Love Came Down
So we will begin by exploring a room in my house. It is a nice - sized room in the middle of my home, painted a deep red. I would say it resembles the sanctuary of my heart where I have spent many hours with the Lord. It is filled with peaceful and quiet times, I have always kept this room neat and tidy. Peaking inside you would find my piano, my cello hanging from the wall, a grandfather clock ticking , a comfy gray couch, two small reading chairs and an old black table with a vintage sewing machine inside that speaks to me of the work that God has done within me, from the inside out.
The Lord has built in me a solid foundation through the sanctifying work of Jesus Christ. Many of the man-made walls in my heart have been torn down and rebuilt by the power of the Holy Spirit. However, I noticed that this didn’t always translate well to the world around me. Yes, the walls were rebuilt but the windows and doors were still closed and locked. I had a hard time letting people in and sharing my heart.
During this time I also began to notice that many of the doors in my home were coming off the hinges. The doors and doorknobs were literally falling apart. Our outdoor gate hinges were tearing off the frame, my son's bedroom door came off the track, my back entrance door lost its handle and the glass door to my “perfect” little sanctuary room literally fell off completely. Little did I know I would soon find out what this all meant, but I knew God was doing something!
Many things began to become unraveled this summer, with six sons things are bound to get a bit tricky at times. But this summer in particular everything seemed upside down. I remember being quite upset and I now also see a little bit self–righteous. You see, I thought that in my Christian household, everyone should obey and do what they were told, listen to the music I taught them to, and make wise, healthy, Godly choices. I was not seeing this at this time in my older children or in their choices.
As I cried out to the Lord “with all that I have done to raise my children in the ways that they should go”, I felt helpless and said, “This cannot be my house!” Immediately and quite clearly, I heard the Lord say, “No, it is mine, and then I heard “It is not the healthy that need a doctor but the sick. (Matthew 9:12) Next, the Lord said, “I sent my son to be their Savior and yours.”
To say the least I was humbled and repentant and with confession of this I began to put God back on the throne of my heart and home, more fully giving it all back to Him, my children, my home, and my heart.
It is not my kingdom come but His.
So, just weeks later I got the call every mom dreads. My son had a motorcycle accident. He suffered devasting breaks to both of His feet and they were not sure how things would go from here. One of the hardest things I had to do was to meet him in the emergency room not knowing how I would find him. I never really thought I could do hard things, but when you have to, the Lord carries you through the hardest of times.
There were so many emotions, so much heartache, at times I could barely breathe and had to just keep going. I was literally the hands and feet of Jesus to my son and it was an honor to be like Jesus would be to him and so eye opening to God’s Love for us.
There was a moment during all of this, between two of his many surgeries when my heart was torn in pieces, nights were sleepless, and days were endless. I was physically, emotionally, and mentally drained. When I finally realized I could not escape the pain that I have tried so long to avoid. It was then that I surrendered to the pain and began to praise…..and in that moment acceptance set in, things had to start looking different. I needed more reliance, more dependence, less worry, and a BIGGER FAITH!!! God is so present in our pain because our hearts are vulnerable and open to Him and in our weakness He is strong. I called out to God and asked Him to be my everything, my very life and breathe. I wasn’t the one who sustained the physical injuries but seeing my son going through this, broke so much of my heart.
This time in our lives included so many hard and beautiful moments. My “sanctuary room “, the room in the center of my home and heart, became my son's bedroom. It was no longer neat and tidy, but it was so beautiful!! And when He learned to play the piano, God touched my heart so deeply, just listening to him play.
I see now that it is not my children's choices or how well they listen to me that matters the most …but as they grow into their story, it is seeing the beauty of God transforming their hearts that matters above all.
Do you know that whatever you are going through right now is a Holy moment – a sacred experience?
Because Christ, The Holy One is with you.
It is a divine moment where you can invite the Father to speak into your circumstance and allow His words to shape your perspective and meet your every need.
The beauty of every hardship, and every painful circumstance is that He is there, so close. In all things, God is still God and God is still good.
We often spend so much focus and energy trying to get out of the pain or trial because let’s face it, no one likes pain, but we were not promised a pain-free life, but trials and suffering.
John 16:33 I have said these things to you that in me you may have peace. In the world, you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.
Often while we are trying so hard, even in prayer to get out of the situation, that if God doesn’t remove it from us, we may feel He is gone or doesn’t care or even see us – we are often disappointed with the outcome and dare I say disappointed in God.
The truth is He is there. He does care. He sees you and He weeps with you just as He wept over Lazarus. In all things, God is still God and God is still good.
I invite you, in these moments to be present, even if brokenhearted, in your pain and suffering (instead of trying to escape) and be aware of His presence. I would like to repeat that invitation, so you do not miss it.
Be present in your pain and suffering and be aware of His presence.
If you still can not sense Him, ask Him to renew your perception of His presence and invite Him into your circumstance so that you may grow closer to Him in the trial. Lift your gaze and see His face, allow yourself to feel the pain and you will also feel His comfort, His covering, and His peace will settle in. John16:33 states: In me, you may have peace – get into the presence of the Lord! In the trials, He will be with you.
Isaiah 43:1-2 “But now, this is what the Lord says- He who created you, Jacob, He who formed you, Israel: 'Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you.
Allow the truth of God’s word to be your anchor, your steadfast in every trial. Settle into your circumstance, accept that it is happening, and allow the love of God to meet you in every single ounce of your heartache.
So how do we get from our perspective of trying to “avoid or get out of our pain and trials to viewing it as holy ground?
I’d say, in the moment the easiest way is Remembrance. Remembering who He is and remembering what He has done – Take time in the middle of your circumstance to set your gaze on Jesus. I often tell myself out loud that “this is a sacred moment” and it will then settle into my heart that He is there. Also whispering His name, “Jesus”, aligns our body, soul, and spirit and invites Him in.
Worship Him through it all!
Our moments are fleeting and recognizing them as such helps anchor us in the present. Choose to seek first His kingdom above all else, give thanks and praise that He is still God, and He is still good.
So, let's make a shift here to Isaiah 9:6 where we see. Love came down.
For unto us a child is born to us a son is given and the government shall be upon his shoulder and His name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
Love Came Down to Earth as a baby, to die for us and to forgive our sins, yes, But why?
To reconcile us to Himself, so we could be called children of God, in relationship with our Creator, our heavenly Father, so we could get close to Him, go directly to Him, to be with Him in the heavenlies.
Now, if that's not the Good News of the season I don't know what is!
That is the Holy Ground that we are called to walk on with the King.
Because Love Came Down, we are called holy as He is holy. 1 Peter 2:9 reads:
But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness Into His Marvelous Light.
We were created, to proclaim his excellency. We were made for excellence (not perfection) but for Majesty. We were made for Him and even the darkness is not dark to God, the darkness is light to Him. During our dark and hard times, He calls us into His Marvelous Light to be warmed and comforted by the light of His Son.
As His children, we are Holy, dedicated, consecrated to God; devoted to his sacred service and spiritual excellence. We get to participate and see His Holiness in our lives because… Love Came Down. How do we do this?
1 Peter 1:3 - 4 Says we do this by His divine power (not our own.)
His divine power has given us everything we need for a Godly life through our knowledge of Him who called us by his own glory and goodness. Through these, He has given us His very great and precious promises so that through them you may participate in the divine nature, having escaped the corruption in the world caused by evil desire.
Through His promises, which are found in His Word, we get to participate with Him in loving the people in the world around us.
Go back for a moment to our trials that we talked about earlier, where we invited Jesus into our pain and got to know him more deeply and He comforted us and met our needs. Now when another is going through something similar, we get to Proclaim His excellency by being His hands and feet, being there for them in their trial and their pain and suffering…. Love Came Down.
2 Corinthians 1:3-5 states:
Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and God of all comfort, who comforts us in our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble, with the comfort we ourselves receive from God. For just as we share (get this) abundantly in the sufferings of Christ so also our comfort abounds through Christ.
So, these moments these trials, the pain is a holy moment where heaven touches down to earth and meets our needs, brings light to our eyes so we may see the Beauty of God through the face of Christ
For God who said “Let the light shine out of darkness; has shone in our hearts to give light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. 2 Corin. 4:6
Love Came Down.
We all have a story that has includes some pain and heartache but when God’s love intersects our pain the beauty is undeniable!
My son’s life is going to look a little different for him and it also looks different for me. I am going to live and love with my whole heart, my entire being, with all that I am and all that I have – because Love Came Down to Earth as a babe, His name is Jesus, to rescue us, to save us, to be our friend, to be our everything! In this world, we will have trouble, but take heart, be of good cheer, be brave and confident, and walk wholeheartedly because He has overcome the world!
I encourage you to spend some time with the Lord and allow Him to fill those hurting places in your heart. His desire is to be with you in the hard times! Recognize His Love during this season of your life and what that looks like to you.
Prayer: Father, we invite you in today and in this holiday season to be our everything, to give us a heightened awareness of your presence in difficult circumstances, to open our eyes to see our circumstances through the Father’s eyes, and to change our perspective of You. May our lives be lived out of thankfulness. May You remind us to rejoice always, pray continually, and give thanks in all circumstances; for this is your will for us in Christ Jesus.
In Jesus' precious and holy name, Amen