This word began as a conversation. The Lord continues to surprise me with His way of speaking.
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“I want to ask you a favor.”
(Yes. I’m listening.)
“I want to ask you to guide Me.”
(I don’t understand. How do I guide YOU?)
“You are the Light of the world. You are nearing the end of the age. Guide Me into the lives of others. Take Me to them. Yes, I lead the way. But your guidance of Me and My message of salvation – these are still needed. I guide you in the way I want you to go. Your task is to follow Me. A commander guides. Soldiers behind the commander must guide themselves, their own bodies, their own actions, to follow. When you follow Me in My battles, you in a sense guide Me into My planned end. You are My hands and feet on earth. Through your actions and your words, you take Me there.
“Do you see this? Do you understand? I never ask nor expect you to command Me. I give you My plans in any given situation – and you must guide them home.
“Think on this. It is a meditation for you. Ponder upon it in the context of all I have taught you. You shall find revelation within.”
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Notes:
A few initial thoughts on this conversation–and may you find more revelation as you meditate on it. First, I’m well aware of God’s favor toward His people. It’s amazing to me that God would see our obedience to Him as extending Him favor. Second, a caution regarding God’s statement that we are “nearing the end of the age.” He’s spoken to us before of His timing. “Nearing” to the Lord can mean a long time to us. Through all I’ve learned from Him, it appears to me that generations still remain for us, God’s ekklesia, to carry out on this earth all He has set for us to do. And much of this task is to bring in His great harvest. Third–and the main point of this word–the oxymoron that God chooses to speak about our “guiding” Him even as we follow Him is a mind-bender for me. It causes me to consider in a whole new way the immense importance of whatever task He gives me to do.
Matthew 5:14-16: You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.
Acts 13:47: For this is what the Lord has commanded us: “I have made you a light for the Gentiles, that you may bring salvation to the ends of the earth.”
II Corinthians 4:6: For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,”made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of God’s glory displayed in the face of Christ.
Ephesians 5:8-11: For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light (for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness and truth) and find out what pleases the Lord. Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them.
Matthew 28:18-20: Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”
Ephesians 2:10: For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.
Colossians 3:23-24: Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ.
Titus 3:14: Our people must also learn to engage in good deeds to meet pressing needs, so that they will not be unproductive.
I Peter 4:7-11: The end of all things is near; therefore, be of sound judgment and sober spirit for the purpose of prayer. Above all, keep fervent in your love for one another, because love covers a multitude of sins. Be hospitable to one another without complaint. As each one has received a special gift, employ it in serving one another as good stewards of the multifaceted grace of God. Whoever speaks is to do so as one who is speaking actual words of God; whoever serves is to do so as one who is serving by the strength which God supplies; so that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom belongs the glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.
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