverse and intricate network of events, places, livesā¦. Not to be seen as a pawn in some bizarre Greek mythology scenarioā¦.but where God, using the events of life on earth, in all its brokenness and skewed selfishness of mankind, knows everything about meā¦past, present and future, and taking each and every broken shard of my existence, asks of me, āCan I use what has hurt you, what has shattered youā¦.to bring Jesus, My Son, glory?ā
āWill you trust Me with your pain and tears, your frustration and anger at what has happened to you, to challenge you in your bitterness and hurtā¦to forgive and understand the power of GRACEā¦.so that you can bring others, in empathy and compassion in similar circumstances, to My feet for healing?ā
It is not about the event itself! In it, Jesus wept!! Those two words of John 11: 33, in the story of Lazarus, are for YOU, in that thing that has caused a part of you to dieā¦in that moment of loss of innocenceā¦. Jesus WEPT.
That thing, that eventā¦was not from God ā¦. but of the enemy. John 10:10 says,ā The enemy comes to steal, kill, and destroy.ā
What I forget in my eagerness to pin blame on others is that my choicesā¦in thought, word, and deed, regardless of their severity or inane unimportance in the moment, affect others in some way. In Godās eyes, āSinā is āsin.ā It is difficult for me to align my poor choice in words or deeds with that of a perpetrator of some crime or devastation, yet in each, Jesus weeps. Why? Because as part of Creation, He made me in His image and gave mankind dominion over all the earth. He gave me choice. Choice to do goodā¦or bad. He wanted relationship not dictatorship.
What the enemy cleverly does though, is cause me to look elsewhereā¦to distract, to make me question, to entice me to shift my focusā¦to the betrayal of trust, the hurt, the person, the injustice, even toward Godā¦. for in that, I relinquish the relationship with my Creator, my Heavenly Father. This causes me to home in on myselfā¦on my unforgiveness, my hurt, my bitternessā¦. on the other entity involved and my need for justice, on the senselessness and hopelessness of my circumstancesā¦.and not on the enemy himself. And in that, I sinā¦.an offense against God in my lack of trust in His ability and willingness to act on my behalf; against the other person in my anger and desire to see them accountable for their āsinā against me; against myself in my holding onto the hurt, causing myself untold misery and disruption to my inner peace. In Isaiah 40:27, God says, āWhy do you sayā¦and assertā¦ā My way is hidden from the Lord, And the justice due me escapes the notice of my God?
Jesus is standing at my tombā¦that dark cavernous place of stored hurtful memories, unforgiveness, records of wrongs, bitterness, unexplained and unexplainable trauma to my being, my heart, and my soul. He is commanding the stone be rolled away to let in the light and let out the stench.
Jesus says, in John 11:15 āā¦now you have another opportunity to see who I am so that you will learn to trust in Me.ā
He calls out in a loud voiceā¦ā Naomiā¦. Come out!!ā
Here is my next choice. Here in this momentā¦.
Will I hear and respond to that call to shake off the stench of the past, that which will bury me if I choose to remain BOUND by it? Will I let the bandages fall off and walk out and away from all that was set to totally destroy me and allow Jesus to redeem the time, the past and the persons involved because nothing else matters beyond that call on my life?
So, I choose to hear. I choose to shake off those graveclothes and walk away from the identity of a dead manā¦dead to forgiveness, life, peace and joyā¦..and into my new identityā¦ into the lightā¦away from my need for justice and recompense for my pain. Away from being so entrenched in it all and allow Jesus to roll the stone over the entrance of that past, that which kept me imprisoned in my darknessā¦ forever blocking all access to and sealing it and all it contains. In the words of David, āYou turned my wailing into dancing: you removed my sackcloth and clothed me with joy that my heart may sing your praises and not be silent. Lord my God. I will praise you forever.ā Psalm 30:11-12
Isaiah 61:1-5 speaks of Jesus and all He is offering me.
āThe Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me because the Lord has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poorā¦bind up the broken heartedā¦proclaim freedom to the captivesā¦and release from darkness the prisonersā¦to proclaim the year of the Lordās favour and the day of vengeance of our God. To comfort all who mourn and provide for all who grieveā¦to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of joy instead of mourning. And a garment of praise instead of despair. They will be called oaks of righteousness, a planting of the Lordā¦. for the display of his splendour.ā
Jesus says in John 10:10, āI am come that you might have life and have it abundantlyā.
So, where were/are you God when?….
His loving and immediate response is,
“I am right here! Come! Live!!”
Resources:
The Bible The Passion Translation, The Key Word Study Bible, NASB, The Parallel Bible
Photos: 1. herods_great_ sons_ tomb.jpg
2. jesus_christ_empty_tomb_goshen_utah
Proof readers and editors: Anna Mellor, Lyn Henderson, Vanessa Hall, Jeff Roorda with great thanks for your patience.
How do I untangle my personal perceptions of my experience of fatherly love to engage fully in the love of God portrayed as “My Father” in Heaven?
In a recent prayer time, God encouraged me to take a deeper delve into aspects of His Natureā¦to explore just one at a time. It was after the sermon at church by Rachel White, on Psalm 46:10, which reads āBe still and know that I am Godā, that I began to ask just who is the great I AM, this God. We define Him as best we can by aspects of His natureā¦.by what He does and offers to us in relationship, so I began to search the Bible for explanations, words, descriptions of God.
There is no shortage of titles and descriptors: The Creator, The King of all the earth, Judge, my Refuge, my Protector, Helper, Saviour, Defender, Deliverer, Provider, but these and many others do not portray the depth of intimacy of relationship of Our Heavenly Father. Why this one in particular? Because it has been my own experience and that of many people I have met and come to know, that carrying such pain of breakdown and āruptureā of relationship with fathers, has paralysed my developing trust and relationship with God in His capacity and expression as Our Heavenly Father.
There needs to be a separation ofā¦. a restructure of thinking and perception that removes my experience, my disappointment and hurt of a worldly father in all his humanity and weakness… and not overlay all that has shaped my view, my concept of what a father is or should be, onto my Heavenly Father. I cannot deny God’s representation of himself as my Father. It is the Person of God in that Fatherly role that I must reconcile with. So, I begin with that distinction between my earthly, biological father and that of a Heavenly Father.
Some celebrate the awesome loving relationship with a Dad that creates no obstacle to relating to God as Father. Some have, or have had, a āDadā that has faithfully mirrored a quality of fatherhood, loving, uplifting, tender and disciplined with love that equates, at least in an understanding of what being loved by a heavenly Father would represent. Others have notā¦ and the spectrum of behaviours experienced, and lack of connection, love and respect have caused a disruption, an image and representation difficult to extractā¦untangle. Let me not be discriminatory here. The person of God reflects motherly qualities in equal measure. We, as in both men and women, are made in His image and reflect, in masculinity or femininity, the nature of our Creator as Father and Mother. Relationships with mothers are just as defining in an understanding of an experience with a Paternal God.
Until I can come to a place of forgiveness and release all judgement before God, for all I believe my earthly father or mother should have been but werenāt, I am hamstrung in receiving all that God has as an affectionate, compassionate, loving Father, who longs to enter the past and heal it in ways only He can. He gives it. It is there for meā¦but I need to be able to receive itā¦to trust Him and in His intention towards me as pure and perfect. I need to trust that He can and will extinguish the pain of the past and break down the barriers and barricades that block His love being able to penetrate to those deep dark places where I have believed I was protected but instead was imprisoned.
God is the perfect Father. As I read throughout Scripture, Old & New Testament, His desire and intent from the outset has been for relationship, He as Our Father, me (we) as his children. A fatherās role is the protector and provider and the one who gave identity to the family. It is within the family context I gain a better understanding now, as a parent myself, this concept of a relational God, of His love for me as unconditional, of the security He provides and within that relationship, a realisation that everything I need will flow from His hand. There is nothing I need do, no striving, no hoops, no conditions, no requirements. Can I trust Him? More than life itself. How do I know?
Well, this past couple of weeks, I have been challenged in my role as a parent. Each experience at its coalface, has made me stop and consider what God is trying to convey to me in this role, this expression of fatherhood towards me. Here are some questions posed through my own outplaying of being a Mum loving my children in just recent events:
What am I prepared to do for my child? What would, or wouldnāt I do for the love of them?[i]
Will I put all of me aside to be available to them in their hour of need?[iv]
Will I practically respond to their needs and at what cost to me?[v]
Will I listen, love, lift upā¦encourage, engage, & evokeā¦their dreams and promises, beliefs and hopes?[vi]
Will I foster relationship, encouraging love, laughter, joyā¦a celebration of life and gratitude for all that they have in health, home, family, and friends?[vii]
Will I carry them through rough timesā¦. Anchor them in their stormsā¦. flank them when they are strong enough to move forward, being close enough to catch them if they stumble but at sufficient distance to allow them to grow from and through their life experiences?[viii]
Will I support them in their life choices and relationships hoping I have modelled in my own, the value, commitmentā¦. and sacrifice at times, required to commune intimately with someone they love?[ix]
Will I hold in my heart all I believe they can achieve and be yet give them space to explore, make mistakes, regroup, reach for the impossible and fall or succeed ā¦and either way communicate its okā¦itās the journey not the destination that matters?[x]
Will I step back, sometimes in great distress, and watch them flounder because in doing so, I allow them to develop strength of character, the need for determination to fight for what they want or believe in, to know and understand the rewards for persistence?[xi]
Will I trust and believe in them even when they donāt believe in themselves?[xii]
Will I hold unshakable hope in their abilities, gifts and talents, their capacity to succeed at anything they set in their hearts to do?[xiii]
Will I speak truth always and offer wisdom, making myself accessible and available but respectfully wait for them to ask before giving it.
Will I always hope they would come to me and ask for my help knowing I would withhold nothing if it were in my power to provideā¦within reason?[xiv]
Will I love them unconditionally, even if they reject me, abuse me, abandon, and refuse all I have provided and sacrificed and continue to hold all hope of their return of affectionā¦to know and believe that nothing could ever stop me from holding out my arms to take them back?[xv]
Will I forgive and wipe the slate clean of all offenses, hurts, disappointments, and blatant refusals to accept all I so willingly offer?[xvi]
As I read back over this list, I begin to realise what a limited reflection of His love for me is expressed in these sentiments towards my own children. But it is in this vey raw and incomplete list I am given a glimpse of the Fatherās heart towards me. I so often fail to love them in ways that meet their needs or communicate the depth of love I feel towards them; or love without judgement or conditions; or provide comfort, stability and security and model the love of God to them in my thoughts, actions, and words. Godās love for me though, is not ambiguous, hidden, earned or inconsistent with all He says and promises in the Bible, His love letter to us.
In Ephesians 3: 14, Paul writesā¦.āI kneel humbly before The Father of our Lord Jesus, The Messiah,ā¦the perfect Father of every father and child in heaven and on earth. And I pray that he would unveil within you the unlimited riches his glory and favourā¦that we would be empowered to discover ā¦the great magnitude of the astonishing love of Christ in all its dimensions. How deeply intimate and far reaching is His love! How enduring and inclusive it is! Endless love beyond measurement that transcends our understanding- this extravagant love pours into you until you are filled with all the fullness of God!ā
It is His heart for youā¦to be loved as only He can love youā¦as a Father, you and me, his childrenā¦beyond the capabilities of any earthly father or mother.[xvii]
And as I go back and meditate on each of these questions it dawns on me that the answer from my Heavenly Father to each question is a gentle and infinitely powerful YES, and I am beginning to get the smallest hint of Godās love for me and you.(JR)
Are there other questions or Scriptures that speak to your life situation that would embody the Fatherās love for you? Let me encourage you to watch and listen to the 2 following clips on YouTube. These are a beautiful representation of the love of God as a Father and I hope will give some credence to my efforts to express that here.
1.Godās Love Letter to You jologsmeh
2. Reckless Love Saved Sheep Studios
Be Blessed.
Naomi xx
Endnotes Bible References: The Passion Translation
[i] John 3:16 āFor God so loved the world, He gave His only Son.ā Romans 5:8 āBut God shows His love for us in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.ā
[ii] Psalm 34:18 āThe Lord is close to the broken hearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.ā Psalm 147:3 āHe heals the broken hearted and binds up their wounds.ā, Psalm 31:7
[iii] Psalm 121:7 āThe Lord will keep you from all evil: He will keep your life.ā Psalm 18:13; Deuteronomy 31:6, Job 5:19
[iv] Philippians 4:19 āAnd my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of His glory in Christ Jesus.ā Psalm 32:7-8; Isaiah 41:10, 1 Peter 5:7
[v] Psalm 55:22 āGive your burdens to the Lord and He will take care of you. He will not permit the Godly to slip and fall.ā
[vi] Jeremiah 21:11 āFor I know the plans I have for youā says the Lord, āplans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you a hope and a future. 1 Thessalonians 2:16-17 āMay our Lord Jesus Christ and God our Fatherā¦comfort your hearts and give you strength in every good thing you do and say.ā Psalm 138:3
[vii] 1 Thessalonians 5:16 āRejoice always. Give thanks continually. Philippians 4:4-7 Be cheerful with joyous celebration in every season of life. Let your joy overflow. And let gentleness be seen in every relationship, for our Lord is very near. Donāt be pulled in different directions or worried about a thing.ā
Job 8:21 āGod will yet fill your mouth with laughter and your lips with shouts of joy.ā1 Thessalonians 5:16-17
Romans 15:13
[viii] Isaiah 43:2 āWhen you go through deep waters and great trouble, I will be with you. When you go through rivers of difficulty, you will not drown. When you walk through the fire of oppression, you will not be burned up. The flames will not consume you. For I am the Lord, your Godā¦. your Saviour.ā Psalm 50:15, Psalm 34:19
1 Peter 1:6
[ix] Titus 2:7-8 āabove all, set yourself apart as a model of a life nobly lived. With dignity, demonstrate integrity in all that you teach.ā Proverbs 20:7 āThe righteous man lives a blameless life (a life of integrity); blessed are his children after him.ā John 15: 12-13 āSo this is my command Love each other deeply as much as I have loved you. For the greatest love of all is a love that sacrifices allā¦and demonstrated when a person sacrifices his life for his friends.ā Ephesians 4:1-3
[x] Psalm 91, Matthew 11:28-29ā Come to me all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you because I am humble and gentle, and you will find rest for your souls.ā
[xi] Romans 5:3-4: James 1:2-4 āWhenever trouble comes your way, let it be an opportunity for joy. For when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to growā¦for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be strong in character and ready for anything. Romans 8: 35, 38-39
[xiii]Jeremiah 29:11 āFor I know the plans I have for you, plans to prosper you and not to harm youā.ā
[xiv]Romans 8:32 āFor God has proved his love by giving up his greatest treasure, the gift of his Son. And since God freely offered him up as the sacrifice for us all, he certainly wonāt withhold from us anything else he has to give.ā Lamentations 3:22-23: Matthew 7:7 āAsk and it will be given to you: seek and you will find: knock and the door will be opened to youā. Matthew 21:22 āAnd whatever you ask in prayer, believing, you will receive.ā
[xvi] 2 Chronicles 7:14ā If my people who are called by my name will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sins and heal their land.ā 1 John 1: 9Ā“ If we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us and cleanse us from every wrong.ā
[xvii] Because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying āAbba, Father!ā So you are no longer a slave, but a son, and if a son, then an heir through God (Gal. 4:6ā7).
**Thanks to those who have proofread and given valuable feedback:
Jeff Roorda, Anna Mellor, Lyn Henderson, Vanessa Hall
In the stillness of the morningā¦ one lone daffodil stands in the lawnā¦. How did it get there? It did not just appear from nowhere but was planted as a bulbā¦a non-descript bulb. But in that āseed,ā though dormant in hand, once placed in the warmth of the soil and watered, its full potential was releasedā¦bit by bit!
Changes began.
Something within its core, placed there by Me, was cued to createā¦to come to life.
Over timeā¦a bit of rain, more warmth, a frost or two, the elements surrounding promoted growth, sparks My intention for its ability to become all I created it to be.
Heaven celebrated when the first tip of green broke through the soil, its first exposure after its pregnancy in the dark unseen world in which it beganā¦the development in the secret place that can only be seen by Me.
Then day by day its structure is formed and strengthened, and when grown well, will fully support the weight and splendour of the full bloom. A day or two to unfurl the petals, stretch and reach full potential then there is the flower standing in all its gloryā¦unmistakably beautiful, standing bright and strongā¦a testament to the plan and orchestration of My creation for its timed perfection and purpose and joy to all who seeā¦. even to those unaware or disinterested in the process and elements that have produced such an extraordinary flower.
It is a process.
You are a process my love.
It is the delight of My heart to see you grow and realise the potential I have placed within youā¦within every one of my beautiful children. The conditions to realise that potential will not always be idealā¦but it does take someone to plant the bulb. The Provision of rain and sun for its growth will come from Me. You can trust that I will see that you receive what you need to develop. It requires no work from you to grow.
As you grow and flower, you are developing beneath in secret, more bulbsā¦tiny packages of future potential. I am seeding within you a greater harvest for next year, a harvest of, as yet, hidden potential that will gather momentum and draws on your experience and testimony, and in time they will erupt into their own expression of My goodness and creativity.
I see your heart and know you. Trust Me my beautiful oneā¦trust My heart for you is full of the deepest love you cannot fathom. It is no danger to you to trust Me. Leave behind the old paradigms and beliefs of Me and know My love for you includes your joy. I am preparing youā¦growing you. It is a lifetime journey. You do not need to know all the steps along the wayā¦. the details of each process of all that I will bring to you or ask of you. Just journey this day in the joy of My provision for you. Bloom where you have been planted! Let the beauty of My grace in your life shine. Enjoy the day. Enjoy the journey. Trust My heart for you and My natureā¦. for you are precious to Me.
Philippians 1:6..ābeing confident of this, that ( God) He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesusā. NIV
As I put down my pen, a cockatoo flew down from the tree and standing next to this lone daffodil, snapped off the flower threw it to the ground, then flew off. The careless disregard for the flower’s beauty and its defiant attack…in this particular moment and the daffodilās significance to me, made me angry. Godā¦why??
You must protect what I place in you. Others will not always honour or acknowledge all it has takenā¦. what you have givenā¦what I have given youā¦in your walk with Me. Treasure all in your heart and do not allow the enemy to steal your joy or confidence. Sometimes the flower may be snapped off but life in the bulb remains!
There is a song by RagānāBone Man called āHuman.ā I thought of this song today as the lyrics are āIām only human after all, so donāt put your blame on me.ā A great sentiment to excuse accountability for the things I let come out of my mouth. The bible says in Proverbs 18:21āDeath and life are in the power of the tongue.ā And in Matthew 12:36 āBut I tell you that everyone will have to give account on the day of judgement for every empty word they have spoken.ā TPT Sobering.
Today I have been called to accountā¦and rightly so. It is with a heavy heart that I write this because I am better than this. Yet some character traits best forgotten and left far behind, rear their ugly heads at times and while I have sadly attempted to justify myself, I can never take back the ill-chosen and insensitive words I have spoken. I have hurt someone I love with all my heart, and it breaks mine to admit and acknowledge it, to him, to myself and to God.
Paul writes in Romans 7:15āI am a mystery to myself, for I want to do what is right but end up doing what my moral instincts condemn. ā¦. My lofty desires to do what is Good are dashed when I do the things I want to avoid.ā TPT
It has been said that āold habits die hardā and I am finding this a truer statement than I care to admit. A lifetime and upbringing of negative speech has left a wide wake and while I can say I have much improved, the greater admission is that as a Christian, I am called to better and because of my faith I am held to a higher standardā¦.to live with heightened sensitivity, to treat all with love and respect and to guard my tongue. The words I speak are meant to be āhealing words offering fruit from the tree of lifeā gentle, life affirming, loving. Proverbs 15:4 TPT
This is a challenge on even the good days, when I chat carelessly, topic surfing and relaying information overheardā¦in a light-hearted, good-natured way, of course. š
Or those times, with the best of intentions, I speak what I believe to be encouraging, uplifting words or give advice to someone I think can benefit from my wisdom. š
Then other times I project onto those I am with, in situations that trigger within myself, deep emotional responses and I speak things that my companion ought not to hear or bear. š«
These are the times I hopelessly step over the line but these and other situations require a deep level of intuition and awareness that I so often miss. To know the heart and mind of the hearer.
In all my conversations and interactions with those I love, with casual acquaintances, with people I have no history or frame of reference, I cannot know how my words will be received, what are they thinking, carrying, going through in this moment and how is what I am speaking to them affecting them. The greatest impact is one of judgement, however well-intentioned the words may seem to me they will be perceived as judgement, and I am clearly warned not to judge another. For even if my overall intentions are coming from a place of love and concern, my heart is not known to them except by my choice of words ( conscious or subconscious) and in what context, tone and circumstance those words are spoken…and they are hearing through their life experience filters. Other times, I am just plain careless and insensitive and I have no excuse and cannot justify it. It is those times sorry is inadequate.
James 1:19 says,ā Take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angryā¦.ā TPT
So it is with humility, sadness, and a deep longing for forgiveness, that I quiet myself to brace for the waiting. My usual ādefenceā would be to withdraw but I have no wish to feed shame and regret. They are selfish and unproductive emotional responses that serve neither party. Instead, I will entrust my loved one, myself and this mistake to God, ask for grace and forgiveness from all three and for help to think and ask myself how what I am about to say will land on the ears and heart of the listener before I speak. I will quiet myself, listen with intent and purpose and with Godās grace, learn from this painful experience and pray that in time, I will be forgiven for the hurt I have caused.
Meantime, I share this wonderful gift of grace from my devotional, āI Hear His Whisperā written by Brian Simmons and Gretchen Rodriguez. Cry with me.š
Titled: Give Me Your Failure
‘I see you. No one knows you the way I do. Even in the middle of your greatest failures, my eyes remain focused on you with holy longing. Give me your self-inflicted pain. Lay your guilt at My feet. Let Me lift the heaviness of disappointing yourself. Give Me your failure, and I will heal your heart. I will get to the core of the shame and disappointment you’ve carried. I will heal your self rejection. I will teach you how to be free.
I have no desire for you to walk with the weight of remorse on your shoulders. All I ask is that you offer me your heart again. My only requirement is full surrender. Total yielding to My love and forgiveness. I am the God of restoration. I am the Father who loves you just the way you are. The One whose love flows with healing virtue. The areas that have haunted you with regret will become testimonies of My grace. You will walk with wisdom, rightly discerning every step I want you to take. I have never expected perfection from you, only a willingness to walk with Me each day, listening for My voice.’
1 John 1: 9
If we freely admit our sins when His light uncovers them, He will be faithful to forgive us every time. God is just to forgive our sins because of Christ, and He will continue to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. TPT
References:
Rag’n’Bone Man Song …”Human” You Tube #RagnBoneMan #Human
2. The New Testament….The Passion Translation 2020 edition Broadstreet Publishing Group, LLC
3. “I Hear His Whisper.. Encounter God’s Heart For You 365 Daily Devotions
by Brian Simmons and Gretchen Rodriguez Broadstreet Publishing Group, LLC
I must confess, what began as a passionate zeal to follow through with the Proverbs prayers while the Wisdom Challenge was in progress throughout the month of January, has become a more disciplined task as I follow through on my commitment to work through the whole book of Proverbs. There has been a valid reason for the delayed writings. It was halfway through the challenge that a conversation with my sister led to a word from God to shut off all external voices to just sit with the Holy Spirit and allow him to speak to me through the Word. In my hunger to learn, I sometimes overdose on the opinions and interpretations of others and become overwhelmed by the volume and oft times contradictory views expressed. At the same time, as part of my course work with School of Faith, a module on Hearing Godās Voice plunged me into a whole new world of sitting with and learning to trust Spirit to lead and speak to me. Learning to āBe Stillā and waitā¦training my body and mind to quiet down, to read my Bible with an expectation of Holy Spirit highlighting something to me in the momentā¦. An encouragement, a correction, a word of wisdom or even just an āahaā moment, seeing things I have read before but not noticed or comprehended.
So it is, I submit Proverbs chapter 7, with words from Bill Johnson intertwined, having been interviewed for the Challenge. I am always deeply inspired by his depth of insight, interpretation and wisdom and hope to weave that through this encounter with you today.
In the Passion Translation, Chapter 7 is titled, āWisdom, Your True Loveā. Solomon, in speaking to his son in this letter, advises him to listen well, follow his advice, guard his life with the truth of his words so that he will live well. He uses evocative words such as treasure, cherish, and precious to describe his instruction, wanting to convey an intimacy of relationship with wisdomā¦an entity to hold close to heartā¦an inseparable unity that will provide protection in how he conducts his life.
It is in this spirit I compose this prayer, praying it inspires you to read and repeat in prayer, Godās Word back to Him as an expression of your love for Him. This is how it is expressed to you and its intention to speak to your heart.
PRAYER:
Loving Father, Your Word is clear on how to protect ourselves from harm, deceit, and temptation. Your commandments, Your instructions and advice through Your chosen prophets and people, is written here for us to heed and followā¦.to hold in our hearts. Your truth is revealed in the pages of Your Word, direct from Your mouth and heart of love for us in order to guard us. I am beginning to understand just how precious it is, expressed here in Proverbs 7:2 as being āas precious as my eyesightā.
According to Solomon, we are encouraged to treat Wisdom and understanding as lovers of our souls ..so close as to be our sister…in a relationship of sharing and intimacy, someone with whom we share our deepest emotions and who will be bold in her honesty with us ā¦and so I pray we are never separated from them as they are our protectors. It is in their wise counsel and sound warnings I will be kept from all temptations. āWisdom is the one thing to aspire toā¦ to acquire. It enables us to reign in life, and to be who You called us to be. The warning based on this Scripture was to not intentionally expose ourselves to temptation and not to push the limits of grace on our lives, opening up vulnerability to weakness.ā
Solomon uses the imagery of a seductress weaving her amorous plans to entrap a young man. Lord, she represents every temptation that confronts us, and so easily we can be led astrayā¦so subtle is temptationās calling, with little thought to the overall consequences and long-term damage.
Ā David placed himself in temptations way by not doing what He was meant to be doing. He should have been at warā¦he was not fulfilling his assignment and so instead found himself vulnerable to lust for another manās wife. āWhen we are not in the battle we were designed for, we end up in battles we have no grace forā.
Once seduced into the path, we can be carried ever deeper and find ourselves justifying our actions to cover our guilt. So beguiling are the seductressā promises and convincing in the purity of her intentions towards us. At times, her seduction is so sophisticated that we have no clue as to depth of depravity and ill-will we have brought on ourselves.
Teach me to be aware, alert, and on guard against her calls and promises as she has no concern for my soul or love for meā¦. just my destruction.
Lord, help me to know my weaknesses and points of vulnerability so I can be vigilant against temptations in those areas of my life. Give me strength to say yes to the right things, leaving nothing left to other excesses. I give myself over to You in full surrender with no agenda. Direct me to follow my heart, being active doing something that You can redirect if necessary or empower me to continue in Your āYes and Amen,ā trusting in Your ability to guide me rather than my tendency to fail. Give me a heart to co-Labour with You, trusting that the passions and desires I have, are placed within me by You and so I can move ahead in the assurance that I have the mind of Christ. Empower me with the confidence that if my dreams are rooted in love then I need not wait for permission to move on them, trusting in Your redirection if needed. Make me a risk taker for You.
God, give us clarity and peace of heart and mind. Enable us, with faith, to pursue all that was lost and grant us a gift of courage and hope to believe all will be restored to us. Amen
Italicised words: Bill Johnson interview for Wisdom Challenge. Interviewed by Pedro Adeo of 100XChallenge
This is a break from my usual blogging. I just want to put this out there because it was so profoundā¦I am still in awe!
Recently, I watched a documentary released in 2020 by Craig Foster, a filmmaker who tells his story of an encounter with an octopus on his daily snorkelling in the kelp forests off the coast in South Africa, near his home, in a time of mental and emotional brokenness. What began as a chance encounter, seeing an octopus quickly gather shells in its tentacles and roll itself into a ball, becoming unrecognisable to a predator, set off a curiosity to understand the behaviour heād not seen before. His daily dives near her den developed a curiosity on both sides and a gradual trust and bond between them as man and beast explored the boundaries of trustā¦ watching each otherās movements, reaching out to touch each other, swimming alongside each other.
God used this extraordinary documentary viewing to invite me to a greater depth of intimacy with Himā¦using this very visual and intriguing, rare encounter to show what is possible with persistence, patience and pursuit of relationship and encounter with Him.
Sharing this post with my daughter, she reminded me of the significance of the snorkel from our family history view. In our family business, we often referred the need for a snorkel as we “launched into the great unknown”.. when we felt way out of our depth and the only way forward was to keep paddling. When others would want to pack up and go home, we just put on an extension, lengthening the snorkel as we sank deeper because quitting was not an option. Persistence, patience, pursuit.
I have been doing a course called ā4 Keys to Hearing Godās Voiceā by Dr Mark Virkler ā¦a whole new concept for me and not something taught in standard church settings or studies. I have been taught firstly:
that God does speak to me,
that I need to make myself available to hear ..in stillness
to trust that the Holy Spirit flows within me
to journal what comes in that stillness and intimacy with Him. It is in the stillness of my prayer time in relationship with the Holy Spirit, I am learning to trust the flow of words on the page as I write. When I feel myself thinking of the next thing to write, I know I have taken over but for the most part, as I allow my heart to tune to His āvoiceā ā¦. the pen just glides across the paper and when I sense no other words come, I read back over the piece finding myself in stunned awe of what I have been given. This has been he case in this piece I wanted to share with you.
What follows is what Holy Spirit has shared with me in the process of my journaling, applying the 4 keys as taught.
My Octopus Teacher was such a good visual of your life, Naomi. You dip your toe in the water, tentatively testing its depth, not wanting to fully commit to the idea of Me. You came back to me after a long absenceā¦but you came broken and in need of healing.
As you have consistently swum the murky depths of life, searching for Me, your tolerance for the changes you experience deepens and becomes clearerā¦more comfortable. As that happens, your vision becomes clearer and you notice more, your curiosity and hunger to know more drives you to stay longer, go deeper, search and observe more.
Then, there is an encounterā¦an experienceā¦a surprise display of trust…brief at first but the beginning of a tentative, then deepening trust and exploration of relationship.
Dare to dive deeper!
Dare and see and experience the depth of relationship possible, the joy of encounter that will strengthen and develop your capacity for love, joy and delight in me. Openly display and declare your faith and love for Me. When you dive, come with childlike fascination and absolute abandon, shutting out all other external distraction and be totally focused on the prizeā¦the glory that will emanate from your surrender to Me.
It will make no sense to the unbelievers around you but those who see with the eyes of faith will bless you and be blessed as you share your testimony of growth and grace.
At times it may seem I am hidden from youā¦. like the octopus covered in shells gathered from the ocean floor and held close to cover My formā¦that form of Me that you come to expect as My ānormā. Never underestimate or rule out how I might manifest in your life in ways and forms that may confuse you and even may offend your sensibilities. I use everything in your surroundings and life experience. Sometimes, even My impulse to āhideā is so that what I have to give you is precious and personal in a moment of need. Other times and displays are for corporate benefit.
Come each day Naomi, to experience Me, to worship Me, to immerse yourself in the deep of My love for you. Take a deep breath and diveā¦seek Me and you will find Me because I am waiting each day to be found by you and for you to discover the treasure I have laid in store for you. I invite you and welcome you with open arms and heart into this new, vivid, experiential world of enormous blessing, learning and discovery.
Come, eyes wide with wonder and aweā¦your heart open to receive all that is available for you and your mind a blank canvas on which I will write my truths, stretch your expectations, and awaken immeasurable possibility and purpose for you.
Come! I am waiting here for you in the deep. Come!
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS:
Drawing: Octopus by Felicity Roorda…my very talented daughter!
Documentary: My Octopus Teacher 2020 by Craig Foster
Distributed by Netflix https://www.m.imdb.com/title/tt12888462/
Winner of multiple awards…
Academy Award for best documentary feature 2021
BAFTA Award for Best Documentary 2021
Golden Horn Award…Best Natural History & Environmental Program 2021
Producers Guild of America Award for Best Documentary 2021
I am privileged to use the words of Brian Simmons’s introduction to the purpose of the book of Proverbs. He says, “Within this divinely anointed compilation of Proverbs there is a deep well of wisdom to reign in our lives and to succeed in our destiny.’ This “wisdom that God has designed for us to receive will cause us to excel…to rise up as rulers- to- be on earth for His glory. The kingdom of God is brought into earth as we implement the wisdom found in Proverbs”.
It is in this mind I present this prayer inspired by the Wisdom Challenge interview with John Maxwell on Proverbs Chapter 6.
PRAYER…
Lord God, Solomon warns us here to beware of committing to deals and guarantees or giving promises, guaranteeing debt, or being legally bound to others that place anotherās power over us. I thank You for the wisdom of such a God-fearing man as John Maxwell, a world renowned and sought-after leadership consultant. His advice on the words of this Proverb come from his experiential knowledge and wisdom in seeking to know the value of another before looking to the value of my investment, be it money, time, commitment, heart, or faith.
In all areas of my life, let all my dealings with others be according to Your values. Those values are the basis of all relationships and business dealings, being equally yoked always with Godly men and Kingdom advancements in all areas of my life. Teach me the value of working hard to attain and qualify for all You have entrusted to me in talents and abundance, always respecting and being thankful to You for all You have placed in my hands, whether they be seeds for growth for myself or others or my inheritance. Help me guard my ownership as gold and be mindful always of the responsibility and accountability I have in Your grace and trust in me in all matters of heart and hand. Lord let me translate this Kingdom gift to action as a show of thanks and an expression of my privilege and advantage because of Your blessings on my life.
Thank you for such a list of character traits to watch forā¦. traits which you clearly deplore. These traits of questionable and detestable character values and ethics are given to keep me vigilant Lordā¦to guard my heart and choices against such things so all I do will flourish by Your blessing. In a world of expressions of values deficit, let me exhibit in everything I am, have and do, the fruits of the Spirit as listed in Your Word in Galatians 5: 22-23: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-controlā¦expressions of Divine loveā¦and hold these above all else. Help me to deliver these in ways and means that translate to every aspect of my life at work, home, and all business and social interactions with others. Let the outworking of these produce in me, salt, where all I do and say brings value and enhancement to every action, word, idea, where I highlight the contribution, gifts, and talents of othersā¦ and light, bringing hope to the hopeless, insight, wisdom and value to all I do and to others in my dealings and relationships.
In a divisive world Lord, people are so readily devalued and treated less than You created them to be. Create in me a heart for all You value, always treating others with the love You have for each, seeing people with Your eyes and responding to their needs to be valued with Your heart.
You repeatedly charge me to teach my children Your ways and words and to keep these close to my heart, living them out daily in every aspect of life as a living example of Your grace, blessing, and truth. Awaken in me Lord, a desire to take every opportunity to mentor and share all You teach me, planting seeds in every situation and experience with another person that will produce fruit in the future.
Create in me a hunger and desire to live in such a way as to attract others to You so that I am known by my fruitā¦. that my family values and experiences will be honouring to You in my daily life. Keep me focused on You and Your Word, bringing wisdom and discernment to all my choices and decisions, now and each day, trusting You to open my eyes to see, to discern and know Your will, giving the Holy Spirit my complete submission to His influence and control in every aspect of life. Let me be a person of integrity and conviction Lord.
I wrote my initial response prayer for Proverbs Chapter 5 during the Wisdom Challenge in January. Now as I come to submit the chapter to my blog and reread my musings, I discover how God is using this process to highlight things in my life that require me to reassess my thinking, return to the Word for greater truths and revelation, or redress my beliefs born out of lies or deceptions from my past that drive my responses to situations and relationships in the present.
It can be easy to read Scripture and somehow believe whatās before me is not relevant to me in that moment. I would dare to suggest that the Holy Spirit, if invited, would surprise you, as He has me, by revealing the relevance of even the most unlikely portions of Scripture, to situations, attitudes and personal responses to our experiences.
Proverbs 5, at a glance, is speaking to warn a young man of the dangers of entanglement with a seductress and its likely outcome of ruin.
In my own circumstances in my cancer journey, I began to find myself entangled in a myriad of protocols and supplemental ābenefitsā that have been so consuming of my time and attention that I was struggling to find time and ways to squeeze God into the processes. The recent revelation that my health choice was as much driven by fear as the conventional route of treatment came from reading Proverbs. The father of lies is subtle and will use anything he can. He knows my weakness and how to manipulate any and every situation to gain the upper hand. My belief and actions on those beliefs dethroned God and His power and authority usurped in favor of the lie before me. In doing that I came into agreement with my condition.ā Fear is misplaced worship and dishonoring to Godā. (Bill Johnson) Never underestimate the power of the lie. So easily done and given away without our realizing. This could be any addictionā¦food, drink, social mediaā¦anything that seduces me to behave other than in Godās truth. Verse 12 saysā¦.āand then finally youāll admit you were wrong and say, if only I had listened to Wisdomās voice.ā
So, this Proverb begins with āListen to Meā¦.ā. This is my call to receive the wisdom being offeredā¦. Believe me. It is relevant to us all.
One word that came from the challenge guest, Jim Rohne was to āborrow some pain from your futureā (Verse 9). āTake a moment to think through the long-term outcomes and consequences of my actions or plans before I proceed, not just for myself but for the others involved or affected by my choices to go down this path.ā A sobering and sage suggestion.
Prayerā¦
Lord, open my eyes, ears and heart to Your wisdom and discernment so that my words then express all I learn from my relationship and intimacy with You. Your warnings to be aware of anything that distracts from You and all You teach through Your Word and the life of Jesusā example I hold in my heart. Keep me on high alert from the temptation to trust my own judgement, regardless of how good an offer seems to me because I know from bitter experience just how destructive and crushing to my soul it can be falling under that spell.
Those temptations are a slippery slope. So quickly to fall for, take the wrong path and make the wrong choice. Always two trees to choose from! Run from these things! Help me see the deception and lies of the enemy, defer any decision until I have brought the matter before Youā¦ and act with wisdomā¦. not to even entertain any thoughts, watch that show, have that drink, be caught up in the flattery, turn that page, click that button. In that one moment of ill-decision, I squander my honor to another, or to You.
Lord give me strength to stand against such things and not be caught in the trap of providing wealth to another by my inability to control myself and my desires. Regret is a bitter pill to swallow and self-forgiveness a difficult thing to give oneself when guilt overrides Your grace. So, help me to be willing to receive Your correction and discipline and not shun those You use to call me out of these dark places of my soul. Give me courage to act when I realise my mistakes. Ultimately, I am responsible for my choices and accountable to You for them.
I bring to You all my plans asking You to grow them, change them or improve them. My success is in Your hands. The investments I make in myself and others in my pursuit of kingdom principles, when yielded to You, will result in us becoming people of value, distributors of Your blessings and instruments of Your peace.
Lord, help me be constantly aware of my need to keep my marriage bed pure and enjoy the love of my life. We have committed to each other for life so let our eyes and hearts be only for each other. Give me the grace to honour that in my love and its expression to my lover, so we find delight and joy in each other and know our union will be blessed as we yield to You.
Lord, You see all we do. May I be ever mindful of that as I walk through life and in every detail and aspect of my being, knowing You examine and audit all I am and do. A quote from Jim Rohne states that āWisdom is the ability to discern the difference between where I am and where I want to be. If I am not where I think I should be, thereās something I just donāt knowā. Help me then to discover that thing I donāt yet know.
Holy Spirit, keep my life on track with your plans and purposes for my destiny, prompting me to remain in You. You have given me a spirit of power, love and self-control. Let it never be said of me that my bad choices made me a hostageā¦. a ākidnapped captive robbed of my destinyā. (Verse 23) Rather, Lord, as a God of love, let me be all You have determined me to be as Your child and live always in the fullness of Christ Jesus, forever redeemed and loved, living in wisdom daily.
Amen
The Passion Translation New Testament Proverbs Chapter 5
Photo: Art Journal page by Naomi…..inspired by Lyn Henderson
During the Wisdom Challenge throughout January, hosted by Pedro Adao, the online audience was exposed to teachings, truths, and treasures from a wide variety of Godly gifted people, drawing from their life experiences in their fields of Kingdom influence. Lisa Bevere, a world-renowned Christian speaker, accepted Proverbs 4. Her insights and experience brought so much wealth, I could not exclude the gems she presented. I have woven these throughout the prayer and trust you will be blessed by, and given greater revelation, by their inclusion.
Prayer.
Father, I know You love me and when You speak to me, it is as my Father. O help me Holy Spirit to accept Your words in, and as, love. With Your insight and understanding, You will cultivate and refine my perception of all You say to me. Your truth is a gift, so give me grace to hear and accept Your correction and instruction, remaining ever faithful and humbled by Your love, keeping Your words in the forefront of my mind and heart. You tell me that if I āfollow everything You teach me, I will reign in life.ā
I seek wisdom always, wanting lifeās meaning revealed. Lift me up and let her insights bring me into favour and honour, adorned with beauty and grace, wrapped in glory and victorious in all I do. May she protect me all my days and rescue me because I long for her with such passion. She is worth all I could give to purchase her, my need for all she has to prosper me worth my investment in her. We are called to value what She give us.
Teach us how to steward well the seed You give us…our gifts and talents, wisdom, knowledge, and Godly experience gained in our walk with You and not bury it but use it, plant it, tend it, multiply it.
Lord, You give me the grace to choose. I choose wisdom in the promise of understanding and a full and happy life, knowing wisdom takes my hand and leads me in integrity. As I grow and learn her ways, all limitations are lifted and I walk in confidence, never stumbling. Help me accept wisdomās correction that realigns me to Your truth. Keep me from darkness, subtleties and lies that tempt and take my eyes off You and Keep me bathed in Wisdomās light, walking as a lover of You.
Open my ears Lord and absorb into my being all You teach me, occupy my mind, and penetrate deep into my spirit. Let Your words impart true life and radiant health to my very core.
Your word advises me to guard the affections of my heart, those things to which I give priority ā¦things, people, or attention. that I develop a tenderness, attachment, or emotion toward. As I unpack and discover Your core truths, those gems of inspiration, I open myself to You to those places and parts of my life that remain closed off to You. I am aware of You putting Your finger on these, bringing to my attention my need to give them over to You to, challenge, correct and develop me.
Apart from this, I am to jealously guard my heart, treasuring the precious sensitivity and vulnerability of it and its value to me. I am to be careful who I expose my heart to, not assigning it to the wrong people but building heart connections so as to protect my innermost being. Encourage me to be intentional in my pursuit of Godly mentors who keep me on the path of light and clarityā¦people committed to my growth and who will steward my heart well. Allow a measure of vulnerability to grow transformational relationships rather than transactional ones.
Help me to remember I am human and will make mistakes and fail. That is what qualifies me to help others and opens me up to my Kingdom assignment. Teach me to be able to process failure, accepting that I am not condemned for it, but it is a tool for learning as I know You will not shame me. Let me respond to these moments as doors to the next chapter of my life.
I surrender the words form my mouth to You. Keep me from dishonest speech, gossip, and amoral language, not partnering with it. It is so easy to be drawn into such conversations. May I choose wisely, driven by wisdom, to walk away. Instead, Lord, empower me to speak that which is honest, worthy, pure, life-giving, and uplifting, bringing encouragement, hope and healing to all I engage with in any and every medium of communication.
I choose to set my eyes on You and the path You have laid before me, walking with laser focus, eyes directly forward, ignoring lifeās distractions. When I keep to this path, this highway of light, You say it will be smooth. I need to be surefooted and determined to walk in Your light, not step aside and land myself in darkness. Those that allow themselves to be misled by others who are hellbent on the delight of causing their fall, will find themselves lost in the fog, not realising the cause of their constant stumbling.
Wisdom, my sister. I ask you these things in hope and anticipation,
Amen
*Italicised words and concepts expressed from Lisa Bevere
