I don't know about you - but I need a light source....
A couple of weeks ago - as I stood at my kitchen sink doing dishes - out of the darkness I prayed, "Jesus. give me something." Not really expecting a reply - I clearly heard a 'whisper': "I'll meet you in My Word." It caught me off guard, honestly. It was so real. So exact.
In the moments that followed that quick and quiet little dialogue we had at the sink - He met me in scripture after scripture after scripture. Scriptures that spoke directly to many of the issues that were ailing me that day. It's His specialty. Bringing light into the darkness is His thing. And the Word is often times how He does it.
I've felt so convicted of this lately. It's been all over my heart and consistently on my mind - that the Word is an amazingly awesome light - for my life - and yours.
Do I really get that? Do I really believe that the Lord will reveal Himself to me in The Bible? Am I giving Him a chance to lead me in to some seriously supernatural stuff - through scripture? Hardly.
This is a monstrosity, really. It's devastating to my faith. It keeps me in the dark. But when I open that Book and I ask Him to make it fresh and alive and new to me - it's like I'm opening the curtains to let some Son light in.
You should try it. For some of us - the pages are gonna stick together because it's bran spankin' new. For some of us - when we crack it open it's gonna have that just-off-the-shelf smell. Or maybe even a mothball smell. For some of us it's gonna seem silly. And monotonous. And weird. But let's do it anyway. If you are like me - you're in need of some light-bulb moments. Maybe even desperate for them.You need a slither of light to shine through. You need some brightness - And He'll bring it.
See for yourselves:
Then Jesus spoke to them again saying, "I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life."
John 8:12 (NKJV)I have come as a light into the world, that whoever believes in Me should not abide in darkness.
John 12:46 (NKJV)
It started when God said, "Light up the darkness!" and our lives filled up with light as we saw and understood God in the face of Christ, all bright and beautiful.
2 Corinthians 4:6 (The Message)Let's switch gears for a moment. Take another look at that last scripture. It talks about "the face of Christ". Remember this post? The one where I talked about Jesus' face - and all the crazy and uncanny ways that very topic came up over a span of just a couple of months? Well I have another one for you.
My Mom called me up one day - and said, "Sugar, you HAVE to read Heaven is for Real by Todd Burpo. It's about a little boy who actually went to Heaven. You must read it. There's some things in it I think you'll appreciate." Being the skeptic that I am - I almost scoffed at the title. "Really? A boy who went to Heaven? We'll see." Two days later - I'm walking through our church with my family and some friends of ours stopped to give us something. Guess what it was? Yep. That book... Heaven is for Real. Out of nowhere - for no particular reason - these sweet friends of ours gifted us with that book. "Maybe there's something to this", I thought. Having a hunch that it was a "God-thing" - I dove right in. Look what I found...
As Colton - the little boy who went to Heaven - explained to his Dad what Jesus looked like he said, "And His eyes....oh, Dad, his eyes are so pretty!" People. If you read my post about this very thing - you get how huge that statement is for me. The book mentioned it again though - this time from a little girl - an art prodigy who lived in the home of an atheist - who had visions of Heaven herself. Describing Jesus she said, "He's very masculine, really strong and big. And his eyes are just beautiful." If you haven't - please read my 'A Whirlwind of Whispers' post. And you'll see why these revelations from these young kids are such a big deal to me. And then let's recap:
1) For months - everything I run into pertains to "Jesus' eyes and face". And I wrote a blog post on it.
2) My Mom calls and tells me I need to read the Heaven is for Real book.
3) Two days later - I receive the book - From people who don't even know I have a blog or that my Mom mentioned it.
4) In the book - I run into two more thoughts about Jesus' eyes and face.
The Lord reeeally wants me to get this. He's after me on it. Do you know He is after YOU for something, too? He has some light for you that He wants to shed. He looks on you with compassion and longs for you to seek Him...His light and His grace and His healing. It's true. Please don't forget who you are dealing with here... the woman who writes this has known the darkness of doubt. And skepticism. And spiritual blindness. If I can see Jesus pursuing me....If I can sit here and type this in all honesty and integrity and with an ethically upright heart....If I can look around and truly see a God who loves me and longs for me - any ol' person can.
He'll reveal Himself to you. And the light he sheds on your life will change you for good. You know that kitchen sink conversation I had with Him? It wasn't just for me. He's saying, "I'll meet you in My Word." to your sweet soul, too.
The Light is shining. You just need to peel back the curtains a little.
My Mom called me up one day - and said, "Sugar, you HAVE to read Heaven is for Real by Todd Burpo. It's about a little boy who actually went to Heaven. You must read it. There's some things in it I think you'll appreciate." Being the skeptic that I am - I almost scoffed at the title. "Really? A boy who went to Heaven? We'll see." Two days later - I'm walking through our church with my family and some friends of ours stopped to give us something. Guess what it was? Yep. That book... Heaven is for Real. Out of nowhere - for no particular reason - these sweet friends of ours gifted us with that book. "Maybe there's something to this", I thought. Having a hunch that it was a "God-thing" - I dove right in. Look what I found...
As Colton - the little boy who went to Heaven - explained to his Dad what Jesus looked like he said, "And His eyes....oh, Dad, his eyes are so pretty!" People. If you read my post about this very thing - you get how huge that statement is for me. The book mentioned it again though - this time from a little girl - an art prodigy who lived in the home of an atheist - who had visions of Heaven herself. Describing Jesus she said, "He's very masculine, really strong and big. And his eyes are just beautiful." If you haven't - please read my 'A Whirlwind of Whispers' post. And you'll see why these revelations from these young kids are such a big deal to me. And then let's recap:
1) For months - everything I run into pertains to "Jesus' eyes and face". And I wrote a blog post on it.
2) My Mom calls and tells me I need to read the Heaven is for Real book.
3) Two days later - I receive the book - From people who don't even know I have a blog or that my Mom mentioned it.
4) In the book - I run into two more thoughts about Jesus' eyes and face.
The Lord reeeally wants me to get this. He's after me on it. Do you know He is after YOU for something, too? He has some light for you that He wants to shed. He looks on you with compassion and longs for you to seek Him...His light and His grace and His healing. It's true. Please don't forget who you are dealing with here... the woman who writes this has known the darkness of doubt. And skepticism. And spiritual blindness. If I can see Jesus pursuing me....If I can sit here and type this in all honesty and integrity and with an ethically upright heart....If I can look around and truly see a God who loves me and longs for me - any ol' person can.
He'll reveal Himself to you. And the light he sheds on your life will change you for good. You know that kitchen sink conversation I had with Him? It wasn't just for me. He's saying, "I'll meet you in My Word." to your sweet soul, too.
The Light is shining. You just need to peel back the curtains a little.
