Seeking the face of the Lord (Part 2)

As I began my morning, I found myself desiring God’s presence, so I began worshipping Him.  My worship time ended up with me on my knees just extolling His beauty before His throne.  Then there came further revelation regarding the past not dictating the present or even the future.

Jeremiah 31:3-10 (GWT)

³ The Lord appeared to me in a faraway place and said,

    “I love you with an everlasting love.
        So I will continue to show you my kindness.
⁴             Once again I will build you up,
                and you will be rebuilt, my dear people Israel.
            Once again you will take your tambourines,
                and you will go dancing with happy people.
⁵             Once again you will plant vineyards on the mountains of Samaria.
                Those who plant them will enjoy the fruit.
⁶     There will be a day when watchmen on the mountains of Ephraim
        will call out this message:
            ‘Arise! Let’s go to Zion, to the Lord our God.’”

⁷ This is what the Lord says:

    Sing a happy song about Jacob.
    Sing joyfully for the leader of the nations.
    Shout, sing praise, and say,
        “O Lord, rescue your people, the remaining few from Israel.”

⁸     “I will bring them from the land of the north.
    I will gather them from the farthest parts of the earth.
        Blind people and lame people will return
            together with pregnant women and those in labor.
                A large crowd will return here.
⁹                     They will cry as they return.
                    They will pray as I bring them back.
    I will lead them beside streams
        on a level path where they will not stumble.
            I will be a Father to Israel,
                and Ephraim will be my firstborn.

¹⁰     “You nations, listen to the word of the Lord.
    Tell it to the distant islands.
        Say, ‘The one who scattered the people of Israel will gather them
            and watch over them as a shepherd watches over his flock.’

It is so easy to blame this person or that ministry or whatever I feel may have caused the dry time (or desert experience) to occur in my life.  If I truly am the man of God that I say I am, then I must come to grips and deal with the fact mentioned in verse 10 above which says that it was God who did the scattering, and God will bring the gathering.  I now see that the ‘scattering’ was for a greater purpose, as mentioned in verse 4 above “…Once again I will build you up, and you will be rebuilt, my dear people Israel.”

Here is the clincher for me, God knows me better than I know myself.  As God begins the rebuilding of His people, verse 9 says it all…
”They will cry as they return, They will pray as I bring them back.
    I will lead them beside streams, on a level path where they will not stumble.
            I will be a Father to Israel, and Ephraim will be my firstborn.”

What an amazing picture of God’s people crying before Him and praying.  This is the Lord's work bringing His people back into right relationship with their Heavenly Father once again, being rebuilt and the tears are flowing with gratitude, gratitude for the streams of mercy flowing beside them.  The level path with no obstacles. 

That is truly where I find myself today!

My journey through the dry desert places is over. 

So what does all this mean and how does it apply?  I believe that our Lord is big enough to not just be the Lord of our present day life experience, but He is also the Lord of the past.  He orchestrated the past to bring us to where we are now in the present.  Even though the past experiences may have been easy or even a hard struggle to get through (-depending on circumstance), yet we are not to hold on to those experiences, but to release them to Him so that we may receive His mercy and grace to move on with our lives and participate in what He wants for us now.

Lord, once again I thank you for where you have taken me, and now where you have brought me, it is a place where I can now receive your love more fully.   It is never been an easy journey for me, but it has been memorable and life changing.  I can only express my gratefulness to you for your mercy and grace you have given me throughout the years.  I release to you my past, so it won’t hold me back from the present and the future that you have desired for me.  Thank you Jesus.

Stephen Barnett

"The Heart Of Worship"

Words and Music by Matt Redman

Song Link:  http://grooveshark.com/s/Satisfied/4RlKbU?src=5

:

When the music fades, all is stripped away,

And I simply come
Longing just to bring something that's of worth
That will bless Your heart


     I'll bring You more than a song

For a song in itself,
     Is not what you have required
     You search much deeper within,
     Through the way things appear
     You're looking into my heart

  
     I'm coming back to the heart of worship
     And it's all about You
     It's all about You, Jesus
     I'm sorry, Lord for the thing I've made it
     When it's all about You
     It's all about You, Jesus


 King of endless worth, no one could express,
 How much You deserve
 Though I'm weak and poor, all I have is Yours,
 Every single breath

©1997 Kingsway / Thank you Music  CCLI #2296522

           Chord Chart link:  http://www.worshiparchive.com/song/the-heart-of-worship