His Delight........

I have to confess that I sit here afraid that I am being stupid writing these things. I don’t want to talk just for the sake of hearing myself speak, you know what I mean? I sit here begging my Father to anoint these words so that they are a blessing to you.

I sat down to read in the Bible, turned to the book of Isaiah and when I got to these verses, I actually cried as pictures came to me when I read the words. I want to share those pictures with you.

I really enjoy The Message, partially because the writing is so direct and also because it is so visual. What I believe He led me to is Isaiah 62:2-4 and while I realize that He is speaking specifically to Israel, we are also His children because of the precious blood of Christ and I believe that this is His heart for US too.

“You’ll get a brand new name straight from the mouth of God. You’ll be a stunning crown in the palm of God’s hand, a jeweled gold cup held high in the hand of your God. No more will anyone call you Rejected, and your country will no more be called Ruined. You’ll be called Hephzibah (My Delight), and your land Beulah (Married), because God delights in you….”

To think that He loves me so much that He will personally name me….

To read that I could be a stunning crown, a jeweled gold cup held high in His hand……I see this amazing, awesome, regal King taking me by the hand and bringing me into His royal throne room to present me as one that He is proud of, that He adores so much, to all who would see.

“Delight” is such a wonderful word! The picture it gives me is a father lifting his little girl up and spinning her around with such overflowing and enthusiastic love for her and she is laughing with abandon, throwing her arms up in the air, feeling no fear because she knows how much he loves her and she knows that she is safe in his hands.

The words “rejected” and “ruined” struck a cord deep in my heart as I read them because they have been my close companions during a large portion of my life and still attempt to return from time to time. But their power is lessened when I read verses such as these that so vividly paint a picture of how He REALLY feels about me. Taking just a few minutes out of the day to be in the Word can change my whole outlook on the world and yes, even Him. For me…. tonight….these verses are like standing under a waterfall of His love....it exhilarates and enlivens my heart after being bowed down all day and it refreshes me after hearing the scorching heat of the enemy’s whispers in my ear. I pray that it is that for you as well and that you can know with assurance, His delight in you and love for you today.

Lessons Learned......

So much has gone on in my life since my last entry over 2 ½ months ago, but I am not going to take up your time reviewing it. What I will share is some highlights of what I have learned.

(1) When Daddy gives me an assignment, I need to make sure that I don’t allow anything, and I mean, ANYTHING, to get in the way. Here is the trap: There are a lot of good, honorable things out there that can take me away from where He really wants me and once He makes His will clear to me, there is nothing as empty, exhausting or frustrating as getting away from that will.
(2) It is crucial to I keep myself surrounded by other strong women of faith that can cover me and this ministry in prayer when I cannot do it for myself. It can be so hard to ask for help but that has aided me in a more powerful way than anything else to start getting back into His will.
(3) Finally, that despite all the miraculous and wondrous ways that He has provided for me in the past, it is so easy for me to give in to fear and discouragement in the face of adversity. But here is the most amazing thing…..that instead of getting irritated with me and chewing me out for doubting, He used another ministry to send me a reminder by way of email and here was the very short but powerful message:

“The Spirit of God whispers this reminder to you: ‘I
have heard your prayer, I have seen your tears; behold,
I will heal you.’ Jeremiah 30:17”

That came on a day when I was really struggling and very afraid and I was so humbled by His huge love and understanding of my humanness. And that is my real Daddy, not the harsh, demanding, abusive man that I grew up with. It is so easy to mix the two up in my heart and that is what the enemy wants. I am also amazed at how programmed I am to completely withhold grace from myself, to beat myself up if I am not doing everything exactly the way that I should…and when I am feeling like such a failure, feeling so very lost……He whispers words of love and tenderness into my heart.

I pray that those words minister to your heart…for they are for you too. He promises me and promises you that He hears us, sees us and WILL bring healing to us. Let those truths be your anchor today.