Come!

Have you ever wondered why God choses to use you? Maybe you feel completely inadequate or  overwhelmed to think the God of all creation would put His trust in you. I sometimes laugh praying, "Oh Lord, do You really know what You have gotten Yourself into?... ha ha ha... Your so funny." And then He gently speaks back saying, "Arise, shine my glory in on you! I have no doubts because I know who I have created you to be. I know where you will fall short so I know where I need to bring you more grace. In your weakness I am strong... so my child trust in Who I am." It's that easy, yet for us that hard. Trusting in God and what His word says. From generation to generation He has proven Himself faithful. He doesn't have to use us but He wants to because He loves us and created us for His glory... so why would we ever want to settle for less? Jesus in the fullness of His glory was hanging on a cross; beaten, naked, and fully surrendered to the one He called Abba Father. In that moment on that day  He was crucified for my sin... I can't help but wonder right before He said "it is finished" the thought that went through His mind was... "my purpose here on Earth is done. It was hard and uncomfortable... not really what I expected... but Abba Father it is finished. You are so good... receive Your servant"... At the end of my life I pray that I would have the same peace in knowing what God created me to do.. and who God created me to be will be finished. 

Here I am convicted... for myself and also for the Bride of Christ. Revelation 22:17 says,

 "And the Spirit and the bride say, “Come!” And let him who hears say, “Come!” And let him who thirsts come. Whoever desires, let him take the water of life freely." 

God wants to use His bride to send out a heavenly invitation to everyone... saying COME! Are we corporately and individually there yet? The verse doesn't say the Spirit says Come... it says the Spirit AND the bride say Come. God could do this on His own but He is trusting us because He knows what He has created us to be. He created us to love... inside and outside of the church. To go to the people who we may have once called unclean or common... and call them clean and separated to a Holy God. Even though we may not come out and say it a lot of our actions say "I'm only going to love who I find lovable." Everyone God has created is thirsty and in need of Jesus Christ and His message of love. But instead of arising and speaking out the love and freedom God has for all we let fear, laziness, or judgement distract us from being what God has created us to be. In this we have held back not only in ourselves but what God has given freely to us to give to others. I love in Acts when Peter has the revelation that God wants to pour out His Spirit on ALL people and not just the Jews. The first time He preached the Gospel to Gentiles they were saved and filled with the Holy Spirit. God's love is for everyone and He desires to pour out on everyone. Even thats so simple its so crazy! If we know this then it's time for us to step into what God has created us to be! A light in the darkness... testimony of freedom... and a vessel to proclaim liberty to the captives!!

A new thing... A new me

Isaiah 43:18-19

 “ Do not remember the former things, 
      Nor consider the things of old. 
      Behold, I will do a new thing, 
      Now it shall spring forth; 
      Shall you not know it? 
      I will even make a road in the wilderness 
      And rivers in the desert."

For the past month I have been thinking about the seasons we all go through as children of God. I think I have been thinking about it so much because not only do I not fully understand why God wants to take us through seasons but because I find myself in a place where I'm constantly comparing the season I am in now to previous ones I have had in the past. The wise King Solomon states the there is a time for everything under the sun. He also says God makes all things beautiful in IT's time. So here I am sitting here asking God "what is IT?" How can I know what you are making beautiful if you don't tell me what "IT" is! For you it could be character, a relationship with a friend or family member, your future, your past. Whatever "IT" is we can stand on God's promise that one day in "IT's" time it will be beautiful. For me right now my "IT" is this season I am in right now and my heart that God is molding, shaping, and breaking right in His hands. As He is doing this I am forced to look at myself and who I am. I knew who I was in the seasons before but here now I'm not sure I do. Not because I don't know who God says I am but because for so long I have been comparing who I am now to who I once was. I have been comparing how I experience God now to how I once did... and it has taken me to a place of confusion and even condemnation. Maybe some of you know what I am talking about and if you don't maybe one day you will. But God is saying now... "Im doing a new thing  stop looking at who you once were in the former times because it is causing you to miss what I am doing now!" Hearing Him say this to me is such a relief... I don't have to be that same girl I once was... not that she wasn't doing and being who God wanted her to be but because now He is doing a new thing and it doesn't have to look like the old. And I can let go... we all can let go of that fear of not measuring up and instead just be who He created us to be for such a time as this and rest in His grace with the understanding that He is making us beautiful and sometimes the timing doesn't go with ours but thats ok. We can relax and give it to God and allow Him to take us to heavenly places where we can see timing from His view. A wise woman once told me, "Until you learn what God is teaching you in this season He wont take you to the next." God is faithful and has the road prepared before us to get us to place where He wants us to be... to teach us exactly what it is that we need to know. And rivers to give us strength and refreshment even in the driest of places... sometimes its so simple... today I make the choice to sit at the table of the Lord and just sit and eat ice cream with Him. That is what He is teaching me... just to go to that place where all that matters and all that I have is in Him. I don't need to be looking back at yesterday... but just being in that moment with Him and not comparing what I think joy should look like... or what I think intimacy is... but seeing He has created a new thing and I don't want to miss that. I hope whoever reads this will do the same. :)