What you are learning in life in every single situation is how to rise up. You are learning how to occupy your rightful place. You are learning how to go through every set of circumstances in the nature that God has actually imposed upon you, which is: you are a huios, a fully mature child, of God. You are learning how to prosper. You are learning how to do well under opposition. You are learning how to be blessed. You are learning how to receive under pressure. You are learning all these great lessons through your life circumstances, and the outcome of all of that is you change a neighborhood, or a community, or a city!
~ Graham Cooke
Whoever isolates himself seeks his own desire;
he breaks out against all sound judgment….
The name of the LORD is a strong tower;
the righteous man runs into it and is safe.
~ from Proverbs 18
I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser. Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit He takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit. Already you are clean because of the word that I have spoken to you. Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me. I am the Vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in Me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing. If anyone does not abide in Me he is thrown away like a branch and withers; and the branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned. If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be My disciples. As the Father has loved Me, so have I loved you. Abide in My love. If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love, just as I have kept My Father’s commandments and abide in His love. These things I have spoken to you, that My joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full. This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.
~ Jesus, King of The Universe
Oh beloved, it is true. There is a place impenetrable in the Spirit. It is Him. We learn this truth in fits and starts though, and the truth of this place in not often evident to us. For as Oswald Chambers has said, we worry because we would rather.
But then, something happens in our lives that drives us to our knees and out of the storm – and into Him. For finally we realize there really is nothing we can do apart from Him. The life we had has been crushed out of our hands and the pieces slip through our fingers like sand.
Ignition.
Upon entering into our new Home though, we find Him completely welcoming. And the experience is something very different from what we were expecting (what were we expecting anyway?).
And He says, “Welcome Home child. Oh How I Love you! Stay with Me. I will show you everything about everything, and I will make you amazing. Our Father is so pleased to have you in His House. You never have to leave, for this place can be inhabited anywhere our Presence is – which is everywhere.”
And in that moment, something changes. Something we always knew we wanted, and even knew what it was – but could not find it – has been found. In Him:
We are real.
We are new.
We are Loved.
We are safe.
We are clean.
We are befriended.
We are free.
We are Home.
So, we begin to explore this new Place. And to our profound delight, we find It a place both exceedingly accommodating, and endless. The ever-expanding boundaries of this place of Abiding do not make us feel stretched thin, or diluted. No, somehow we find the expanding freedom most fitting.
Perhaps, this is because we first thought God was a place.
Or maybe a set of behaviors.
Or a some confession of beliefs.
But, then if coming to Him for everything, we find that He is indeed Everything. He is real. He is a Person. He is our All in all. And suddenly, the universe becomes our bridal Love chamber with Him. We find that anywhere we run is just like we are running to Him. And we want nothing else.
“Oh Daddy! This is wonderful! What should we do now? This is so much fun! Oh, what kind of Joy is this!!!?? Anything that happens, anything i see now – just makes You bigger and more wonderful than the moment before! Oh my! This is what the seraphim are doing, isn’t it?!?!”
“Yes My son.”
And then the Fire within us builds. The heat of His Love and the Light of The Son on and in our lives does something to us. We shed the tiny fears we lived in before, and it seems like for every fear we abandon, we begin to see a thousand times more of what is really before us.
We see the pain of the captives.
We hear the cries of the needy.
We feel the fallenness and fear of so many around us.
“Father, they are hurting. There are so many. Oh Father, what shall we do?”
And He responds, “I have a plan beloved, will you go where I send you? I have a mission for you. Will you go? I will go with you. And it will be astounding.”
“Yes Father. Oh how i Love you. What is your bidding?”
“Love them, as I have Loved you. Bring them Home to live with us. There is plenty of room!”
And off we run on some foolish crusade to share how much our Dad just Loves us and them. And as astounding as His Love is, even more astounding is how many reject it and continue to hurt. But in the mission, there are always those who look up at our eyes and see Him. And in seeing Him, they come to know Him and His Love.
And then process begins again in another, and another, and another… And then billions.
How does this happen? How does some self-absorbed, childish worrier become a warrior prince (or princess) who simply, foolishly, joyfully, powerfully, aboundingly and Lovingly goes out into the darkness and Loves people to life?
We went Home.
Can we see it? In going Home, we allowed ourselves to become what He made us to be. We are the real sons and daughters of the King of the Universe. In taking up residence in Him, we become ever more able to be what we are. And then, out of us pours the same Love which He pours into us. For it is now Him Living in us – and through us. And as He Lives through us, Life comes to ever more people in some ever-growing chain reaction of Love.
The worrying, lost child becomes a trusted servant-king of the KING of Kings and LORD of Lords. Amazing.
Just like Him to do the impossible!
We can do little things for God: I turn the cake that is frying on the pan, for love of him; and that done, if there is nothing else to call me, I prostrate myself in worship before him who has given me grace to work; afterwards I rise happier than a king.
~Brother Lawrence of the Resurrection (c. 1605-1691)
