And just as it is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment, so Christ, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time, not to deal with sin but to save those who are eagerly waiting for him. Hebrews 9:27-28
Is that you? Do you have a deep longing with your heart and soul to be with Jesus? While we have the constant Presence of the Holy Spirit — we can still feel the distance and anticipation of the coming reunion celebration. We work with all diligence everyday to do all the things He has placed in our hearts being His ambassadors to the world around us. Pressing into His life and Spirit to have His power and love flow through us for the salvation and redemption of those ‘marked’ by God as His. How do we know? Who? What? When? These questions require an intimate moment by moment relationship with the indwelling Presence of the Holy Spirit who resides within us, and prayerful listening conversations with Him.
Nothing satisfies our soul like His Presence and seeing Him work in, through, and around our lives. It is the very purpose that God made us. Fellowship with Him, and being loved by Him — sets us in His ‘flow’. But how do we stay in that flow of His river of ‘life’ and purpose day to day?
Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God. Hebrews 12:1-2
“Lay aside….” What are those things in your soul and heart closets, deep and locked away in the dark …you don’t want to face? What are those things the Holy Spirit has asked you to ‘deal with’ but you’ve continually denied that they exist? These are the ‘weights’ you don’t realize are holding you back and hindering your swim within His ‘river’ and your forward progress with Him. Are your courageous enough to ask Him to show you those ‘weights’ that hinder your ‘race’? Are you brave enough to face them and ask Him for His help with them? This is the ‘mark’ of one of His. Advancing in maturity, wisdom, and repentance before Him. Submitting to Him every morning, asking for and waiting for His daily instructions. Being determined to ‘walk with Him’ every step of the day.
As we all have a daily purpose for that which we were created by Him to do … but that will only be found through close intimacy with Him via His Holy Spirit. Entering into that ‘flow’ and river is a choice… He wants us to make. He never forces us to choose Him, but eagerly waits for us to join Him.
Do you recognize Him …waiting for you each morning? Does that thought make you smile? Or does it make your cringe? The status of those feelings might have to do with those ‘weights’ not yet dealt with .. deep within your soul. Today is the … day. Now is the …time.
Lord Jesus … draw near to us…
2 thoughts on “Swimming in His River”
This is so thought provoking. We often hinder ourselves and don’t realize it. Most of the time because we don’t ask the hard questions because we don’t always want to hear the answer or to have to feel those feelings that we have to feel in the processing of dealing with the deep rooted things. However when we do what can bloom out of that is far more worth it then being stuck in the space we continuously find ourselves being stuck.
Amen.