When I look back over the last two years I feel so thankful. It has been the two most difficult years of my life but simultaneously also the two best years of my life!
I've started to long for the moments where the Voice of God fills the presence of my small studio in the early morning light. I've come to realize that I cannot walk one step without my Father showing me the way. I am humbled and deeply aware of the fact that these last two years have nothing to do with me, and everything to do with the Lord Jesus Christ. I've been resting in His presence, and oh, how my soul longed for His rest. God started revealing Himself to me and I've been in AWE as each day brought more of Him, drew me closer INTO HIM. My heart started dancing with Him in the everyday moments, in the run-of-the-mill moments I've come to know the Love of a King. I started to see grace in every breath, in every moment of stillness, and also in the moments where my strength failed and He showed up every single time. This I'm most thankful for, this is the secret treasure that I will always guard in my heart.
The word Faith means to be persuaded, to be convinced, the more we look at the Cross, the more we are convinced of God's righteousness, fairness, and goodness towards us, the more we behold His Image, His Glory, we will be changed into His image. From GLORY TO GLORY.
If we want our children to be grounded in the Truth. To have their identity firmly established in Jesus, they need to know who God is first. Who is the Good Sheperd and their Father God? My prayer is that the Holy Spirit guide me into the way, to lead me on this journey of being their Mom. As I'm walking with these two little ones, may they come to know the One who is walking with us every step of the way?
God made man to be in relationship with Him and to be an expression of God's character. God made man to have dominion over creation and to multiply so that all of creation can see what God is like. This was God's original plan, since the beginning, even before sin entered the world:
A multitude of spirit-filled believers in His Image, ruling with Him over all of creation.
This is the mystery of the Kingdom. We see it running like a thread through the Bible.
In Exodus 33:18 Moses asked the Lord to show him His glory. He wanted to see God's glory. God answered him in verse 19 and said: I will proclaim the name of the Lord before you.
Exodus 34:6 "And the Lord passed before him and proclaimed, "The Lord, the Lord God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering and abounding in goodness and truth, keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin..."
God revealed His characteristics to Moses by proclaiming His Name:
God is Love, Peace, Truth, Goodness, Mercy, Gracious, Just. These characteristics of God are the GLORY of God that Moses asked to see.
In 1 John 4:12 we read: "No one has seen God at any time. If we love one another, God abides in us, and His love has been perfected in us."
God's plan and purpose are for Spirit-filled believers in His Image, radiating His Love and Glory(who He is) to the world. How can we do this? When we walk in a close relationship with God, His love will overflow through us. We can radiate the image or glory of God to the rest of creation.
In the next few posts, I want to look at the characteristics of the Lord as He revealed Himself to Moses in Exodus 33:18. My prayer is that the Holy Spirit will dwell with us, in the every day, in the moments we need Him the most so that through His instruction we can have Life.
My husband is amazing! He is a humble God-fearing man that always seeks after the will of God. He is also an amazing father to our two children. While he was away on one of his recent mission trips we decided we wanted to have a barbeque. I started to get the charcoal and firelighters ready while the children went for a dip in the pool. My son quickly took over when he saw his Mom struggling and before I knew it Divan made a fire and started the barbeque all on his own. Like Father like son! I realized that because Divan spent time with his dad and listened to Frank's instruction, he could effortlessly take over the task of "braai-master". May our children grow in the knowledge of their heavenly Father as we spend time with the Holy Spirit. As they look onto the One that created them for His Glory, may they become the expression of His character.
Exodus 25:8 And let them make me a sanctuary, that I may dwell among them.
Equipping a Royal Priesthood, a generation to rule and multiply.
Kettle Prayer suggestions:
Lord Jesus, change our hearts and renew our understanding. Open my children's eyes to who YOU ARE. As you reveal Yourself to them may they come to realize who they truly are.
Amen
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