A scarlet thread runs through the Bible of Jesus our Redeemer. Like an intricate 3D puzzle You have compacted the Word with the same truths over and over again: truths of Your love, Your everlasting covenant for Your presence, protection and provision. Like a master-mind in chess, a maestro jazz player, a tantalizing poet, a painter who reveals by hiding in shades and dimensions, God... the diversity in Your Word comes together like an array of light waves to give us one white light truth: You love us, You love us, You love us and You've destined us to know You and to be with you forever.
In Hosea 2: 19-20 You declare:
"I will betroth you to Me forever;
Yes, I will betroth you to Me
In righteousness and justice,
In lovingkindness and mercy;
I will betroth you to Me in faithfulness,
And you shall know the Lord."
Father, by Your ordinance You say "You shall know the Lord forever as husband". The church and I, the bride of Jesus, will live in intimate fellowship with You forever. Because You spoke it, it is a done deal. You do not love me as one loves a pet, a favorite sport, a treasured possession. You love me forever, a million times more intense, more sacrificially, more tenderly than a bridegroom his bride. You are more interested in me, more fascinated by me, You delight in me more, You want to make me more happy than a husband ever can. And this is not only a promise. It is already true.
No matter my prostitute-like unfaithfulness, You are faithful. No matter, no matter, You want to be known by me. Wow... the privilege. Father, You have availed Yourself to be KNOWN and UNDERSTOOD by me (Jer 9: 24). How absolutely mind-blowing. You are not aloof and distant though You are God. You are kind, gentle, long-suffering. And because You are just You sent Christ the Righteous to pay the penalty for our unrighteousness (Jer 9: 24).
Like You provided Christ for our atonement, so You have given us the seeds to know You. It is my destiny, my certain future to know and understand the living God. Ahhhhh!!! You said that You Yourself will write Your laws on my heart (Heb 8: 10, 10: 16 and Jer 31: 33). You will not only write them on my heart, but also in my mind that I may consciously know them. And by Your grace I will obey them that You may increase Your living Word in me.
Proverbs 4: 22 says Your words are life and health to those who find them. Moreover, Your Words are seeds that have my sure destiny written in their DNA. I can choose which seed I will take and plant. Seeds for financial blessings, seeds for artistic ability, seeds for servanthood, seeds for giving, seeds for operating in the gifts of the Spirit, seeds for knowledge, etc? And once I do so, You take over and allow the mystery of growth. Like a pear farmer cannot determine the shape or sweetness of the pears that will grow in his grove, so I can also but plant the seed for You have taken care of the engineered perfection of how that hard pip will develop and become the phenomenon called a pear. Hallelujah, hallelujah. My part is so minute, but without it the potential will lie within my reach, but it will remain seemingly life-less. Oh Jesus.
The centurion's logic is here to help us that You may also call our faith great. PLANT THE INCORRUPTIBLE SEED OF THE WORD. In the natural it is such a straightforward thing, forgive me for having missed it so often in the spiritual. And the best part is, the seed I plant can include everything from the most mundane natural need to the most privileged spiritual truth.
Father, I am greedy for the best in You, I hunger to know the mysteries of Your heart, of heaven, of Your will. Oh, I know this is a scary thing to desire. For it will mean death to my flesh, denial and sacrifice of my self-interests and comforts, staying on top of that stormy lake, entering fires, lions' dens and prisons, yet remaining unmoved in the knowledge of You. But we talk about this another time.
I rejoice over the revelation that "it has been given to me to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven" (Mat 13: 11), and it is up to me how I will be faithful in these gifts that You can give me more (Mat 13: 12). You have blessed my spiritual eyes and ears to receive the hidden truths of the spiritual realm (Mat 13: 16). Hidden truths from the throne room of God, hidden truths from the heart of God.
Father, like a tree, I abide in You and Your Word that my roots may grow deep and strong, that I may be able to withstand storms and spiritually feed and provide the comfort of shade for many. Father, I pray that my prosperity and good success (Josh 1: 8)be for Your glory to love and nurture others.
The biggest mystery to be mulled over is that Christ is the hope of glory in us who believe in Him (Col 1: 27). And because Jesus, Your Spirit lives in me (Rom 8:9) and I abide in You, I will bear the fruits You have destined for my life (John 15: 4-5).
Father, thank You for having blessed me with eyes and ears that see and hear. Thank You for the parable of the landlord who gave his servants talents. Father, even if You gave me only one talent, the Faithful One lives in me and I abide in Him, therefore I know I will be so very faithful - because I know You are good and You are a rewarder of those who live by faith (Heb 11: 6).
Forgive me please for the times I hid my talents out of fear that You are a hard man, thus out of a lack of believing in Your goodness and wisdom. Please forgive me for the times I hid my talents out of laziness and the wickedness of my heart which would blind my eyes and deafen my ears.
Thank You Father for Your mercies that are new every morning (Lam 3:22-23) and that You have given me Your Word by which my natural man can be transformed from day to day (Rom 12: 2).
Father, thank You for this exciting journey with You.
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