A Heart Set Above
Yesterday I saw a picture at the store. It looked like an eye chart. I took the time to slow down and stare at it and noticed that the letters strung together from top to bottom to read, "Sometimes we stand too close to see what is right in front of us."
Have you ever found yourself so close to a situation, knowing so many details and yet feeling like you just can't figure it out? How can I have all of these pieces in front of me and try to make them come together into a picture that is sensible? If only we could have perspective.
Lord help us to see what we are doing. Help us to see deeper, to love longer, to wait upon you in worship of who you are so that my soaking is in the vat of grace and truth. Only then am I able to see what is not of you.
Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Colossians 3:1
Two weeks ago in prayer the Lord highlighted the verse from Matthew 22:44: “Sit at my right hand until I put your enemies under your feet.” I thought it must be his invitation to rest in Him with all that is so swirly around me. News that our two in Ukraine were moved. Then to learn that Maxim had emergency surgery to stop infection that was running through his system from the prolapsed area. Randy's boss at work was fired taking what was once a large department down to two people and Randy taking on the load left behind. Soon to find that paperwork redo's are needed again. With Julia's 16th birthday upon us we have sent in request for extension with our I-600 to USCIS. With pleas for their cause in Ukraine, we continue to get stalled off. If I were to hold to the perspective of the world, apathy would be my demise.
God knows I was longing for perspective. Three more times I would come across this same verse over a matter of days. Again in Mark (12:36) and Acts 2 showed me this:
31 Seeing what was to come, he spoke of the resurrection of the Messiah, that he was not abandoned to the realm of the dead, nor did his body see decay. 32 God has raised this Jesus to life, and we are all witnesses of it. 33 Exalted to the right hand of God, he has received from the Father the promised Holy Spirit and has poured out what you now see and hear. 34 For David did not ascend to heaven, and yet he said,
And then Jesus in only the way he can do in His perfect timing spoke perfectly.
I will fear no evil,
for you are with me;
your rod and your staff,
they comfort me.
Have you ever found yourself so close to a situation, knowing so many details and yet feeling like you just can't figure it out? How can I have all of these pieces in front of me and try to make them come together into a picture that is sensible? If only we could have perspective.
Lord help us to see what we are doing. Help us to see deeper, to love longer, to wait upon you in worship of who you are so that my soaking is in the vat of grace and truth. Only then am I able to see what is not of you.
Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Colossians 3:1
Two weeks ago in prayer the Lord highlighted the verse from Matthew 22:44: “Sit at my right hand until I put your enemies under your feet.” I thought it must be his invitation to rest in Him with all that is so swirly around me. News that our two in Ukraine were moved. Then to learn that Maxim had emergency surgery to stop infection that was running through his system from the prolapsed area. Randy's boss at work was fired taking what was once a large department down to two people and Randy taking on the load left behind. Soon to find that paperwork redo's are needed again. With Julia's 16th birthday upon us we have sent in request for extension with our I-600 to USCIS. With pleas for their cause in Ukraine, we continue to get stalled off. If I were to hold to the perspective of the world, apathy would be my demise.
God knows I was longing for perspective. Three more times I would come across this same verse over a matter of days. Again in Mark (12:36) and Acts 2 showed me this:
31 Seeing what was to come, he spoke of the resurrection of the Messiah, that he was not abandoned to the realm of the dead, nor did his body see decay. 32 God has raised this Jesus to life, and we are all witnesses of it. 33 Exalted to the right hand of God, he has received from the Father the promised Holy Spirit and has poured out what you now see and hear. 34 For David did not ascend to heaven, and yet he said,
“‘The Lord said to my Lord:
“Sit at my right hand
35 until I make your enemies
a footstool for your feet.”
“Sit at my right hand
35 until I make your enemies
a footstool for your feet.”
And then Jesus in only the way he can do in His perfect timing spoke perfectly.
I will fear no evil,
for you are with me;
your rod and your staff,
they comfort me.
5 You prepare a table before me
in the presence of my enemies.
You anoint my head with oil;
my cup overflows.
6 Surely your goodness and love will follow me
in the presence of my enemies.
You anoint my head with oil;
my cup overflows.
6 Surely your goodness and love will follow me
Psalm 23:4-6
And sweetly he reminded me my battle is this: That no matter what comes at me, the posture I hold during precious soakings with Him when I lay down the weights around me, must also be the posture of my heart for battle. My only fight must be to lay hold of what is righteous and pure in who He is so that I do not need to find a response from within myself for cursings that come from the outside.
My surrender is my fight. My weak and flawed ways postured and determined to see the Light of Life is the power. My action is to be aware of where my spirit resides at any given moment in time.
Am I in heaven with this thought or has hell seduced me with thoughts of impurified justice? Impurified justice is nothing more than seeking revenge for pain. It is the desire to see someone else pay for their actions. Or, to make someone else pay for my feelings. But the truth is my feelings are held by the One who created me. He can be enough in this time. He can bring all solace, all love, all grace.
Jesus took on sin, having not sinned. Shouldn't I expect injustice in the world? Yes. There was nothing fair about what Jesus experienced on the cross and yet LOVE RULED HIM.
We do nothing for God. We rest in Him, respond to His heart and follow.
Learn to do right; seek justice. Defend the oppressed. Take up the cause of the fatherless; plead the case of the widow. Isaiah 1:17
The pieces of the puzzle come together. It's clearer now.
Love comes to those who surrender to it. To those who know who their Father is. And when love arrives, resides, is nurtured then grows, the fruits of a grace filled life is the garden of mercy where I am unafraid to move in the midst of the battle.
My Jesus, let my reality be the plan you set before me. Let me see the beauty you have for me on this day. In the dark and cold world where death wants to haunt, let me see the bright life you have set at the center of my picture to keep my focus. Let Love be the refuge I run to for renewed faith that your grace is sufficient and your mercy is forever. You are GOOD and to goodness I cling.
Comments
Blessings,
Allison
www.togiveafutureandahope.blogspot.com