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...
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