“There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to the one hope that belongs to your call—”
We are being called to let go of the badges and identities that we have become established in and to retake hold of the identity of a child and a son or daughter of the Father.
Some of us are holding on tightly to what it has cost us to establish and where we feel our identity now is.
We are stubbornly wanting to retain that place of authority and God is battling with us now to lay it down, as one would a sacrifice, and to instead lean into His strength and agenda instead of our own.
There feels as if there is a silence before the storm moment. A brink that we are about to be pushed over the edge of. It is not the silence of peace but the silence of anticipation.
The sense that God has come to a decision that He is about to recommission us into. For us to be in the clearing of open heaven and His presence and to obey instinctively in fast faith and become the light in the city upon the hill.
One where our equipping requires us to be fast responders.
Just as a child would respond to a parent’s instruction without hesitation and thinking.
Just as Jesus relayed that He did only what He saw from the Father.
The knee jerk reaction that has not been filtered through decision making.
“So Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of his own accord, but only what he sees the Father doing. For whatever the Father does, that the Son does likewise.”
If we are too slow to respond it indicates a lack of trust and faith and that in figuring it out for ourselves we have not been risk taking but contemplative and assessing how it might work out and therefore putting our interpretation into the outcome and doing it in our own strength instead of allowing God space and action.
“Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.”
Our trust has to be in the Father though we do not see the outcome we know it will always be best.
Our hope is stirred up in the action of faith.
The story of Esther typifies having to take a risk and respond in faith and have confidence in that decision to obey a deep seated knowledge.
Only by deciding in faith did she come into her divine destiny.
‘’Then I will go to the king, though it is against the law, and if I perish, I perish.”
God will release a way to put wrong things right. God will restore to us that which we have sown in good faith and had stolen. He will restore any harvest that is rightly ours.
It is His sovereign vengeance on our behalf for restoration. God will bring forth fruit from all that we have given in good faith.
Risk is not our natural response to decision making where we have learnt to test and slow marinade in what we are making decisions upon.
In this moment we are having to lay aside our own wisdom and instinctive caution and instead are called to trust and obey come what may.
To be ready to respond swiftly in the moment.
To take the middle ground which is God’s way in quick response because to be too cautious will cause delay.
God wants action and momentum right now. Now is the time for child like obedience in trust. Take Holy risks in confidence that He will keep us safe.
Have faith and confidence that we can trust that He will have thought it through and so we can respond instantaneously.
Our swift response to risk taking will be the light seen on the hill in the darkness.
“You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden.”
The illustration shows, as seen through the eyes of the world, the city on the hill emanating light that pushes back the darkness.
Five Scriptures that come to mind :
“So Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of his own accord, but only what he sees the Father doing. For whatever the Father does, that the Son does likewise.” John 5:19 ESV
“There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to the one hope that belongs to your call—”. Ephesians 4:4 ESV
“Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.” Hebrews 11:1 ESV
“Go, gather all the Jews to be found in Susa, and hold a fast on my behalf, and do not eat or drink for three days, night or day. I and my young women will also fast as you do. Then I will go to the king, though it is against the law, and if I perish, I perish.” Esther 4:16 ESV
““You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden.”Matthew 5:14 ESV
The song All I Need. Citizens
Lessisgreater 