The Lord is calling you. He's calling you deeper. He's calling you higher. He's calling you to become more of His and less of what this world calls "Christian" and gets away with. He's calling you, to gather all the broken pieces of the past and He is leading you, to help you put them back together again.
This morning during worship the Lord led me to an open field. There was a half broken down stage like the aftermath of a weekend music festival. I was walking the disheveled grounds kicking through trash and broken down campsites. So much mess left behind without a care or thought in the world. Our pasts can feel the same. So much junk, so much carnage, so much chaos left behind.
I grabbed a large trash bag and began cleaning. As I continued to gather things up, the ground was transforming. The season was shifting. The air felt lighter, the leaves in the surrounding trees began to change and a fresh autumn breeze began to blow through the field. As the last trash bag was tied and set aside, I started to see people walking onto the field. They were coming out of the tree line. Coming out of the brush. They had a look of confusion on their faces. Their hands were dirty and their heads hung down in shame. It was like they wanted to be excited to be there but they were nervous, scared and anxious at the same time.
Then there He was. I saw the Lord, Jesus walking up to the stage. He didn't stand on it, but down in front of it on the same level as all of us. The Look on His face was one of peace, solutions and empathy. He gazed upon the crowd and plainly spoke with such authoritative love. “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth. Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled. Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy. Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God. Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God. Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you."
Those same people that were riddled with shame, fear and anxiety, the ones that were hiding on the outskirts and the sidelines, the ones lost deep in the woods, all began to come forward. Every sentence drawing them closer. I saw the Lord motion for us to lift our hands and as we did, His presence began to rain down on us from heaven. I saw the sky open up and a thick, gold, honey like, rain began falling. As it coated our fingers, hands, arms, foreheads, faces and entire bodies it was cleansing us in the most beautiful way. I saw the faces and countenances of that crowd change. I saw fears broken and people boldly praising Jesus. I saw shame lifted and people raising their heads and making eye contact again. I saw those that deemed themselves unlovable, feeling the warmth of the Lord's love again. I saw people who looked hopeless smiling again. I felt, and saw identities being solidified in Christ and Christ alone.
He is calling to you that place. The place where He is your firm foundation. The place where only He can wash away the things of the past. The things that leave you scared to go back to church again. The things that make you feel you don't belong. The things that make you shut down instead of opening up. The things that make you want to run and hide. The things that keep you from raising your hands during worship. Jesus. He's the answer. He is the only way.
But here is the thing. You have to step in. You have to step up. You have to follow Him. There is no book club, no bible study, no worship meeting, no pastor, evangelist or apostle that can steward you relationship with Jesus. It's up to you to lift your hands when He calls you to. It's up to you to put on worship when you don't want to. It's up to you to hold your tongue when you want to scream. It's up to you to open that bible instead of whatever else your flesh wants to do.
It's up to you to navigate your own wilderness well so you don't get stuck there forever.
He is calling you out of your wilderness and into your promise land.
Deuteronomy 6:3 “Hear therefore, O Israel, and observe to do it; that it may be well with thee, and that ye may increase mightily, as the LORD God of thy fathers hath promised thee, in the land that floweth with milk and honey.”
Nehemiah 1:5-11 5 And I said, “O Lord God of heaven, the great and awesome God who keeps covenant and steadfast love with those who love him and keep his commandments, 6 let your ear be attentive and your eyes open, to hear the prayer of your servant that I now pray before you day and night for the people of Israel your servants, confessing the sins of the people of Israel, which we have sinned against you. Even I and my father's house have sinned. 7 We have acted very corruptly against you and have not kept the commandments, the statutes, and the rules that you commanded your servant Moses. 8 Remember the word that you commanded your servant Moses, saying, ‘If you are unfaithful, I will scatter you among the peoples, 9 but if you return to me and keep my commandments and do them, though your outcasts are in the uttermost parts of heaven, from there I will gather them and bring them to the place that I have chosen, to make my name dwell there.’ 10 They are your servants and your people, whom you have redeemed by your great power and by your strong hand. 11 O Lord, let your ear be attentive to the prayer of your servant, and to the prayer of your servants who delight to fear your name, and give success to your servant today, and grant him mercy in the sight of this man.”
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