| Wait for the Wind (Rest and Shalom) |
A Season of Lights - Day 1 - Wait for the Wind
A few days ago one of our friends had a powerful vision as she was waiting on the Lord. She saw the story from Mark 4 of Jesus and His disciples in the boat.
That day when evening came, he said to his disciples, 'Let us go over to the other side.' Leaving the crowd behind, they took him along, just as he was, in the boat. There were also other boats with him. A furious squall came up, and the waves broke over the boat, so that it was nearly swamped. Jesus was in the stern, sleeping on a cushion. The disciples woke him and said to him, 'Teacher, don't you care if we drown?'
He got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves, 'Quiet! Be still!' Then the wind died down and it was completely calm.
He said to his disciples, 'Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?' Mark 4:35-40
As the vision progressed to her surprise she saw the waves were not made of water but masses of people who were flapping their arms up and down like a bird. Their furious actions were producing a huge wind that was threatening to capsize the boat. Just as it looked like the boat would be swamped, Jesus stood up and commanded to the human-engineered wave "Quiet! Be still!"
Then she heard the Spirit of God say, "I am calming the winds of self-drivenness that have caused much adversity and have wearied My people. Be still, and know that I am God. (Psalm 46:10). In this season wait for My wind to come so that you can soar to where I want to take you without becoming weary and fainting.'
Do you not know? Have you not heard? The Everlasting God, the LORD, the Creator of the ends of the earth does not become weary or tired. His understanding is inscrutable. He gives strength to the weary, and to him who lacks might He increases power. Though youths grow weary and tired, and vigorous young men stumble badly, yet those who wait for the LORD will gain new strength; they will mount up with wings like eagles. They will run and not get tired, They will walk and not become weary. Isaiah 40:28-41:1
As we stand poised to enter the Promised Land and possess our inheritances, God wants to prepare us by establishing His body in a deeper revelation of rest.
Rest doesn't mean that we sit back and do nothing. Rest is a position that we maintain in our spirits – regardless of how busy we are or how much work we are doing. It is the peaceful "settledness" that is a natural byproduct of our faith in God – our revelation of who He is and the depth of His love for us.
God wants to silence the voices of fear and human performance that drive us to labour in our own strength.
Just as faith is at the foundation of rest, fear is at the foundation of drivenness. Wherever we have fear in our lives we have an absence of revelation of who God really is.
God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in him. In this way, love is made complete among us so that we will have confidence on the day of judgment, because in this world we are like him. There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love. 1 John 4:16-18
Even when we have good intentions, if our efforts to serve God are powered by fear (fear of failure, rejection, loss etc) or human weakness (pride, jealousy, anger, offense, etc.) we will find that we are flapping our arms under our own strength. This may generate a lot of wind but the wind can endanger the kingdom as much as it can help it. What's more instead of being energized by the Spirit's power and rest, we will find ourselves drained and wearied.
'Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take
my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.'
Matthew 11:28-30
There are many ways in which we can move out of rest. Some people are self-driven in their efforts (those flapping their arms) but others are like the disciples in this story – becoming anxious over the human-driven waves because they are fearful that God's purposes will be delayed or aborted.
There is a fine line we must walk between stewarding a vision and taking possession of it. As stewards God entrusts us to take care of a vision/purpose according to the measure of grace that He releases to us for the task. But if we try to take possession of this vision/purpose, we are assuming the burden both to fulfill and protect the vision. Not only will this weary us (because we are carrying a burden that isn't ours) but becoming "vision focused" can open a door for the enemy to deceive us into justifying ungodly and unloving behaviours even against other brothers and sisters in the body in the name of "protecting the vision of God".
If we are those who are flapping our arms or those who are afraid of the turmoil we see in the church around us the Lord's message to us in this season is the same: Peace! Be Still! He who began a good work is well able to complete it!
As Chanukah begins, a representation of national leaders will be meeting in a convent in the city of Chateauguay (just outside Montreal). The motto of the city's coat of arms is "unita fortior" – united we are stronger. The convent is located right near one of the oldest windmills in North America – it seems God is determined we don't miss the message of waiting for His wind!
- from friend in Hong Kong
No comments:
Post a Comment