The Call to the Wilderness

Jeremiah 2:2 ..."I remember the devotion of your youth, your love as a bride, how you followed me in the wilderness, in a land not sown."

To Find Yourself, You Must Be Willing to get Lost in Me.

I keep hearing the word "wilderness" pressed onto my heart and into my mind over and over again.

This past year was full of so many accomplishments, so many events and activities, a lot of moments I will treasure in my heart and even more moments that I will toss into God's sea of grace; however, as I stand on the day where we look back over our year--I am consumed and overwhelmed by weariness.  On this eve of approaching the blank pages of a year to come....my resolution is rest.

God brought me to the book of Jeremiah this week and the words that He has been speaking over my heart today are confirmed by words written hundreds of years ago. Jeremiah 6:16 "Thus says the LORD: Stand by the roads, and look, and ask for the ancient paths, where the good way is; and walk in it, and find rest for your souls. But they said, 'We will not walk in it.'

Are we finding rest for our souls?  Is God showing us an ancient path and asking us to walk on it, but we are replying to him, "I will not walk in it."  We so often think that this response of "I will not walk in it" is one that is made out of defiance, one that is out of a heart of rebellion and pride but I think more often than not we as Christians are speaking this back to God, completely unaware.  We justify our response because we are often trying to do "His work" or trying to grow "His church." We tell God that we can not rest because the calling is great and there is much to be done... 

Why is it that families are breaking, spirits are overwhelmed and exhausted, chaos consumes, and disorganization overwhelms and yet we call it "God's work."  Every verse that God has been leading me to speaks of rest, speaks of bearing fruit, speaks of fountains of living waters--If God's path is rest...then why are His people overwhelmed by weariness?

Jeremiah 2:13 "for my people have committed two evils: they have forsaken me, the fountain of living waters and hewed out cisterns for themselves, broken cisterns that can hold no water." 

When you take inventory over your life---are your cabinets full of broken cisterns that hold no water? (You will know this if you are weary, tired, burnt-out, overwhelmed, defeated, etc...)

God spoke to me the other day and He simply stated, 

"It is Man's heart that pleases me, not his hands."

It's time to take inventory of our heart (our cabinet).  It is time to go back to the days of devotion, the days of following God in the wilderness.  To hear His voice, to know His call, to understand His path; to separate ourselves from distraction and confusion and to allow God to break our hearts of clay, our broken cisterns, so that we can emerge rested and renewed, full of His living water--pure and set apart.

My Prayer for 2015...

Take me deep into your wilderness O God, that I may get lost in your wonder, that I may be consumed by your words.  Teach me to hear your whispers and to cling to your presence.  Break these broken cisterns of weariness and create in me a heart that is overwhelmed by your living water.

Plant my feet firmly on your paths of rest, press upon me your compass of truth, teach me to follow your peace.  O God, take me into your wilderness that I may enter into your land of promise.

Do Less...Be More

You are God's precious creation---created at conception with worth---created with a mighty purpose.

I was supposed to sing a big song this past Sunday at Church--a song that has been so etched into my heart that my soul just longed to sing out its declaration, not only to the church but also over my own life.  I longed to sing "It is Well" -- I longed for Heaven to hear my cry, my soul's desire, I longed for this declaration in the midst of everything in my life.  

In the days leading up to Sunday though I caught the seasonal cold/flu.  I thought to myself, okay, I can do this--I can get over this.  If I just push through-- I can control this.  A few days later, I then found out I had strep-throat.  A doctors appointment and some antibiotics later, I was still determined that I was going to prove to myself and to God that it was still well with my soul.  Then...I lost my voice.  I didn't get to sing my song and my fight to prove that I could Do it landed me in bed--exhausted, feverish, and sick..

I had thought for some reason that God would somehow hear my heart if I could just prove to Him my determination and my deepest desire to be close to Him.  I wanted Him to know my worth, I wanted Him to know my strength, I wanted to remind Him of my purpose. I know that sounds so silly to say---to tell the all knowing God of the universe my purpose, strength, and worth. 

That evening (realizing now I should have probably stayed home, but so glad that I didn't) we had the church Christmas party and at the end we all sang worship together.  I tried again so hard to sing and yet nothing came out.  I was forced to stand there as everyone around me sang and I had to just be still and listen.  Such beauty surrounded me---melodies from hearts of others that were crying out to their God.  I was overwhelmed that I got to be a part of something so strong, something so sweet, something so powerful.

I stood there, held out my hands and just received from God His goodness and His peace, and His promises.  He washed over me and my heart and I didn't have to do a thing.  I was mute and yet He heard my heart.  I was barely able to stand and yet He was my strength.  

It was if he was telling me, "Stephanie, Stop Doing and Just Be In My Presence."

Why is that we feel we must prove our worth or our hearts to God?  

Why is it that we think we must do something great in order for God to hear our cries? 

Why is it that we think we must be perfect before God can use us or desire us?

It is in our brokenness.  It is in our weakness.  It is in our weariness.  

It is in our stillness.  It is in our surrender.  It is in the quiet. 

It is in all these things that God meets us, hears us, and surrounds us with His presence.

It is not in our power--but in His.  It is not in our doing--but in His.  It is not our will--but His.

This post is to encourage ourselves to stop doing and to start being.

We do not have to do anything to win God's favor.

Your heart is held by the creator of the universe and whether you scream from the top of a mountain or whisper within the hidden places---Your God hears every word, every cry, every desire. 

Your hand is held by the Great I Am---not because of anything you have done to earn His embrace but simply because He longs to be near to you.

You do not have to prove your worth to God----so stop trying to prove your worth to yourself.

You my love...........just simply have to BE.