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,
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,
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.
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,
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.
