Living for the Lord in the Land of Exile

The Holy One calls to me this morning.  A new lesson has begun in my training as a bond slave of Jesus.  While nothing changes the Sacred Romance, there are days when the depths of our love bond is being tested.

At one moment in my temporal marriage, when the  mountain seemed too high to climb, I was on the verge of giving up and walking away.  The voice of my Beloved spoke,  "I know your hurt, your pain, even your confusion, but I want you to go back in there and die for Me one last time". 

The death He was asking me to die wasn't anything more than pride, but it seemed so painful at the time.  Little did I know that it was the "one last time" when I would have the opportunity in my marriage to serve the Lord's good purpose in my earthly husband's life.  Within a few short weeks of that directive I became a widow.

Today there is much happening that can be twisted by an evil voice in the darkness to blame the God who created and loves us for the horrible tragedies we see and experience, or give up on the thought that goodness and mercy can prevail on a fallen earth, or that it might be a personal directive to serve our Lord in the heartbreaking realities of life in this darkened realm..

The temptation is to express words of despair or anger or unbelief, all worthless words that set a tone for more fear to dominate and impact others.

The Lord gently moves me on in my meditation.  "Those devastated on earth need to hear truth.  Truth can be hard but it does bring much comfort to the soul."

The Truth is that eternity looms large in front of all of us.  There is no guarantee in this life as to the length or duration of the temporal.  But if we live as if the temporal is all there is, the hardship or heartache brings on a despair so deep and dark, it chokes out the goodness that can be found as we pass through the land of the living.

The awe and wonder of our Creator is in His love and therein is where we find our hope.  I Corinth 2:9 says, "No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love Him".  I can't even imagine.......

During one of the election cycles of the past, I focused on the words spoken by one who wanted to change the U.S.A.  His words were superficially sweet but sent a chill up my spine for what it would mean for America to undergo such a change.  I entered into a time of mourning for what I perceived to be the death of the country I love.

The Lord heard my weeping and put truth in my heart and  mind.  The Holy One told me then, "This land is not your home.  It has never been anything more than the land of exile".  Those were shocking words to my heart and my political agenda.  I erroneously believed that somehow we could make America here like the Kingdom of Heaven in my heart.  Until Jesus returns to rule and reign as the Majestic King that He is, no government on earth will ever be perfect.

This season is a time to remember those who have fought and died for the principles of freedom that America's government is based upon.  We celebrate the ultimate sacrifice each has made.  With humble gratitude we honor the fallen and those on the front lines still fighting to protect the "Land of the Free".  We salute those who have returned home as heroes, having seen the horrors of war in other lands so others don't have to.  Today, we are facing great challenges here, to fight for the restoration of our great republic and One Nation Under God.

For the Christian whose heart is fixed on Eternity, this land is not our home.  No matter where we pitch our "tent" here on earth, we are just passing through.

Back in Jeremiah's day, when the Lord spoke through His Prophets, He gave a message to the Children of Israel on this very subject.  Jeremiah sent a letter from the Lord to the "exiles" who were living in Babylon. 

The Lord calls me to read it again and apply it's directive to life today.

Jeremiah 29: 4-7:  " This is what the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel says to all of those I carried into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon,   Build houses, and settle down.  Plant gardens and eat what they produce.  Marry and have sons and daughters.  Find wives for your sons and give your daughters in marriage, so they too may have sons and daughters.  Increase in numbers there and do not decrease.  Also, seek the peace and prosperity of the city (land) to which I have carried you into exile.  Pray to the Lord for it because if it prospers so will you."

Tucked into this message is a picture of God's world view and His purpose in the world:  His people, carried by Him into a land not their own with a commission and a command to live and prosper there.  A quick read of the text brings a revelation of God's Will for us in this temporal life experience.

God moves His people into foreign places (whether neighborhood, communities or really foreign lands) to represent Him to the world around us.  We lose His  perspective when we wall ourselves off and isolate to live out all our "doomsday-prepper" scenarios.  We may not be as "radicalized"as some but the walls between us are as fixed as the barbed wire around the compound.

What gets defeated in the practice of judgement and isolation is the Heavenly war for souls;  those precious to the One who gave all men the breath of life, and the One who died that all may live in the Eternal Presence of Holiness.

There is great news for us as believers within the "Great News" for the world at large.  The "Great News" for the world is that God so loved the world that He gave His only Son, JESUS, THAT WHOEVER BELIEVES IN HIM (as the Son of God,  what He did for us through His death and what He made available for us through His resurrection) WILL NOT PERISH, but WILL HAVE ETERNAL LIFE.

Within that great news of eternal life is the promise of His presence in the temporal world as well.  God can and will make a distinction in the lives of His people.  But never lose sight of His reason:  That the world will see Him in us, and desire to join the family and community of believers in the one true God and His Son Jesus.

This is not about a bank account or all the "fixins" of a gilded life.  The Gospel must be as true here as it is in 3rd world countries, just relative to our surroundings. 

I pray for  peace so that in each trial that will come, others will come to know His peace through my life and example. I pray for prosperity so that as I am taken care of, others will come to know the security of His provisions through my life and example.

Opportunities abound in the land of exile to represent Christ to the world around us just like in the final days of my marriage.  The question to each one of us who "know" the Lord is: "Will we take them?"

The Holy Spirit is calling.  Can you hear Him?

 

 

Enduring the Cross

The Holy One calls to me this morning. I wake up to the
sound of His voice gently pulling me into His presence.

Sleep is a sweet escape from all the concerns of this
earth life. But when there is a battle to be fought and a
war to be won, a sleep escape after the body is rested can
neutralize the warrior.

I am thankful that the Holy One is insistent on our
early morning conferences because there are overwhelming
things to discuss about life these days.

The Lord knows my frame and makes stops along
the journey that allow me to rearrange the weights I am
compelled to carry. He always tells me “His yoke is easy
and his burden is light,” but I insist on bearing burdens not
placed on me by Him.

Quite often my burdens become burdens due to my
perspective. Sandbags around the legs of the eagle are
placed there to strengthen his wings, not to cripple his
ability to soar. A burden or a tool may look the same unless
the purpose for it is defined.

 
The Lord knows I need an attitude adjustment before
I can properly handle the weight, and He speaks directly
about the heaviest burden I bear and opens up a conversation
about the cross.

I find that there is nothing random in God’s economy.
I believe there is eternal, if not, temporal purpose in each
detail of my life. While I cannot see where all the pieces
will ultimately fit, I trust that the Sovereign One knows
and will someday make all things clear to me.

I long to know my Beloved better. I am addicted to His
love and delight in the sacred romance whereby He is not
reluctant to reveal more and more of Himself each and
every day.

Jesus, my Savior, died on a cross for me, so when the
Holy One opens up the subject of the cross, I know He is
going for my heart.

The Holy Spirit begins by speaking His Word. Hebrews
12:2 (NIV), Jesus, who “for the joy set before Him endured
the cross, scorning its shame” but goes on to say to me, “I
know the cross you are bearing for Me.”

The burden instantly becomes less heavy when I see it in
light of our relationship. The enemy of our souls is a liar and
a thief. His primary objective in all our lives is to separate
us from the love of God.

Since God is love and evil cannot separate us from
the love at God’s end, we humans become his target, and
he works relentlessly to manipulate our perspective and
destroy the love relationship with our Creator from our
end. His agenda is to keep the unsaved in darkness and the
saved in doubt about the love of our Creator God.
The death of Jesus on the cross at Calvary represents
the greatest humiliation a human could possibly endure.

 

 Beyond the physical pain of a body tortured beyond
recognition, the emotional toll of being stripped naked for
all eyes to see puts a whole other meaning to the shame
that Jesus suffered. The shame our Savior bore was the
shame that was found in the garden that drove the original
pair to cover themselves with leaves. He bore the shame of
their sin nakedness and ours.

But what was the “joy” spoken of that was set before Him
that enabled my Lord to endure the cross and its shame?

On a human level, we pay great respect to our fallen
heroes; those men and women who give their lives for a
cause. Our government hands out medals to those who
exhibit such courage unto the death. I doubt that, on the
battlefield, our fallen heroes are motivated by that reward.

I would imagine that in the trenches, it’s their heart of love
for the ones they are fighting for that keeps them going.

While the enemy tries to get me to focus on survival,
the Lord speaks to me about His purpose in the war. These
early morning conference calls serve as what might be
considered time in the trenches to evaluate the battle, listen
for the strategy of my commander in chief that will provide
the victory His way, and remember the love that put me
here in the first place.

The Holy One reminds me of my first love. He takes
me back to the One who suffered excruciating agony to
make our relationship with God possible here on earth and
beyond into eternity.

It was His heart of unconditional and ultimate love that
put Him on the cross. But what about the joy that enabled
Him to endure?
 

Was it the sweet anticipation of reunion with the Father
and a return to His throne of glory that brought the joy? 

Was it the sense of the mission about to be accomplished
that brought the joy? Was it knowing that the object of His 

love (us) would be forever in his company that brought
the joy?

My money is on the upcoming joy of His unity with
you and me made possible in no other way than through
the cross. I believe that from the very foundation of the
earth, His motive was to restore paradise lost and reclaim
the intended love relationship with His beloved creation,
man. The love thoughts of you and me able to be with Him
forever brought the joy, and that joy brought the endurance.

“Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for
the joy set before Him endured the cross, scorning
its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the
throne of God. Consider him who endured such
opposition from sinful men so that you do not lose
heart.” (Heb 12:2–3, NIV)

Today I am encouraged, and I find more strength to
endure the cross I am bearing. The cross of His suffering
ended in complete victory, as will mine. I realize that
persecution is actually bearable as it unifies me with my
beloved. The joy I find in our sacred romance enables me to
endure the humiliation and pain it might cost.

The Holy Spirit is calling. Can you hear him?