Prayer for today

Jesus, be near me.
I need to feel your presence.
My children are loud and needy,
and my own strength failing.
I fight for my breath.
I fight for my space.
I fight to speak my feelings.
Now the warrior is tired and I need to be held.

Jesus, hold me.
Let me feel your embrace and sense your Mind.
I'm anxious for your touch
like my son is anxious for mine.
I'm a mother and a wife and a friend,
but my dearest self is your child.

Speak to me, Father
Tell me who I am
Show me your Presence in my timeline
Touch my mind and help me dream again
Heal my heart and give me rest

Spirit, come nearer still.
You comfort and lead.
You silence my storm
You speak through the rain.
You wrap me in love.
Don't let go. Don't let me go.

Scream for Icecream

Have you ever wondered why God wants to be in us? After all, there is nothing good in us apart from Him. I'd think He wouldn't want His Presence diluted with all our weaknesses, immaturities...much less sin.

I got a great analogy the other day while eating ice-cream. In the beginning, God designed an infinite amount of flavors. Each one amazing, because each was a little bit of Him. Even a little bit of God is infinitely fantastic.

Well, fast forward a bit and we have Jesus. Jesus held back His Godness to cooperate with the Holy Spirit and to show us how to do it. As He looked at the Father for direction, empowered by the Holy Spirit, the result was...magical. Out of this world. God on earth.

So today God wants to do the same thing with us, and together we make something incredibly wonderful. God is like ice-cream. He is looking everywhere for someone that wants to fully submit to Him, learn His voice, follow His lead. And when He fills that person, WHAMMO! We have a tremendous example of God's presence on earth, in a remarkably unique flavor.

You.

Tasty goodness. :)

Without Spot or Wrinkle

Evidently there is some theological debate on whether Jesus 'restrained His Godhead', or 'veiled it'. I say, who gives a rats patoot. It's pretty much the same thing. Except that one thread has greater implications for us as Believers.

Are we supposed to be followers of Jesus, or are we supposed to be Jesus? Yes.

I think Jesus restrained His Godhead, only did what the Father did, and allowed the Holy Spirit to move through Him in power. If He only came to die for us and offer salvation, then salvation is the end deal.

But I don't think it is. I think Jesus is coming back for a Bride that is like Him, a Body that is in equal proportion to her Head. If we actually think we are going to be marrying up, then that would imply that Jesus is marrying down. And I don't think that's at all His intention.

I think that it is the Father's desire to grow each of us in a little Christ; a human being with godly character and moving in power, bringing the Kingdom of Heaven down to earth. After all, that is what Jesus bought and paid for. Anything less would not be enough for the Lamb of Glory.

Some church bodies think it is easier to grow believers in godly character. Fruit of the Holy Spirit, vs. the spiritual gifts. I actually think it is harder.

Our culture already esteems certain qualities; patience, kindness, goodness and the like. These are things trained into many of us, but it doesn't mean it has been grown by the Holy Spirit. It has been grown by outward control, not inner change. And who can tell by looking at a person which it is? Often we ourselves don't know until we are tried by fire.

Spiritual gifts on the other hand, are given. But many of us don't know what to do about them. How do we get them? What do we do when we have them? What will it look like? What if we make a mistake?

The Father knows all this. This was the purpose of Jesus walking with the Holy Spirit; to show you how to do it. He isn't afraid of your sin, your mistakes or your ignorance. He just wants a 'yes'.

I challenge you to invite Jesus in to prepare you for Himself. He wants you to be whole, inside and out. He wants you to be walking in all the freedom and confidence as He did. You don't need permission to start looking like Him. Just ask. And then jump. :)