The Throne

It’s a beautiful thing when I realize freshly that God is the same… yesterday, today and FOREVER. This is a simple truth that I often look past or don’t fully grasp! The God who MADE the Universe is the same God that I get to speak to. He’s the same God who knit me together in my mother’s womb and He is the God who heals the sick and raises the dead. He’s the same God who told Peter to walk to Him on the sea, and He is the same God who overwhelms me in moments to the point of tears. He’s the same God who named the stars and separated the Red Sea when Moses raised his staff. That SAME God guides and directs and counsels me. He’s the same God who designed laughter and colored in the butterfly. He’s the same God who loves me so much to make a way to be with me forever.

When I contemplate the vast array of WHO God is… I wonder why I would question. I wonder why I would doubt. I wonder why I would ever consider Him unable or inadequate in comparison to the menial things I am going through.

We often consider the “Promises of God” to be the ultimate. I have to say that the promises of God are VERY important and they are treasures that He entrusts us with! BUT there is sometimes a fine line of trusting in the “promise” more than trusting in the PROMISER.

Abraham was tested in this. God asked him to kill the son that God Himself had promised to him. I can imagine Abraham was very confused and did not understand why God would ever ask him to destroy the very center of God’s promise to him. But what God knew (because HE sees our hearts) was that Abraham was loving the fulfillment of the promise more than the One who was faithful in fulfilling it.

It is a fine line.

I believe that God wants us to FULLY enjoy each and every moment of life on this planet AND to receive and celebrate and soak in the GIFTS of promise He entrusts to us.

The fine line comes when we begin to drift our gaze toward the gift rather than the giver.

God’s love is jealous for me. He wants to have the SOLE occupancy of the throne in my heart. 

Surrender

The idea of surrender is usually associated with weakness. BUT I know someone who allowed their surrender to be their greatest strength.

Jesus.

He surrendered HIS WILL for the perfect will of His Father. He knew it would be difficult, He knew what was waiting for Him, and we get to have a glimpse of His heart that longed for nothing less than FULL surrender to His Father.

Probably the most life changing, eternity altering and beautiful words ever spoken are found in Luke 22:42 “…Yet not my will, but Yours be done.”

These words echoed in the halls of Heaven on that devastating yet glorious day. Jesus chose to surrender. Let go of His will and His desire to be safe. He laid down His fleshly longing to protect Himself.

Why? Why would a man choose to surrender, especially when He knew the pain and anguish that awaited Him? I don’t know many, if any, men that would do what Jesus did that day.

But I know why Jesus did it.

He did it for me. He did it for you. He chose to surrender Himself fully so that each person had the privilege and opportunity to be loved and completely accepted by God the Father.

The BEST part of the story though is not JUST that He did surrender, that was just the beginning of what Jesus did. He endured. He remained silent and took beating after beating. He pushed through and continued to surrender Himself over and over again that day.

I have to say the BEST part of this story of surrender is that Jesus defeated, ruined, and destroyed any power that satan ever had and ever would try to have again. In His surrender He actually was fighting a battle that at the time no one understood. But three days later a small glimpse of understanding came to the people Jesus knew, when He was alive AGAIN. He rose and showed that surrender is NOT weakness… surrender to God’s perfect will is ALWAYS a strength and will ALWAYS end in victory.

Today there are very few instances that could or ever would even come close to comparing to what Jesus had to endure because of His surrender.

There are things though in our lives that God is asking us to surrender to His will in. It’s never an easy decision, Jesus sweat blood while making His decision, but what we can see from Jesus’ story is that surrender to God’s Will is always surrendering to receive more.

So will you say…. “Not MY will, but Yours be done…” ?? 

His Dream....

I am sitting here in the middle of a thunder storm out in the wild bush. There is a roar that is echoing in this place with the voice of mighty thunder. I sense the roar of God’s voice coming to me in the most beautiful, powerful and gentle way imaginable.

He speaks to me about His love, His hands, His heart for people and for me. His ability to lead me and stir in me a desire for Him is something I am astounded by. He is faithful to His promises. He is gracious to pursue me beyond anything I do or don’t do. He is constant and stable. He is more than I could dream up or conceive.

Hunger for Him often overwhelms me and I feel so unsatisfied with everything I have experienced and am experiencing. I want all of God.

This morning a friend asked me… 

Wouldn’t you like to REALLY see what God saw for you when He created you? 

Wow. That put a deeper hunger in me for more of Him.

God what did you see what you imagined me?

Am I living it? 

Am I fulfilling what you dreamt up for me?

Father all I love to do is please Your heart. I want to live a life that is satisfying, not me focused but satisfying to my soul. When my soul is fully satisfied I am fulfilling my life as God dreamt it. I was made to be united with Him. I was made to have intimacy with Him.