I sat still during a prayer time with some friends last week and with no agenda we listened for the Lord to speak to us about what was on His heart.
I heard the sound of wedding bells and then heard theses words from a simple song “here comes the bride all dressed in white.” I sat with that and felt two specific things, though I believe He has more to say on the matter, I know for certain that “preparation and anticipation” are the things He has put with me.
If you’ve prepared for your own wedding day or if you’ve had the privilege to stand and rise at a wedding to watch another bride make her way down that very important isle, then you are aware of the building awe and excitement that makes its way to our hearts as we await and expect something grand to take place. I believe that God is calling His body of believers to make “anticipation” a posture toward what He is doing with His bride. He is preparing something so grand for His church as a whole, and what a time to participate and have a seat and celebrate what’s coming.
Like any wedding, there are great preparations made beforehand. I also believe God is at work preparing a bride for a sacred ordeal. The act of preparation can be a lot of work. It can be taxing, time consuming, even overwhelming at times, but we never get to the “event” and think to ourselves, “I wish I would have done less.” If anything, we might say, “I wish I would have enjoyed it more.” White is pure and without blemish, and you can bet that in this time of preparation there will be pruning, even painful moments of letting go, growing up, and doing away with the things that keep us from whole heartedly following after God. This isn’t about perfection but resolution and holding to the things that God is asking of us.
A bride knows who she is committing to, that’s why she can give her love her “yes.” I imagine there will be plenty of times this summer that we will want to turn our own way and do our own thing, but that’s not the vow that we’ve taken when we choose to walk with God. Let’s keep our knees nimble, they bend easier when we do and let’s be willing to exchange whatever is needed in our lives as we ready ourselves for a great and glorious time.
While I was on vacation last week the picture of the compass kept catching my eye and I thought the Lord might have something more to say about this picture of direction…no doubt He did.
I heard in my spirit the word “encompass” and that He is going to surround us in the next steps of adventure and new direction. I had a sense that God is leading many in new avenues of things and the verses that He put with me next had to do with a leveling out so that we can move with more ease.
“They may come with tears, they may be praying as I bring them back, but I will lead them beside streams of water on a level path where they will not stumble.” -Jer.31:9
“Let the morning bring me a word of your love, for I have put my trust in you. Show me the way I should go…may your good spirit lead me on level ground.” -Psalm 143:8-10
I also heard the words in my heart: align, allow, assume. I sat with that for a bit and feel it important that we allow God (“who probes our minds and hearts”-Ps.7) to really be our guide and lead this season and not make assumptions about where He’s taking us or what He’s doing. Wherever that ends up being, let’s make certain that are alignment is correctly adjusted underneath Him, that we might not get ahead of Him.
There are plenty of things that can encompass a person on any given day, but as we tuck in under Him and allow Him to be our covering and what’s encompassing us, then we can be at rest with what’s next. I heard the phrase, “if we dwell in His shelter then we can rest in His shadow” (from Psalm 91). I felt it important that are minds are put to rest with worry or wonder. Let your eyes close at night with ease and trust that hand that leads us in the right way.
I don’t know what’s next for all of us, but I do know that God has mapped something out uniquely for us, so let’s make certain that where we’re walking is in alignment with where He is leading. Let’s keep asking as a child does, not “are we there yet?” But maybe more “is this the way?” For He guides the humble in what is right and teaches them His way. ALL the ways of the Lord are loving and faithful…and He will instruct us in the ways chosen for us. -Psalm 25
Lastly, I feel this word stamped with the verse that Isaiah speaks in 40:4, it says that “mountains will be made low and rough grounds will become level (or smooth) and rugged places a plain.” That word is echoed again from Luke in 3:5 “crooked roads will become straight and rough ways smooth as we see God at work.” And though I know the context is different in this read, but I feel God brought it my attention for what He is up to now…that things will become easier and more clear, paths narrowed and our direction more sure. As that happens and clarity comes, let’s not forget to take some time to check in with our guide and say the things we need to for navigating us through such a terrain. There is so much ahead, let’s enjoy the journey with the ones we’re with.
“A word was secretly brought to me, my ears caught a whisper of it. (Job.4:12)
I was on a road trip last week with my cruise control set, music selected, and snacks in hand as I passed by several cars. By the time I passed by the 5th car I saw the familiar words again of “system override” on my dash, but this time I knew instinctively that the Lord was highlighting those words to speak something new to me. My car was letting me know that “the course of action had been interrupted” but as I saw it, I simultaneously heard the gentle whisper saying He was going to “prevail and dominate over the natural order of things.” One of the definitions for override is “to use ones authority to reject or cancel a decision or outcome. I started asking the Lord for more and I felt in my spirit several specific things.
1-He is going to override facts with His Truth. A fact can tell us what is happening, but the truth tells us what IS and what is possible. Fact: When the Israeli spies went to explore the land they were going to have, they saw that giants had taken up residence and fear started to grow. Truth: The land would still be theirs because their enemies had no protection and God was with them. Their eyes saw factual happenings but it opposed what was in Gods heart for them…they saw but they didn’t see. “We seemed like grasshoppers in our own eyes and we looked the same to them.” (Num.13:33) A generation missed the promise because they didn’t have on the right lens to sort through. One of the things I felt God was going to override would be generational systems and family dynamics, but just like the spies that were sent to explore the new land, we too will have to trust God and have faith for an outcome that doesn’t seem possible with what we might be looking at. Like the Israelites, I also believe that what we choose to look at and agree with will affect the generation after us. (See Numbers 13 and 14 for the full story)
2- I saw a picture in my mind of someone waiting in a doctors office and I felt God was going to bring healing to some regardless of what the “facts” of the report were telling them because “His blood speaks a better word.” No matter what we are seeing, we need to find out what God is saying and then adjust our lens. We have an enemy and real life circumstances that are bringing distractions, dissensions, and other kinds of nonsense that can keep our gaze fixed on “what is” and not “what can be.” I heard Him say that there are many “BUT GOD” moments coming this season. Where one thing is happening or things look a certain way… BUT GOD shows up and does something. (Aren’t we SO thankful for Buts in the Bible?!)
3- After this road trip was over I headed straight into the car wash because the bug guts were no match for me. When I pulled out of the wash I literally said out loud, “it’s so nice to see.” I heard the words right back to me “yes…it’s a NEW DAY. I felt gratitude swell and then leaned into more and felt the Lord say that not only is He “overriding” things in our life but also breaking limits off of us. A limit by nature has a boundary and I felt that one of the things He is doing for us is “breaking the mold or boundary” over our lives. Overriding what we are capable of and giving us a capacity for more.
If I were you, I’d ask God yourself what He has in mind to “override” in your life and where you need limits to be lifted off of you then I’d talk to Him about that too. I’m praying our eyes will see through a more generous lens and our mouths will be telling many “BUT GOD” stories in the days ahead. Protect your eyes friends, it can change how we see.
