Stepping Out in RED Shoes!
- Day 66 -
God may have shared His Son with the entire world
but that doesn't mean He wants to share you.
I'm always amazed at how intimate God is with me. When I least expect it, He will speak to me about the most minute detail of my life. It's His way of showing me how personal He is. He doesn't just say, "I know how you feel." Instead, He whispers something to me that's so profound, it knocks me right off my chair. He always chooses something that no one else knows about me. It might be a thought or a feeling or a secret that I've never discussed with anybody. Boom! He'll strike the center of my heart with a truth, then cover me with an outpouring of His divine love. Oh my gosh!
Who can compete with that?
For example, I remember a time -- years ago, when I was married, no less -- feeling very empty and alone at a big, fancy event. On the outside I looked beautiful. I had spent hours primping and preparing. The make up was perfect. My hair was pinned up in beautiful curls. I had on a dress to die for. But amidst all that -- in the deepest corner of my heart -- I was very sad. I felt like no one really knew me or cared to know me, for that matter. Right at that very instant, the Lord stepped in and whispered...
"I care! You're the apple of my eye.
No matter where you go in the room,
my eye is on you!"
Have you ever heard the old song, "His Eye is on the Sparrow?"
"Why should I feel discouraged?
Why should the shadows come?
Why should my heart be lonely?
And long for heaven and home?
When Jesus is my portion...
My constant friend is He.
His eye is on the sparrow,
And I know He watches me.
Chorus:
I sing because I'm happy.
I sing because I'm free.
His eye is on the sparrow,
And I know He watches me.
Let not your heart be troubled.
His tender word I hear.
And resting on His goodness,
I lose my doubts and fears.
Though by the path He leadeth,
But one step I may see.
His eye is on the sparrow,
And I know He watches me."
Today, my friend Bonnie and I attended a meeting called Naomi's Daughters. It's a home fellowship group we started for widows. Our dear sister, Ziva, talked about how God loves the widow as her husband. (Isaiah 54:4-5*)
-- the LORD Almighty is His name --
the Holy One of Israel is your redeemer;
He is called the God of all the earth.
As Ziva described her marriage with the Lord, I was surprised at how mine is so similar. Even though I'm not a widow, I'm experiencing that same type of intimacy.
Just the other day, I bumped into some ministry friends. I'm so used to "doing something " for the Lord that I couldn't help myself. I had to test and see if God had unlocked any doors yet. You see... for well over a year, God has shut every door of ministry for me. Last year, in fact, He spoke very clearly to me about it.
This season of my life is set
apart for Him.
He will not share me!
This is our love story.
Don't misunderstand me. I cherish my love story with Him. I really don't want it any other way. But out of habit, I extended an offer to minister sometime for my friend's church group. She smiled, saying "That would be great!" but even still, I could tell the door was shut. "It's not time." He whispered. She's saying, "YES! YES!" But God's saying... "No, that's not going to happen right now! You're mine!" LOL. How much do you want to bet it will never happen? I won't pursue it, and either will she. That's okay! God's will be done. I know, now, that the doors are still closed.
Sometimes being set apart has it's challenges. It's a lot of "solo" time and it takes getting used to. Sundays have always been a time of being with family and friends after church: Going places -- Doing fun things together -- Food and fellowship! These days, however, I usually find myself driving home from church, thinking, "I'm going home to an empty house to eat dinner alone." The LORD will respond... "No you're not. You're going to spend the afternoon with me!" It took me a while to get used to that -- to get excited about that! -- to realize the blessing of that opportunity. Now, I often can't wait to get alone with Him. It's my preference, more often than not.
unwind me -- woo me -- and bless me
with His continual presence.
Truly that is the desire of my Heart:
To experience Him 24/7.
Take note: He's always been with me 24/7 -- but I haven't always with Him. That's changed!
Today, I embrace and enjoy His continual presence more than ever before.
I'm sure that God knows exactly how much "solo" time I need, to assure that, no matter what, I'll never go back to my old ways -- that I'll always choose to be with Him, 24/7.
They say that "Home is where your heart is." Well then... I'm home and I don't want to ever move from this place.
"There's no place like home!"
said the girl in RED shoes.
Gail
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