I woke up to the sound, or maybe I was coming out of a dream, but whatever state I was in the Lord had my attention. What I heard was a walkie-talkie that was cutting in and out. I tried to make sense of the scratching noise when I heard the call for “May Day.” I knew right away it was a distress call, and thankfully what came next was a calm and steady voice that responded with the most perfect words…“roger that.”
Roger that is an expression used to respond to a distress call and with MAY upon us, I feel at ease believing that God is responding to us in many different ways to bring relief in a time of distress.
I believe that God is faithful and comes through even when we aren’t asking, however this season is an unprecedented time when I think many are reaching out with screams and whispers of specific S.O.S signals that will be met with answers and solutions of relief.
“But you Lord are a shield around me, the One who lifts up my head. I call out to the Lord and He answers me, I lie down and wake again because He sustains me.” (Ps.3:3-4)
“Listen to my words Lord, Consider my sighing. Pay attention to the sound of my cry, for you are King, my God to whom I pray. In the morning Lord, you hear my voice and I will plead my case to you and thenwatch expectantly.” (Psalm 5:2)
Let’s lean into our calls for help, it’s wisdom not weakness to lean on someone who not only has our answers but is our answer.
My daughter and I have been playing a lot of dolls and “house” lately since the lockdown, a constant act of sacrifice every time I hear her start to say, “mom can you….” GAH, I know what’s coming. But I’ve noticed a constant theme with her once we start in, no matter what the story line happens to be with these characters, she will inevitably change the narrative to what’s in her mind. Granted this can be expected from one so strong minded, but after yet another hard to turn down invite, I was just about to make my case and tell her that “THIS TIME WE ARE STICKING TO MY STORY.” However before I could get the words out I sensed the Lord whispering to me, “make room for a new narrative.” I knew He wasn’t just talking about letting Ruby dictate how another birthday party of hers would play out with these dolls, but in fact a more grandeur sense of the season…to let him interrupt our stories with a new plot, a new perspective, or a change in where our story is going.
I thought right away of different accounts the Bible tells; Peter waiting in prison but instead of facing trial his chains fell and he was freed (Acts 12), Saul on his diligent mission in Acts 9 when Jesus interrupts his plans of murder and shows him a new path, David working in the fields in 1 Sam.16 when out of no where the prophet Samuel brings a message about what his future would look like, and how fishermen became preachers and church planters because Jesus interrupted them and they were able to adapt to a new narrative. Maybe one of my favorites though is in 2 Kings 6 when Elisha prays for his servant Elijah’s eyes to be opened and instead of looking at coming defeat he sees victory with new revelation.
In our year 2020 not only is vision and what we see important, but I think what we are listening to and who we let narrate for us this season also matters greatly because guaranteed the news and the good news will have different things to say. It reminds me in Numbers 13 when twelve spies went into the new land to identify what was there, they were told to bring back a report of what awaited them. Ten men said it couldn’t be done and they couldn’t have it because the obstacles were too big, while two remained certain they could surely take and occupy all that God would have for them. The majority reported the bad news and the crowd listened and then bowed to a fearful report. The minority’s voices were dismissed, and yet they remained the only two from that group who would enter and possess the place of promise.
I guess if I can put my finger on what I believe the Spirit might be speaking, it’s that things aren’t always as they seem, that perspective and adaptability seem to be of extreme importance, and that confinement doesn’t always mean a loss of freedom for us. Let’s ready ourselves to hear Him say something we might not be expecting!
“From the ends of the earth we hear songs…” -Says scripture. We see pictures, we dream dreams, and we catch the whisper. What a season where the distancing is actually making room for more intimacy.
The other night I fell asleep with a phrase the Lord put in my spirit, it played in my heart on repeat like an old record player, “And then arose a company of prophets” (verse from 1 Samuel 10:6). I just listened and felt comforted at what I believed the Lord to be saying, that there would be many who would be called on to share what they are hearing. A few minutes later I saw a picture of people playing a game of sherades, but they were only doing the INTRO. And over and over again the players would one by one get up and motion to their ears and the crowd would say in unison, “sounds like…” and then begin to express what was on the card.
I felt more certain that the Lord would be saying that there are many voices being called to rise this season, voices with different sounds, different expressions, and different things to say. “If there will be a prophet among you, then the Lord will speak to them” (Num.12:6). Thankfully each child of Gods has the same privilege to hear their Father speak (John 10) and I believe we will see a lot more people share their inspired ideas and expressions about what God has in His heart as He instructs them.
People who maybe aren’t looking for a platform and maybe some who are, some people who’d rather share privately but are being asked by God to step forward more publicly, “AND HE (I) Will Fill Their mouths..” (2 Kings.) I believe many hearts and mouths are going to be filled with directives and strategies, along with all kinds of encouragement from a place of sacred inspiration.
Let’s not discount people who seem unlikely candidates, my daughter Ruby is six years old and I could hear her in the bathroom singing a song about “zombies coming back to life.” When I asked her about it she mentioned she saw it in a show a couple of weeks ago but had it in her mind to sing. To sing and say/declare that those who are dead or numb are waking up seems so fitting, I didn’t know the song but as she sung it my spirit latched on and soon it felt like a prayer that we began to sing in unison.
Whatever the SOUND is that God is putting with you, I pray you don’t hold back. The world needs those who carry hope to arise and share, to shine with perspective, and to extend the heart of He who still speaks. So limit distraction, silence the voice of the accuser, and put your brave pants on because now more than ever people are tuning in.
Whatever the measure is that God has given you, pour it out and don’t hold back. No doubt your flavor is both exquisite and unique to the right hearer. We need the expression you have in the heart you carry, you’d be surprised at who’s listening…
With all this new time off I was helping my daughter clean out her bedroom…and good thing we have a couple weeks to work on it. As we were sorting I couldn’t help but notice all of the puzzle pieces I kept grabbing, no doubt the symbolism felt thick. So I got quiet and started asking the Lord for a new “peace in this puzzling time.”
One of our roles as beloved sons and daughters is a “manager of the mysteries of God.” (1 Cor.4) I love this phrase so much, but not just as an ideology but a reality. We get to not only hear what God is up to but we get to disperse His heart and mind to those around us. Just two chapters earlier the writer Paul also tells us that we are a lucky bunch to be able to have “the mind of Christ” as His Spirit leads us into all understanding (1 Cor.2). What an important time to be listening to His Spirit and receiving His strategy as we “weigh our ways” over the next few weeks and months.
A piece I believe the Lord gave me or a warning rather, was to be careful to what we are tuning into. The enemy would love nothing more than for us to hear the sound of panic and then move and make decisions in fear, however I hear the Lord saying that alongside this outbreak He’s going to breakout all around us.
The next piece I received was a picture of stage hands setting up a scene for a play. I felt like a stage is being set for Him to move in powerful ways, like there is a pregnant expectation in the audience to see what’s about to happen. Some in the audience seem to be unnerved, some seemed content, and some excited for the curtain to be pulled back. I personally believe it’s going to be a great hour to disperse hope, lend hands to help, and share stories about all God is going to do in our midst.
I pray that this outbreak is marked by breakout as the Lord moves in power. Get ready, the curtain is lifting.
According to online definitions, a form is defined as “a viable shape of how something distinguishes itself. It’s a particular way in which a thing appears or manifests…a variety of an appearance.” Patterns, profiles, structure, arrangement, category, style, and order are all synonyms of FORM.
I have a strong sense that in these days God is going to be distinguishing Himself to us in a different category or show up in another kind of form than we are use to. If a form is also “a standard or expectation based on past experiences” then I can’t help feel that He is going to change that too. That He will shift our expectations and sift through our standard of Him so that we can both see and experience Him in new ways. What God both reveals and becomes to us will define what He wants to do for us as well as determine what He wants to deposit within us.
In Numbers 12:8, God said that with Moses He could speak plainly to him and not in riddles like others, because he was a man who could see the FORM of the Lord. I’ll admit I don’t know all of what that means, only that it seems to really matter that we have an awareness of Who God wants to be so we can have an idea of what He wants to do.
Psalm 18 starts out by saying that God can be “a strength, a rock, a fortress, a deliverer, a refuge, a shield, and a stronghold.” Many of us also know him to be much different or much more. He can be healer, physician, friend, coach, leader, father, counselor, Mentor, King, lover, Shepherd, provider, chain breaker, and countless other names that hold a depth of experiencial meaning. The Psalm then goes on to say, “The Lord thunders from Heaven and Makes His voice heard.” I’d deduct that a correlation is to be made between who He wants to be and what He wants to say…we’d be wise to make it a practice to be asking! “I will stand as a guard where I am posted, and I will to see what He will speak to me…” (Hab.2:1)
I’ve had to do more adjusting than I’m use to lately, realizing that I need to work on my flexibility, because just like a well choreographed dance between partners that know the moves.. I had an expectation of where He should be while we were spinning. However, I am so thankful for His changing of forms because even though I liked our dance, I’m certainly ready to learn a new one.
I pray God shows up and shows off in greater ways than you can imagine….
