Years ago I received a word from God during a fellowship gathering in our home, “Receive My full embrace.” I’ve written about this previously, but am gaining further understanding of its meaning and wanted to revisit this word.
If you have ever looked at a timeline, especially one that covers hundreds of years, you will clearly see just how small our lifespan is, in the context of the whole of time. Our years are marked by certain experiences, lessons learned, choices made, relationships gained and lost, children, and spirituality. Many of our life choices carry consequences that influence us for many years, some positive and some not so good.
If you are a lover of God and follower of Jesus, you may have been taught as I, that bad things come from the devil and only good things come from God. Not so, my friend. It is my clear conviction at this point in my spiritual journey that every good and perfect gift comes from the Father of Lights; however, His ways are not our ways, and His thoughts are higher than our thoughts. Our definition of what is good is most times marred by our own soulish desire for what we perceive as best for us.
When reading the Ancient Writings you will find numerous texts that declare openly that God is the source of what may seem like some pretty horrendous things. The issue is are you willing to receive from God all that He has for you, period. Even if that means that His desire is for you to experience some things that could be perceived as bad.
Personally my family has experienced some horrendous treatment by other so called believers, and at the time it seemed almost inconceivable that this could actually be the hand of God working in us. But now I am fully convinced that it was. For example, one afternoon as I sat quietly reading and meditating on the Lord, I heard him say, “You are going to be betrayed, for this a road we have not yet walked together.”
I must admit that I was very puzzled, and my first thought went to, “Who could it possibly be that would betray us?” Within a few short months as things began to unfold the identity of the betrayers was revealed, those closest to us, ones that I would have said were the least likely for it to have been. Understand that I am not saying that God put it in their hearts to betray us, but He certainly saw it coming and warned us, not preventing it, but allowing us to “receive it” as part of His plan for us to walk a new road with Him.
I have also previously written and firmly believe that God is more concerned with our reactions than our actions. And thus, allows us to experience struggles, hurts, pains, disappointments, and the like to give us opportunity to “walk a new road” with Him, learning how to properly respond in every circumstance.
It is certainly empowering to acknowledge that no matter what happens in my life, I can with confidence give thanks and praise to God, understanding that this experience is His gift to me, and gives me opportunity to know Him in a new way. Besides, it is much more pleasant to keep my heart focused on God than be looking around for the devil and his demons.
Come, my friend, step in, put your arms around Him, allowing Him to enclose you in HIs. Get in close, put your head against His chest, listen for His heartbeat. Breathe deep of His fragrance, and loose yourself in His embrace. Surrender your complete being to all that His embrace may include. Remember, there is nothing there in that secret place, except Him, so there is nothing to fear.
