"We were disturbed through the night at the thought of getting caught. We had become like orphans not knowing what we were doing and forgetting our purpose and identity. God is a King and His children don’t behave that way. He had not come through in the way we thought He would only because our thoughts were only those of ones who believe their father doesn’t care and are set out to survive."Jesus has been revealing to me now for a while how much i have given in to this orphan mentality that seeks to provide for itself because it doesn't believe that God or anyone else will or even cares. I've been living at a distance from anyone and everyone...even myself; scared to be hurt again; scared to be disappointed; scared to be unloved; scared to be proved right again; scared to discover that I could be right; scared that maybe they don't care....that maybe You don't care. I have been listening to the voices of liars and excusing it as caution, as guarding my heart, as holy living, but really it has been fear.
Yet, He has not left me as an orphan. He said He would come for me. That He would not abandon me. That He cares. He loves. For I have never seen a righteous man go hungry or his children left begging in the streets. God is our Father and he owns everything, and we are his heirs, co-heirs with Christ. We are told to consider the lillies of the field and the spwrrows of the air and see how they neither toil nor spin and God provides for them richly and abundantly, and He says "How much more will I provide for you....my child? I will not give you a stone for bread, or a snake for a fish. I know what you need what's more....I know what you long for. You mean much more to me than the sparrows and the flowers. Even young lions suffer hunger and want, but when they look to me I fill them, I satisfy them just as I satisfy the desire of every living thing that looks to me. I own the cattle on a thousand hills.The silver and the gold are mine, and I will give to you as you need if you look to me. Ask it of me and I will give you the nations as your inheritance and the distant shores as your heritage. I will rebuke kings on your behalf, commanding them not to harm you or lay a hand on you. Look to me and you will not be put to shame. Seek me and you will not be disappointed. Cast your cares on me. I care for you. Come to me if you are weary and I will give you rest. My yoke is not harsh, and my burden is not heavy. I am gentle and humble in heart. A bruised reed I will not break, and a smoldering wick I will not snuff out. How much more will I not turn you away, my child? Come to me. Let me satisfy your longing heart and fill your hungry soul with good things. I love you. I have given you my Son, how much more will I not graciously give you all things if you ask? Test me me in this and see that I don't bless you so abundantly that people see it and stand in awe at who I am because of my provision for you. I will never stop doing good to you. Believe me. Trust me. Let me love you. Let me provide for you. Let me serve you."
Our Father knows what we need. There is a reason that David never saw the children of the righteous begging in the streets and that because they looked to their father for food just as their father looked to their Heavenly Father for food. We aren't called to provide for ourselves, or just try to survive. We are called to ask. We are called to look to Him for everything. He knows our hearts and He knows what we need and what we long for. He wants us to ask Him; to look to Him. Not to settle, but to trust him, and to believe Him.
Jesus, was for us the example of the One who trusted his Father at all times, and loved Him with His whole heart. He showed us how to live with the Father, and how to walk with Him. There was never a time that Jesus didn't look to His Father or believe His Father's heart for Him. Jesus was so well provided for by His Father that Jesus was accused of being a glutton and a drunkard by the religious people of his day. This must demonstrate something for us. I know that I more often live my life in such a way where I don't trust God and I am scared to spend money on food or things I need because I'm afraid it'll run out. I call this being frugal, or better yet...a good steward of what God has given me. I believe God calls it fear, and unbelief. The point is not having much or having little. The point is asking. The point is looking to Him. Peter pulled a coin from the mouth of a fish that he caught in order to pay his taxes. The key is that Peter went to Jesus and obeyed what He told him to do.
A recurrent theme I see in the passages where Jesus talks about prayer is that we are given an example of someone who is not generous or kind and not a very good giver (a tired and annoyed friend woken from sleep in the middle of the night, an unrighteous judge, and an evil father) and the Jesus says if THEY would give to those who ask "How much more will your Father in Heaven..." Jesus is showing us that we are not calling on an annoyed friend or evil father and judge but rather we are calling on a Beloved friend and brother, on a righteous judge who is for us and not against us, on a perfect Father, and loving Husband....so how much more will he provide for us when we are his Beloved children, bride, and friends?
He has not left us as orphans or widows.
Dude, I didn't know you had a blog.
ReplyDelete"We aren't called to provide for ourselves, or just try to survive. We are called to ask. We are called to look to Him for everything. He knows our hearts and He knows what we need and what we long for. He wants us to ask Him to look to Him. Not to settle, but to trust him, and to believe Him."
I know that's faith 101, but I really needed to here that tonight.
the only word i can ever think of when i read what you write is beautiful. I love the way you let the Beauty of God walk in and around the words you write. I love that you plagiarize the Bible. It reminds me of the letters i had to read in a history class between two lovers from the twelfth century. Their words were just so intertwined with scripture that it was ridiculous. it was beautiful. just like your voice is here. i love you, brohim.
ReplyDeleteYou're sweet Sarah. :] I really like that love letters thing, you have shared that a number of times and I really like that and want to talk that way. I think I do write that way usually but it would be cool to talk that way also.
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