There’s something about encountering the Love of God that changes you. It shifts your outlook and can transform things in an instant. It washes over you, it welcomes you, it cleanses you, it refines you, it molds you, it prunes you, it breaks you free from this world and it’s cares. It challenges you to let go of your fleshy desires, your internal judgements, and your preconceived notions regarding people, religion, church and the kingdom of God. It shifts you from walking in this dry boring religious cycle to entering into a covenant relationship with Jesus.
Have you asked Him to know and experience His love? Have you listened enough for Him to be able to speak to you? Have you fasted and prayed? Are you spending time reading the word?
You can answer “no” to all four of those questions and it wouldn’t stop the Lord from Loving you. He knew exactly what He was getting when He designed you. He knew your struggles, your shortcomings. He knew where you’d succeed and where you’d fail. He knew the bad choices you’d make, and the times you’d fall away. He knew when your heart would return to Him, but He never stopped chasing after it. He never took His hand off of your life.
I woke up at 4am today to spend time with the Lord. It’s been a long time since I’ve done something this drastic, not on my own accord mind you, but out of a necessity in the spirit, a burden that’s been on my heart. I looked over to see Nash at my left and I rolled on my side to snuggle him. I placed my hand under his little cheek and snuggled his perfect face. As I was praying, tears began streaming down my face and I was led to raise my right hand. I could feel a storm in the spirit all around me. I couldn’t pinpoint what it was so I continued praying in tongues, snuggling Nash and thanking the Lord for the love that I have for these kids as their mom.
As I put my hand up by that prompting of the Holy Spirit I instantly felt like an ocean of love was dropped from Heaven into my heart. I saw and felt the Lord grab my hand in that way that parents grab their children, with that tight grasp around the wrist, like there was nothing that could get Him to let me go. In that same instant, everything went calm. The quiet was deafening. Just like that, an act of faith, a flood of love and a peace that surpasses understanding.
In that moment I had clarity. In that moment I fell apart again, with my Lord, at His feet. In repentance once more for the way I’ve acted in the flesh, for not giving Him my first fruits, for not including Him in my day like I used to, for letting the world, it’s cares and false responsibilities take up time and space in my mind, for letting thoughts of rejection or fear of man stop me from stepping out, for everything I’ve let get in the way of fully surrendering to the lead of the Holy Spirit.
I felt led to share this because I’m not the only one that being stretched this season. I’m not the only one that has felt the Lord so close and yet so far away. I’m not the only one that has let the world slowly creep into my time, my mind and steal my energy. I’m not the only one who has felt exhausted in the fight. But I will be the one to stand up and call you back to repentance, back to the secret place, back to the wilderness, back to listening to the Lord and to fellowship with other believers, back to church, back to midweek service, back to prayer nights, back to worshiping in your car with the radio on blast, back to stepping out in radical obedience as led by the Lord, back to relationship.
The Lord is calling you back to the place where you first found Him. Don’t let life and the chaos of this world distract you from your calling. He is the calm to your storm. He never turns His back on you and He wants to share every part of your life with you.
I believe the storms of this world will be increasing. This is your reminder. Don’t look to the chaos look to the Lord.
Revelation 2:1-7
The Loveless Church
2 “To the angel of the church of Ephesus write,
‘These things says He who holds the seven stars in His right hand, who walks in the midst of the seven golden lampstands: 2 “I know your works, your labor, your patience, and that you cannot bear those who are evil. And you have tested those who say they are apostles and are not, and have found them liars; 3 and you have persevered and have patience, and have labored for My name’s sake and have not become weary. 4 Nevertheless I have this against you, that you have left your first love. 5 Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent and do the first works, or else I will come to you quickly and remove your lampstand from its place—unless you repent. 6 But this you have, that you hate the deeds of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate. 7 “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes I will give to eat from the tree of life, which is in the midst of the Paradise of God.”
Matthew 5:44 - But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;
Isaiah 43:2 - When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee.
Psalms 16:11 - Thou wilt shew me the path of life: in thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore.
2 Peter 3:9 - The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.
Micah 7:18 - Who is a God like unto thee, that pardoneth iniquity, and passeth by the transgression of the remnant of his heritage? he retaineth not his anger for ever, because he delighteth in mercy.
Psalms 4:8 - I will both lay me down in peace, and sleep: for thou, LORD, only makest me dwell in safety.
Ephesians 6:11 - Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.
Proverbs 11:14 - Where no counsel is, the people fall: but in the multitude of counsellors there is safety.
Psalms 28:7 - The LORD is my strength and my shield; my heart trusted in him, and I am helped: therefore my heart greatly rejoiceth; and with my song will I praise him.
James 1:12 - Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him.
Proverbs 19:23 - The fear of the LORD tendeth to life: and he that hath it shall abide satisfied; he shall not be visited with evil.
Ezra 8:21 - Then I proclaimed a fast there, at the river of Ahava, that we might afflict ourselves before our God, to seek of him a right way for us, and for our little ones, and for all our substance.
Psalms 5:12 - For thou, LORD, wilt bless the righteous; with favour wilt thou compass him as with a shield.
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