I have to discipline myself lately when it comes to writing. I sit at a computer all day at work so sitting at a computer at home is not my first choice. But recently I was asked to write what I shared with a friend lately. She gently reminded me that I needed to use a gift The Lord gave me. So here goes........
I work as an assistant in a firm that does financial planning. Right now that is not the most promising job considering the upheaval of the economy and the manipulation of the market. The men I work for are believers that are constantly seeking God for wisdom and direction for their clients. As I sit nearby hearing their daily discussions, I feel that I need to find a quiet place to pray. As a widow who lives alone, it is easy to feel overwhelmed with the ongoing words we hear about an economical crash. Some preach gloom and doom, others prosperity and ease. I choose to pray and hear what the Spirit is saying to me.
One morning as I laid out all my cares to Jesus, His voice came, as it often does, gently but strong.
He said, "Have I taken care of you so far?" "Yes Lord", I replied. "Then you need to continue to trust Me." Just then I had a vision of Sabbaday Falls on the Kangamangas Highway. I went on vacation in North Conway with a friend and took her there this summer. It is very beautiful and an easy hike. When I was there this time I took the time to read every plaque. My friend likes to do that too so we were not in a hurry. The falls used to cascade straight down the mountain many years ago next to a large ledge near the top. Some catastrophic occurrence split the ledge causing half of it to fall and lodge itself some ways below. This caused a total turn of the falls to the right, making it go in another direction altogether. As I read this I took note of the wall of rock that blocked the cascade from continuing in its usual direction.
So here I am sitting at my kitchen table seeing this scene and hearing this verse......
The king's heart is a stream of water in the hand of the LORD; he turns it wherever he will. Proverbs 21:1
He said that I have experienced what seemed like a catastrophic experience which caused my whole life to shift direction. I was devastated and grieved but like the falls the flow continued unhindered. He is the living water that flows in my innermost being. I always have felt His Presence, even in the darkest places.
He began to tell me that cataclysmic circumstances were coming to this country and still for many in the body of Christ as individuals and groups. Some of us (and I'm including myself) get in a rut, we are used to what we are used to and as we get older we dig even deeper into our ruts of existence. We think we are led by the Spirit but we are "comfortably led" where we are...... well....comfortable. He wants us to move in a new direction, we feel the stirrings, yet we ignore them or we doubt them. In the end, by His eternal grace He lets things "fall". Circumstances out of our control change our existence, our path. We are in new territory, totally out of our "skin" and the only thing to do is look to Him and trust.
The wonderful surprise in all of this? His river of life flowing out in newness. Though we find the surroundings changed, the rut is gone and fresh revival is started in our hearts. What we feared most is not fearful anymore because He is there with us. And as long as He is with us, no matter what the future holds, we bring His hope, His joy, and His love into it. This new path may be unknown to us, but He knows it and He will meet us there.
The news we hear is dreadful at times and there is so much despair in the world. Unless the church is shaken out of its rutful existence we will miss this opportunity to let Him flow through us in places where we would never go on our own. Sabbaday Falls actually was aptly named Sabbath Day Falls at one time. Sabbath means rest, not fear, not torment but rest. Resting in His arms, trusting in Him even in the darkest of times. This will testify to a lost and dying world that our Savior lives.
May we hear what the Spirit is saying and recognize what He is doing for He is faithful who called us.
