Walking the Tightrope~

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A few words from JESUS CALLING~

I want you to be all MINE. I am weaning you from other dependencies. (ouch) Your security rests in ME alone-not in other people, not in circumstances. Depending only on ME may feel like walking oan a tightrope but there is a safety net underneath: the everlasting arms. So don't be afraid of falling. Instead, look ahead to Me. I am always before you, beckoning you on- one step at a time.

Neither height nor depth nor anything else in all creation, can separate you from MY loving Presence.
Romans 8:39

Today, remember that feeling of walking a tightrope, hanging on, is really HIM weaning you from other things, distractions and He is WOOING you to HIM! Fall into His presence!
HOPE, HOPE, HOPE! you are not walking on that tightrope above a dark, bottomless pit!

Neither height nor depth nor anything else in all creation, can separate you from MY loving Presence.
Romans 8:39

Oh, To Be More Like Him~

Jesus prayed,

"Father, forgive them;

they don't know what they're doing."

Dividing up his clothes, they threw dice for them.

 The people stood there staring at Jesus,

and the ringleaders made faces, taunting,

 "He saved others. Let's see him save himself! The Messiah of God—ha!

The Chosen—ha!"

Luke 23:33-34 (Msg)

I've been reading through Luke this week
and keep going back to the incredible words CHRIST spoke while taking his last breath....
"Father, forgive them..."
As He was being mocked, beaten & 

nailed the cross, HE prayed this prayer! These people did not deserve forgiveness. But Jesus, through His kindness offered it to them. Forgiveness reaches out to the undeserving. I'm not sure I've EVER prayed that for anyone that was being remotely mean, rude, backstabbing, two-faced, vengeful, etc....and here was our Savior, left to die, sweating blood, taking on my sin and uttering these words..."Father, forgive them,

they do not know what they are doing?"

Wow! Because of the grace HE has extended to me, I will learn to pray these words for the ones that have/will hurt me.

Who am I, that I should not extend grace to others!? Who am I to decide if someone "deserves this forgiveness? I know I don't!! HE is so gracious, so beautiful and only by HIS power could we ever, ever begin to whisper this prayer. 

Forgiveness reaches out to the undeserving.

I am so unworthy of HIS love!

Holy Ground

I spent Sunday afternoon at the hospital with my young friend Michele. Michele was watching her mom live her last day on earth. My sweet friend is a new believer...a year into this new found relationship with Jesus. The body of Christ is new to her..she said several times that day, as her church family came and went, "How could I ever face this day without my new family"  Her biological family was nowhere around. I offered to pick up her brother but he was not interested or ready to come say good-bye yet. I knew I was watching the body of Christ in action. I knew I was witnessing the church do what it was meant to do. People that had never met this dying woman, bent over and caressed her face, prayed over her. The Holy Spirit was in the room, heavy, I could feel it so clearly....even though  this soul in that bed had never confessed Jesus out loud. In fact, had denounced and ridiculed her daughter for loving this JESUS. Michele and her mom didn't have the typical mother/daughter bond...yet Michele became Jesus to the elderly woman in her last days. The mom's body lay curled up in the cold hospital bed as she struggled to breath. I felt like was a fly on the wall, possibly intruding on this sacred moment. But as we circled that bed, we never wanted to lose a moment of praying and singing over this precious lady, for we knew she would be walking into eternity before a new day dawned. Our prayer is that in the midst of the medication, in the midst of the pain, in the midst of trying to breath, that Debbie knew her daughter was right, Jesus is the answer, that she knew that people around her were the real deal, it was Holy Ground...right there in room 2405....

"Every knee will bow and every tongue confess that JESUS CHRIST IS LORD!"

I cannot end this without sharing that 12 hours before Michele's mom took her last breath....Michele's son was baptized in front of his new family...all of his adopted aunts and uncles that adore his little face! Michele has started a new story for her precious son. A story that will not end like her mom's....she has said to me before...

"AS FOR ME AND MY HOUSE,
 WE WILL SERVE THE LORD"

I'm so thankful that somewhere along the way, God's people reached out to this darling daughter of HIS and she is a new creation. She has a testimony like I've never heard before. She is strength and beauty..only because our Savior is overwhelmingly GOOD!!