"And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God's love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries for tomorrow - not even the powers of hell can separate us from God's love. No power in the sky above or in the earth below - indeed nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 8:38-39
nothing means nothing. "not anything; no single thing" and Abba, through the pen of Paul, repeats Himself just in case we don't get it the first time. "nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God!" and does not every heart need this reminder at some point in time? and as He whispers this promise so exquisite, He is fully aware of the circumstances in which each and every heart is living. broken hearts. broken homes. broken promises. illness and disease of all type, be it physical, mental, emotional. bills unpaid, job lost, home lost. for many, even country lost. and any dream shattered, any life traumatized, any pain, be it large or small, is held close to His heart. yet each heart must be willing to take a step... a step of faith. giving all the somethings (the opposite of nothing) into His pierced hands. for if we hold on to that over which we have no control, the peace which accompanies this love so stunning will evaporate like the morning mist. and never, ever forget that those same hands are the hands on which our names are engraved, written with the blood of Jesus. and never does He need to rewrite a name. His love is for all time and eternity.
"Just as you cannot understand the path of the wind or the mystery of a tiny baby growing in its mother's womb, so you can not understand the activity of God who does all things." Ecclesiastes 11:5 the wind. always moving. always swirling. always changing. at times forceful, moving all in its path. other times gentle, a caressing breeze refreshing. invisible in and of itself, yet visible when tracing its path. and does that not describe our God? His love is furious. His love is glorious. His love is relentless. and ununderstandable. for a love that pursues to the last heartbeat no matter how far the heart may have strayed is a love not easily comprehended. a love that took on human skin and walked the road to the cross as Jesus walked willingly and love held Him to the cross, not nails. and even the criminal hanging on the cross beside Him was not beyond the love of the cross.
this is a love beyond what this heart can fathom. and as the wind blows so moves His Spirit. the Spirit cannot be defined. the Spirit cannot be boxed in. no. for the wind of the Spirit moves and dances twirls and spins within hearts willing to follow His lead. for His love is the dance. and everything is because of the cross. His love and grace pour over us as waves of mercy pull us into His arms of love.
heaven wept. for how could it not? the very Son of God, God Himself, had just been nailed to a cross. heaven wept. the Father wept. for He knew the plan of redemption involved turning His face away from His Son. the plan set in place long before time had begun. all was hushed as tears fell like rain.
angels stood with breath held as they watched Jesus struggle for each breath He took. heaven heard each word uttered from the cross. heaven was silent as Jesus asked His Abba to forgive the very ones holding hammers. heaven heard Jesus welcome a criminal deserving death into life eternal with Him. and for one brief moment, heaven again rejoiced. the love of a Son for His mother brought tears flowing fast as Jesus lovingly gave her to the one He loved. and as darkness inky black covered the land, heaven was without sound. even tears fell in silence as heaven continued to weep.
as time on earth seemed to stand still, a cry pierced the Father's heart. "My Father! My Abba! Why have You abandoned Me?" a cry met with complete and total absence of sound. silence as heaven wept. hours passing like years brought thirst intense to the human man still fully God, who was hanging suspended between heaven and earth. and the enemy rejoiced, thinking surely he had won. and heaven wept as a cry split the darkness and tore the veil. "It. Is. Finished." reverberated from earth to heaven to earth as it echoed from mountain tops to ocean shores to cities far and near, in every language to every nation and people. "Abba, I entrust My spirit into Your hands." and heaven wept with those who loved Jesus. the ones watching from a distance. they thought the story had ended. tears flowed from hearts broken for 3 days.
but. then. Sunday. came.
angels rejoiced as death was defeated forever, the plan of salvation now complete. and all heaven sings: "Worthy is the Lamb who was slaughtered - to receive power and riches and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and blessing!" Revelation 5:12
My beloved one ~ for just a moment you are thrown into a story that isn't about you yet is about you. fear strikes deep. you look for a place to hide. then you whisper My name. and. here. I. am. allow yourself to sink into My arms. the reality of pain, My child, is real. especially pain resulting from evil. and the question your heart asks of Me over and over is profound: "where. were. You?" perhaps even: "where. are. You?"
O My precious child, I was there. never did and never will I leave you! My own tears mingle with yours. and listen closely, My beloved... what the enemy means for evil I always use for good! every moment every circumstance everything that ever happens is part of your story. is part of our story. now enter My story for a moment. from the dawn of time, I knew. I knew what would happen. the plan of redemption was laid out before the morning stars first sang. I knew My precious Son would leave heaven... leave My side and become one of the created. I knew the dusty paths He would have to walk. I knew the rejection and ridicule He would face. I knew the agony He would suffer and I knew I would have to turn My face away. and I already heard His cry, "My God! My God! Why have You forsaken Me?" I. knew. all. I knew His side would be pierced. I knew He would be laid in a tomb. I knew three days would pass. but I also knew that Sunday would come! I knew He would rise again!
I allowed all this to happen. and do you know why, My child? because I love you. because I love every heart which has beat, is beating, or ever will beat. I defeated death and the enemy forever! are his forces still at work? oh yes. does he have any power over those who call on My name? no. you are Mine! you are washed in My blood! you are My bride, dressed in beautiful, purest white.
when you whisper My name you are reminded that you are Mine. fear has no power over you. and I promise that always I am taking that which appears to be in ruins... that which the enemy meant for evil... and bringing beauty unimaginable! that which was shattered in now a prism through which My light and My love shine in radiance. and you, child, are that prism. the pieces of glass once shattered are held together by My hand of loving tenderness and My light shimmers and dances through the beauty of you.
