His Glory Appears
I spent the first months of 2014 in a depression that would not lift. It was really more like what I can only describe as Holy isolation. God took me {claimed me!} and was selfish in demanding my focus be on Him and Him alone. Ideally, this sounds lovely and beautiful, but for someone whose love language is Quality Time, being alone with God {and God, alone} was both hard {and beautiful}.
At the time I couldn't understand why God would demand so much of me and I felt drained. I missed my friends, my relationships with the outside world. But God would have none of it. He was jealous for me {and now, standing on the other side, I'm so grateful}. I feel like 2015 is the Year of the Lord!
In my last post I shared how God was healing me of my migraines {while I've had a bit of a setback I'm still claiming healing!} In addition to healing my migraines God is healing our finances. A few months ago I started seeings LOTS of news stories about how NOW is the time to refinance your home and lock in at a good interest rate. Like, All. The Time. Scott and I have tried to refinance before, but since the market has been SO wonky, we weren't able to move forward. It was really something I'd earmarked as "not in this lifetime - NITL" - but God had other plans. And yesterday we closed on a refinance of our home that literally {for years and years and years} seemed impossible. And yet, here we are!
God is the God of the impossible and I give Him all the praise!
My prayer lately has been from Exodus 33:13 - THE VOICE: " If I have gained Your trust and blessing, reveal Your way to me so that I can truly know You, and so that I may gain Your favor."
At this moment in scripture Moses was setting off to lead God's people and was checking in to make sure God would be with him. What follows is so beautiful:
God: My presence will travel with you, and I will give you rest.
Moses: If Your presence doesn’t travel with me, then don’t lead us away from here. How will the people know that I have gained Your trust and blessing if You do not travel with us? Isn’t it the very fact that Your presence travels with us that distinguishes us from every other people on earth?
Eternal One: I will do what you have said because you have gained My trust and blessing, and I know you by name.
Moses: If Your presence will go with us, then let me see Your glory!
Eternal One: I will cause all My goodness to pass before you, and I will declare My name, the Eternal One, before you. I will show mercy to whomever I choose to show mercy, and I will demonstrate compassion on whomever I choose to have compassion. You cannot see My face, for no one can see Me and live. Look, there is a place next to Me on the rock where you may stand. While My glory is passing by you, I will place you in a large crevice of the rock and hide you beneath My hand until I have completely passed by. Then I will remove My hand, and you will see only My back. But you won’t be able to see My face.
SO. AMAZING! I've had moments where God's spirit was on me and it was so powerful. Can you imagine the experience Moses had - God's FULL GLORY passed by his physical, actual body. I DIE!
And - that same kind of intimacy is available to us here and now {it's not just for Old Testament times}! God created us for worship - through worship His nature and will are revealed. For me, personally, God is removing barriers - physical and financial - so I can be free to worship and be about HIS heart. And God wants to do the same in your life, too. May we have the passion and heat Moses had for God. May He restore in us a deep longing to know Him.
In 2015 I'm trying to spend as much time in the Bible as I do binge-watching Netflix original series. I want to KNOW God. The latest song of my heart is by Brooke Fraser from Hillsong. I've been singing it {on repeat} morning, noon and night.
Be encouraged - God created you, He knows you - and He LOVES YOU! You can trust your innermost heart, hurts, longings and dare-to-wish-wishes, those dreams marked NITL - to Him. God is up to some {all caps} BIZ-NESS in 2015. Where is His Glory Appearing in your life? Would love to hear your story!
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