Hi how are you all today? I am great and have just returned from a weekend writers retreat. The chance to spend time with my writer friends is great. Do you ever go away on weekends to retreats?
For this blog, I felt God say to me that it was to be called this time. I have blogged on this time before which was only a few months ago. So we will see what God reveals in this blog.
This time- it doesn’t mean a thing that happened yesterday or will happen tomorrow- it is a right now command. This time won’t you give it to me, this time won’t you surrender that thing, this time will you really trust God.
This time stated this way is a little bit scary. Because it insinuates that we have been down this road before. It is not a final statement from God but it feels like it. It feels like God is wanting us to really deal with that thing now- one more time and forever.
2 Corinthians 6:1-2 in the Message Bible states:
Companions as we are in this work with you, we beg you, please don’t squander one bit of this marvelous life God has given us. God reminds us,
I heard your call in the nick of time;
The day you needed me, I was there to help.
Well, now is the right time to listen, the day to be helped.
It is the last part of those verses I want to look at. It says that now is the right time to listen and the day to be helped. There is an urgency in those words.
Jesus is coming back soon and He is coming back for a spotless bride. So my question to all of us is- what things do we need to get rid of in order to become spotless. Is there something in our lives marring that relationship with God? Is there something that we are hiding from God or holding back from God that needs to be brought into the light?
This sounds harsh but I want you to know that Jesus and the Holy Spirit are gentle with us. They don’t come in like bulldozers but more like gentlemen- wanting to help but just waiting for the invitation.
Let’s look at how Jesus dealt with Peter after Peter denied ever knowing Him. The story is found in John 21.
Peter decided that if Jesus was dead, they may as well go back to what they were doing before. Before the cross, Jesus told Peter that it was entrusted to Him to build Jesus’ church. But in the grief of what had happened, Peter forgot the promise.
So Jesus came to restore him but it was a critical and a this time moment.
In verses 15 – 19, it states:
15 After breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these?”
“Yes, Master, you know I love you.”
Jesus said, “Feed my lambs.”
16 He then asked a second time, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?”
“Yes, Master, you know I love you.”
Jesus said, “Shepherd my sheep.”
17-19 Then he said it a third time: “Simon, son of John, do you love me?”
Peter was upset that he asked for the third time, “Do you love me?” so he answered, “Master, you know everything there is to know. You’ve got to know that I love you.”
Jesus said, “Feed my sheep.
Jesus gently restored Peter is a this time moment. Peter had denied Jesus three times so Jesus undid it by asking him three questions. When we look at the questions, they were nearly the same- do you love Me.
Jesus is gently asking us the same. Do you love Me more than these? These what- these friends, these likes on social media, these promotions, these leadership roles etc.
This time it is crucial that we make the decision to say yes to Jesus. There is a bride Jesus is coming back for and we all want to be part of it.
So this week, ask Jesus- what is it this time that I need to surrender. He will let you know if you are open to receiving. I hope we all are.
Bless you heaps and keep living the life God intended for you.
Karen
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