When life brings you places, down roads you never expected - Through valleys and desserts you had no clue were in your future. Only to bring you to the edge of a cliff over looking the world you actually thought you were traveling through to begin with.
"Wow," a silent sigh comes yet again from deep within your soul. Heard only by the one who created you whose attention you have drawn, who now stands next to you at the edge of the world.
Oddly enough, though completely unsure how life got you here, (at the edge of this cliff over looking the world you thought you were so other wise already engaged in), you find yourself completely at peace. This is no surprise to you. You know know why this peace is ruling your heart.
You take a moment, as you think about the chaos in your life and the peace that rules your heart, then you glance over to the man standing next to you. Your creator. Your face just bursts out a smile.
Out of no where a wind, a warm gentle wind blows by you and the one who created you and he smiles. Though he doesn't glance back he just keep looking out over the world. Standing ever so tall, arms crossed over his chest. That's when you notice his eyes are fixed on one thing in particular.
You ask him, "What are you looking at my Lord?"
He doesn't say a word, only points out at the world and as you look intently at where he is pointing the world becomes like a movie. As you focus in on where he is pointing you see the very thing you are going through. The valley, the dessert, all the relationships that need attention (healing and such). Best of all, you see he is there in the valley; he is there in the dessert, he is there with all those you love. No one seems to be aware of his presence as he takes such care to make sure all things work together for their good. But he is there.
Suddenly, again you feel that warm soft wind blow past you and joy fills your heart! Tears run down your face! You reach over to wrap your arms around this wonderful man...your creator....and you feel such love! It is overwhelming!
When you open your eyes...you are no longer on the edge of the cliff....no longer over looking the world....but on the mountain top. The Sonshine is warm upon your face and there is a beautiful, warm, gentle wind blowing against your face.
If you are a parent -
You know you can have several children and love them ALL with just as much love.....but that doesn't mean they will all receive the same amount of blessings from you.
Not because youdon't want to give them the same amount of blessing as each other, but because they have made themselves unavailableto receive them from you.
A few examples:
Take for instance- Child#1 -The child who still lives at home and still spends time with you; helps with chores, remembers your special days etc. Child #2 -The child who has just gone off to college or since moved out on their on and -
a) The one who takes time to return your emails and telephones calls and just calls you on their own for the heck of it! AND comes home on break and when ever they can just to see you.
b) The other child who never answers you emails or phones calls or remembers your special days; pretty much never comes home or keeps in touch any more at all.
Child #3 - Then there is, of course the child who fits some where in between all of these.
NOW.....You love all your children with all your heart. Each one no less than the other. Your desire as a parent is to shower them with blessings to let them know this. However....if they are not around OR available this isn't always possible.
Why? Well.....
Child #1 - This child is easy to bless, (convenient) because they are always around. So it may "seem" like they are being favored. But not really....they just happened to be at the right place at the right time!....With YOU! Child #2/a - The child who has just gone off to college who takes time to return your emails and telephones calls and just calls you on their own for the heck of it! AND comes home on break and when ever they can just to see you....THIS CHILD is also easy to bless.... just a little harder to GET THE BLESSING TO....because of the distance. But We parents can get creative!
Child #2/b- Now THIS child, the one who never answers you emails or phones calls or remembers your special days; pretty much never comes home any more at all.....Hmmmm...NOT SO EASY to bless....WHY?....As much as a parent desire to bless THIS child it is hard because we don't know if the blessing is actually getting to the child. Since we never hear from the child. So we hesitate and wait to hear from the child....first. Not as a punishment or anything, simply because we don't want to waste a blessing by sending it off and having it get "lost" in the mail and not even know if it reached it destination.
Child #3 -And of course blessing this child is on a case by case basis. Never knowing from week to week, where this child is. Then finding them close to our hearts allows us to shower them in blessings. Always a joy!
Anyone who knows me....knows I am all about analogies. And ...This one is all about Papa God and us.
Have you ever wondered ... why it seems that some receieve the "blessings " of God in their life so much more than others?
Or
Why there are "seasons" of blessings in our lives?
Or
Why doesn't God just answer my prayer?.... Provide our NEED?.... Heal us?
I was thinking about this very thing just yesterday while I was praying for my family, and the Lord gave me this analogy, about "the family".
The Lord DESIRES to bless each and every one of us the same!.... But whereare we?
If we took a moment right now to look deep into our souls, and hearts, could we honestly say we are close to the Lord, sitting quietly at His feet; attentive to HIM and available to receive what He desires to Bless us with?
I know I want to be in a place where I can receive what ever the Lord has for me.
".....a time to tear and a time to mend." Ecclesiastes 3:7.
Have you ever noticed that sometimes you can have an old garment that will tear in just the "wrong" way so it can't be sown together successfully?
I mean, hard as you try, as much thread as you use, you can't get the gap to close seamlessly? If you do go ahead and mend the tear, in the end the garment is either used only as work clothes and ends up tearing again because the mend was not strong enough to hold or it ends up sitting in the closet because the mend ends up being more noticeable than the tear was to begin with, and you are embarrassed to be seen wearing it in public!
Come on! You know what I'm talkin' about....they don't have million dollar non profit thrift store business's from just a handful of poverty stricken people donating their clothes!
That's okay, don't feel too bad, we all do it. :)
I was was really just wanting to make an analogy anyway.
The Lord made a point to use this verse in the Bible.... ".....a time to tear and a time to mend." I have been thinking about that allot lately in my life. Mostly about the "time to tear" part. I just here recently got a word from the Lord in my spirit about the ...."time to mend."
Funny thing, it wasn't until I let go.....surrendered to Him; the Lord, about the ... "time to tear."....that's when he started talking to me about, ..."the time to mend."
You see, I just kept thinking and thinking and thinking about the..... "a time to tear."
i.e. Why?...(why me)... What?...(what did "I" do)... How do I fix it?...(what can "I" do to correct things make things like they were)
And then I just plain old feeling sorry for myself........ Now I don't know about all of you, but I have had my fair share of pity parties. Thankfully, the Lord showed up to each and everyone! Arms full of love and grace and mercy! Brought me to my knees every time too! Oh Glory Halleluia!
And
After a few times of those silly parties (sometimes it takes me a while) I started talking to the Lord and asking "Him" what the deal was. You know, Why? .....What?.....How do I fix it?....You know the tear?
(I know what you are thinking, SAME questions. HA!....True...but very different heart attitude and motive and focus) After this encounter with the Lord is when I realized .......once again...
I needed to surrender everything to Him.
So I have....and not long after I began to hear.... "and a time to mend."
God is so good.
We don't always understand Why....What....and just as importantly, WE can't fix it.
Sometimes, the "tear" needs to take place. When that is the case we NEED to LET it. When it is time.....God Himself will bring the mend. HE is Faithful to do it.
Our job is to be love Him and believe Him.
I choose to do so.
I choose to surrender everything to Him....who gave gave everything for me.
Did you know that I am not you and you are not me?
Ha ha ha....Yeah, I know, right?...Duh!
But, no seriously! How many times in your life alone (and mine) have we expected each other to be and or do like each other?
Come on. Let's be honest.
Now, there are certain things that will of course be some what similar within varying degrees. As well as the certain expectations placed upon us in life that will be the same as the mere fact that we are both human.
Other than that, you and I are quite different. Created both in the wonderful, awe inspiring image of our creator. Yep! He made each and every one of us completely and totally -DifFeReNt- and the fact that not one human being has ever been known to share two of the same finger prints just blows my mind!
This being said.....I have been wondering for over a period of about a week now - actually more than that but it has been seriously heavy on my mind and heart for a week or so - WHY are we all so dog-goned determined to turn each other into little "mini me's" ?
Ohhhhhhh go on! Admit it! - You too!
Just take a minute and think about it. At home, at the office, at church in the pulpit; always trying to convince everyone "their way" is wrong...or "their way" isn't "quiet right".....or....you "know a better way".....a "more excellent way".
Now, PLEASE...this is important. I am not saying there is anything wrong with helping someonewho has been truthfully lead astray.....or someone who needs to find the way for the first time. I do it myself.
This is scriptural! ....More power (Holy Ghost Power & Love of God) to us all! In these endeavors!....When it is lead of God!
I am simply addressing the times we feel the "need" (and I will add, out of our own feelings of inadequacy) to project onto others what we have learned to be true in our life, or what God has spoken to us on to someoneelse asthey share what they have learned or heard from the Lord.
Honesty, who are WE to think we know what God has actually spoken to someone else?
I believe so strongly these are perilous times and we are drawing closer and closer to the final hour before the coming of Messiah.
And
The enemy of our souls would like nothing better than to distract the body of believers by having them focused on each other; stirring up strife. When we should be focused on our Master and Lord and stirring up faith among the brethren and reaching out to the lost!
To touch briefly again on "difference" I would like to remind all of us that it was our creator himself, the God of Abraham, Issac and Jacob who created "difference".....it was "division" he did NOT create. WE are responsible for that one. Remember Cane and Able? Uh- huh.
Still to this day, there is division of all kinds and it is quite prevalent in the body of believers. It runs through families as well. This too is scriptural. Just take a look at what is fortold in Matthew Ch 10. for starters.
I say we all stop worrying so much about the little things that "the other believers" are thinking and start focusing more on what WE are thinking ourselves.
Paul tells us in the word of God not to argue about such things; not to waste our breathe on these matters. If it does not have to do with Jesus Christ and Him crucified, not to worry. For this is what is truly important. All else is more a distraction. (Amy paraphrase)
(I have actually copied the actual scripture in smaller print below)
I know this Blog seems kinda harsh....but I am speaking to myself as well. The way I look at it, sometimes God blows us a kiss from heaven and sometimes he gives us a Big Bear Hug!
"This" was more in lines of a Big Bear Hug!
Shalom!
AmyColleen
1 Corinthians 1:4-26
10 Now I plead with you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment. 11 For it has been declared to me concerning you, my brethren, by those of Chloe’s household, that there are contentions among you. 12 Now I say this, that each of you says, “I am of Paul,” or “I am of Apollos,” or “I am of Cephas,” or “I am of Christ.” 13 Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Or were you baptized in the name of Paul? 14 I thank God that I baptized none of you except Crispus and Gaius, 15 lest anyone should say that I had baptized in my own name. 16 Yes, I also baptized the household of Stephanas. Besides, I do not know whether I baptized any other. 17 For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel, not with wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made of no effect.
Christ the Power and Wisdom of God
18 For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. 19 For it is written:
“ I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, And bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent.”
20 Where is the wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the disputer of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of this world? 21 For since, in the wisdom of God, the world through wisdom did not know God, it pleased God through the foolishness of the message preached to save those who believe. 22 For Jews request a sign, and Greeks seek after wisdom; 23 but we preach Christ crucified, to the Jews a stumbling block and to the Greeks foolishness, 24 but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. 25 Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men.
Glory Only in the Lord
26 For you see your calling, brethren, that not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called.27 But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty; 28 and the base things of the world and the things which are despised God has chosen, and the things which are not, to bring to nothing the things that are, 29 that no flesh should glory in His presence. 30 But of Him you are in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God—and righteousness and sanctification and redemption— 31 that, as it is written, “He who glories, let him glory in the LORD.”
