You will be
tremendously blessed when you hear him (risk) and sing this song at the
beginning of this conference session.
A Prophetic
Teaching
“HANGING ON FOR DEAR LIFE”
The Lord Is The Friend Of Those Who Are In Despair
By Mary Lindow
So, I went with
him,
And when we were
climbing the rocky steps up the cliffs…
…My beloved
shepherd said to me,
"Oh my dove, while you are there
in
the seclusion of the clefts in the solid rock,
in
the sheltered and secret place of the cliff.
Let
me see your face. Let me hear your voice.
For your voice is
sweet. And your face is
lovely.”
~Song of Solomon 2:
14
I
am starting this message with a few references from portions of the book,
“Free To Be You:
Living From Your God-Given Design”
This was written by a precious, humble and brilliant woman by the name of Sylvia Gunther. You can
find more reading and devotionals on her website,
The Father’s Business
ALL
OF US HAVE DREAMS IN OUR HEARTS that
seem too wild or unachievable. To pursue them could mean great gain, but it
could mean great loss and pain.
So.
Much
like a rushing river whose power cannot be fully harnessed, we build walls to
contain it, often without even knowing we are building them. We go through life
bumping up against things, like the expectations of others, fear, and rejection
that lead us to quietly start laying
bricks, just a few at time, until one day we wake up and realize we have walled
ourselves off from our own heart. We are no longer living out of our true
selves.
But
like all walls built by man to contain what they cannot control, the levee
breaks. The wall crumbles.
The Creator, the
loving Artist who was so intricately involved in knitting you together in your mother's womb, is longing for you to discover
the masterpiece of you.
He
desires for you to discover the joy of living out of everything he has put in
you for life and godliness. This journey requires you to take the time to take
an honest look at your story. It will require peeling back some layers to get
beyond what you do to why you do what you do.
TRUE
FREEDOM IS WAITING when
you cease striving to fit into everyone else's box or stop trying to make
everyone fit into your box for them, and become exactly who God designed you to
be — a one-of-a-kind masterpiece of art.
THE
PEOPLE AROUND US SHAPE US ALL.
How
has that affected you?
How would you be different if you
were assured of complete freedom and affirmation to be who you really are?
To
answer these questions we have to look at a few levels, such as family,
friends, church, and community — levels of expectations, behaviors that we have
learned either by force or in order to please others, and what we’ve been
taught to value.
Under
all these layers of expectation, there lays the true you.
The Master Artist
knew the precise colors, tones, and brush strokes he wanted to use when he
painted the canvas of you.
Some
of us have allowed others to paint over that creation with their own agenda of
who they need us to be. Vivid colors have been dampened and hidden.
Here
is the glorious news!
The
original canvas is still there, and God delights to strip away all that was
not in his plan and wants to restore the beauty of you.
THE
MASTER ARTIST SMILED ON THE DAY YOU WERE CREATED.
He
dances and rejoices over you with singing, wooing you to join him on a wild voyage
of discovery.
Will
you accept his invitation?
Are you ready to take an honest look at your own
life to discover your true heart?
IMAGINE
THIS!
There
you are, struggling and hanging on for dear life, trying to find a toehold or
finger hold to grip and hang onto on a steep climb. The sun is beating down on
you and your ropes are fraying.
LIFE
IS SEEMINGLY GETTING HARDER,
the
world around you is swirling and shouting out bad news about terrorist plots
and Ebola outbreaks, your job is not producing any sense of delight, there are
fights in the family, fights in the church, you are tired, thirsty, beat down
and afraid…
…
And you don’t dare look down for fear of falling, failing or perhaps giving in
to gravitational pull and just letting go.
You
are sweaty; you are exhausted, and feel as if you have little to offer.
AND
THEN THE VOICE OF THE ONE...
...Climbing
not too far away from you, dares to say:
“Oh my dear! While
you are hanging there in the clefts and toeholds of these rocks, let me give
you a bit of shade, a shelter here under a cliff.
Let me see your
face! LET ME LOOK AT YOU!
Let me hear your
voice, I WANT YOU TO TALK TO ME! For
your voice is sweet to ME and your face is so lovely right now.”
As
you hang there…
…Stunned
at these words coming at you during this desperate attempt to climb to higher
ground and to find rest and safety, you are shocked, doubtful and almost angry!
“YOU
HAVE GOT TO BE JOKING LORD!
NOW?
HERE?
“I
am a desperate, weary, exhausted mess!”
This
is the HONEST cry of a person who is in the midst of adversity that threatens
to sweep them away.
The
reasons for broken heartedness are more numerous than I have time or space
to address.
My
intention is to show you that the Lord is the friend of those in despair.
THE
LORD IS YOUR REFUGE DURING THIS TIME.
Do not be mislead into believing another human
can address the healing needs of your soul, for only THE LORD can see the
extent of the damage that has been done to you, and only He can truly heal your
broken heart.
Continue
to SPEAK OUT-LOUD to this companion on the CLIFF! Bring Him your wailings and
suffering. I suggest you do so verbally, in the privacy of your room or a place
you go to pray.
Many
people are fearful of letting God see all that is going on within them as they
wrestle and hurt. They think that God does not want to hear their moaning and
that God will not understand their pain.
They
fear that to allow God to see all the emotions churning within them would cause
God to be angry with them. They might look UGLY in their current desperate
state. THAT THEY ARE WRETCHED UNBELIEVERS!
HE
SAYS THIS TO YOU AND I TODAY!
“Be not afraid to let
me see you.
To let me hear your
voice — Your prayers and praises.
Your hopes, your
sorrows.
For sweet is your voice to ME.
You are Perfection in My Eyes.”
And
then at the hardest place, where you are sweaty, barely able to hold on much
longer Jesus relieves us from such discouraging thoughts.
In
the holes of craggy and broken rocks, which resemble stairs, He, the one climbing
alone with us speaks.
LET
ME SEE YOU! FACE TO FACE!
Don’t be afraid or
ashamed to look at me! Come boldly into my presence, and LET ME KNOW YOU, AND
YOU – ME!
Sweet is YOUR
voice, and YOUR face is comely; (no – It does not say HOMELY)! Your face is lovely! YOU as an individual person
are accepted by me, and are pleasant in my sight.
I
know that we don't see Him as He really is all the time. There are times we’d
rather run from Him rather than run “to” Him.
I
think there are times I see Him as pointing fingers at me for my sins, rather
than standing with open arms in love.
If
we saw Jesus as He really is, I think we would be more likely to run to Him.
I
ALSO WONDER IF WE ARE JUST SOMETIMES AFRAID TO BE DESPERATE FOR JESUS.
To
be desperate for Him means that we would have to face our brokenness.
To
see and admit our need for healing.
We
would have to admit we are in need.
That
we got off course.
That
we are hanging on a rocky place and we are getting scared and weary of the
exhaustion.
And
we are all often, these things! We
do need Jesus!
Of
course we will be reminded, often by others who are masking pain and doubt, that
desperation isn't attractive.
DESPERATE
PEOPLE AREN'T PRETTY.
But
this is who Jesus came for. He came for those who could acknowledge that they can't
do life well on their own and for those who are empty and want the fullness
that Jesus offers.
We
must relinquish our unattractiveness and ugliness and be willing to run to
Jesus!
It
doesn't come easy either! Accepting the fact that we have bought the lies others
have spoken over us is not easy!
DO
YOU KNOW WHAT IT SOUNDS LIKE WHEN GOD CALLS YOUR NAME?
Can
you hear the tone in which He says your name?
Do
you know what it feels like?
Do
you feel the brush of heaven’s breath coming near your very soul?
Do
you feel the warmth of it all?
AS
HE CALLS EACH OF OUR NAMES,
HE MAY SAY SOMETHING DIFFERENT.
Sometimes,
many times - as a matter of fact, He reminds me,
“Let go of the past. There is nothing there for you. Go
forward.
Do not pause in the road I’ve laid before you and look back for
one
moment!”
Close
your eyes today and “hear” his voice as He speaks softly. Listen with
your heart. Close out all the sounds. The ticking time, the
screaming laundry or dishes, the buzz of your phone demanding that you respond.
Climb
up under a shaded spot - under his
shadow, Right at His feet and soak in His presence on purpose. Not by
accident.
LOOK
AT HIM FACE TO FACE ON PURPOSE TODAY AND HE WILL MEET YOU THERE.
Listen
to what He tells us in His word - at this very moment.
Isaiah 43:1-3
Read
it out loud. Insert your name
But
now, _____(insert your name)
The
LORD who created and formed you says:
“Do
not be afraid, for I have rescued you.
I
have called you by name; you are mine.
When
you go through deep waters and great trouble, I will be with you.
When
you go through rivers of difficulty, you will not drown!
When
you walk through the fire of oppression,
you will not be burned up.
The
flames will not consume you.
For
I am the LORD, your God, the Holy One,
Your
Savior.
LOOK
AT HIM!
LET HIM HEAR YOUR VOICE!
HE
LOVES TO BE WITH US!
HE
LOVES TO SPEND TIME WITH US!
As
you do this openly and humbly,
your own heart and life will be restored.
But
you must listen when He calls your name…
…
And ANSWER.
