With boldness.

I just read the following passage in Hebrews and I'd like to share it here for anyone that might need to know how approachable God really is:

Hebrews 4:12-16 says, "For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. 13 And there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are naked and open to the eyes of Him to whom we must give account. 14 Seeing then that we have a great High Priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. 15 For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin. 16 Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need."

That is a lot of information to take in; so much to digest from God in that passage. That scripture has always been a favorite of mine, that the Word is literally alive. As I speak the Word of God over my life, God begins to activate it over me! When my faith is down, if I will simply crack open the Word and just begin to read, the Word cannot help but activate. My faith cannot help but rise. It's the only thing that can happen.

So not only does the Word encourage us, lift our faith and inspire us to continue on in this journey, but the Word will search our hearts. Nothing is hidden from God. Not anything we say, not anything we do, not anything we think, not anything. NO THING is hidden from God. He see's it all. He knows it all.

Now, if a person here on Earth knew all that God knows about me, I'd be scared. Because I fail. A lot. But honestly, it does not scare me that God has that place in my life. I guess I've actually come to the place of trusting God as my father, a journey that's on going of course, but one that I've come quite a distance in already.

My girls adore their dad. He can do no wrong! Lily calls him, "handsome daddy" and often says, "hey big guy!" Joei Kate loves to snuggle up to him any time she can. The way my girls love him with such an incredible love has taught me so much. I can't relate to that feeling, loving an earthly father with such intensity...so to see it manifest in my own children has shown me a different side of a father/daughter relationship.

They trust their dad. They are not afraid of him. They know he will do what he tells them he will do. They know when he is serious with them and means business, but they also know when he is being playful with them, which honestly is most the time!

I struggled for years to call God my father. It seemed an insult to call him such a name. A name that had harmed me for many years. But I'm sitting here this morning with such an overwhelming realization of just how far God has brought me! So far now, that I can say yes God, you are my father. I trust you. I am not afraid of you. I know you will do what you say you will do. I know when you are serious and when you mean business, but I know when you are being playful, which honestly is most the time. Hmm.

My husband just returned from Israel, and being where Jesus actually walked changed his life! I can only imagine! Jesus walked this earth, as a human, made up of the same physical stuff as us. Wrap your head around that for a minute! He was tempted, just like us. Yet He did not sin. He is our high priest. And when we come to Him, we don't have to approach Him in fear - the scripture says to approach Him with boldness in fact!

When my girls want something, they approach daddy with boldness. There is no fear in them. Do they respect him? Oh yes, of course. And because of that, they want to do right by him. But they are not afraid of him.

I respect God. I love Him. I'm so thankful to Him for all He has done for me. And so because of that, I want to do right by Him. I want to make the right choices in life. I want to strive to be all that I can be, because I love my Father. So with that in mind, I can approach Him with boldness. I can run to Him anytime I need to. If it's to present a request, I can boldly go. If it's to cry over a hurt, I can boldly go. If it's to vent an anger, I can boldly go. If it's simply to snuggle up with Him, I can boldly go. And so can you.

So can you.

Our duty

It’s been quite awhile since I’ve written anything, so I am literally forcing myself to sit down and do this. Everything else I need to do this morning is calling my name, but I need to get my butt in gear! Forgive me for using the word “butt.” I don’t like my kids to use the word. So I guess I could delete the word and replace it with “bottom” but where is the fun in that!

Excuse me as my 4-year-old daughter is arguing the fact that she cannot wear her “high heel boots” to the zoo today. And she left crying. Ok then.

So yesterday as I was sharing this passage of scripture at church – Oh dear, the 4 year old is back, asking if I’d just rather she threw away her High Heel boots since I don’t want her to wear them. Wow, who knew manipulation started so young.

Let’s try this again. Oh my goodness, she is walking in here again, now with the boots, towards the garbage can, threatening to throw them away. Well I guess I have to focus on this situation a minute. Excuse me…

Aaaaand I’m back. I’d love it if you would read this passage of scripture, and really, really allow it to digest into the deepest parts of your soul.

“The Spirit of the Lord God is upon Me,
Because the Lord has anointed Me
To preach good tidings to the poor;
He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted,
To proclaim liberty to the captives,
And the opening of the prison to those who are bound;2 To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord,
And the day of vengeance of our God;
To comfort all who mourn, 3 To console those who mourn in Zion,
To give them beauty for ashes,
The oil of joy for mourning,
The garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness;
That they may be called trees of righteousness,
The planting of the Lord, that He may be glorified.”

Reading this particular passage lately is overwhelming my heart! That is what Jesus came to do. And there is something so passion-filled about it, that I couldn’t help but lose myself in that. I guess because I have personally been a recipient of that scripture. Jesus has literally done all of those things in my life.

He literally has brought me good tidings. He literally has healed my broken heart. He literally has set me free. He literally has comforted me when I most needed it. He literally has given me beauty for the ashes of a life I once had. He literally has given me joy in the place of mourning. He literally has given me the ability to praise my way out of heaviness. Literally.

Think about this for a moment – if we are called to be Christ like, that’s what a Christian is right? Well, if we are called to be like Jesus, then it would seem to me that we are to lead people in this same way. It’s our duty then, as Disciples of the Almighty God, to bring good tidings to the poor. It’s our duty to proclaim liberty to the captives. It’s our duty to show people the way out of their own personal prisons. It’s our duty then to comfort those who mourn with the only comfort we know! It’s our duty then to show people the beauty that resides inside of them. It’s our duty to lead people to praise! IT IS OUR DUTY!

Matthew 28:19-20 says, Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen.

Go. Jesus simply said to go. And if He calls us to go, I have to assume that He is calling us to do what Isaiah 61 is talking about. It’s a lofty command, Go. It can be a command that often times is frightening to follow through with. But that’s where verse 20 comes in and brings a calm to this fearful heart…”I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”

So no matter what God is calling us to do in this life, we can do it with the assurance that God is with us. He always is with us. He is right there…

Well, it's not a long post but it's a start back in the right direction. Unfortunately the bunny cage did not clean itself while I sat here so it still calls. Not too mention the stray cats that have gathered outside for food. I'm feeding the whole clan apparently. We're starting a small farm it seems. I should have listened to my husband. But don't tell him that. And the kid with the high heels is still out there, waiting to make another move. But it's all good. I can do anything. Jesus is right there...