Sustained by the King

I waited patiently for the Lord, and he turned to me and heard my cry for help. He brought me up from a desolate pit, and out of the muddy clay, and set my feet on a rock, making my steps secure. He put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to our God. Many will see and fear, and they will trust in the Lord.
Psalm 40:1-3 ESV

You are so faithful and patient with me, Father. I love You with all I have! Thank You for reminding me of Your heart as You untangle and rewrite the twisted narratives that broken humans taught me. You are so good to meet us where we’re at. You always reclaim us for Your perfect and holy purposes, and I am delighted to be held in Your steady, trustworthy hands.

Come to me, all of you who are tired and have heavy loads, and I will give you rest. Accept my teachings and learn from me, because I am gentle and humble in spirit, and you will find rest for your lives. The burden that I ask you to accept is easy; the load I give you to carry is light.
Matthew 11:28-30 NCV

This month, I have been overwhelmed by the miracle of redemption in Jesus. As I’ve run back to His heart, I’ve been blessed by books that have revealed the intimate love of God, like Gentle and Lowly, Everybody Always, and Jesus Calling. Studying and comparing different translations of Romans and the Psalms has breathed fresh life into Scripture. Songs shared between dear friends and rediscovered from years gone by have pulled me into the presence of God in my living room, amidst traffic, and on morning walks. In all this, as my eyes are opened to the beauty and bounty of His endless grace, my heart is heavy for the believers who have become numb to the Gospel’s scandalous grace. Those who walk in dimly lit hallways of apathy and complacency, burdened by the demands of the world’s expectations for right living. The Christians who love God, but miss the boat on abundant life. The Father’s heart longs for full intimacy and communion with His children, whether they’ve yet to hear His name or have simply settled in their faith. This isn’t stated with judgment, but with deep sadness: too many believers are walking near (not with) Jesus, and have given into a perspective of muted glory. They live in proximity of Jesus, but have let their own striving loosen their grip on His hand. They’ve lost sight of all the Father wants to do for them because their vision of the Gospel has been distorted into a murky reflection of divine grace.

2Because of our faith, Christ has brought us into this place of undeserved privilege where we now stand, and we confidently and joyfully look forward to sharing God's glory. 6When we were utterly helpless, Christ came at just the right time and died for us sinners.
Romans 5:2, 6 NLT
We have also obtained access through him by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we boast in the hope of the glory of God. And not only that, but we also boast in our afflictions, because we know that affliction produces endurance, endurance produces proven character, and proven character produces hope. This hope will not disappoint us, because God's love has been poured out in our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us.
Romans 5:2-5 ESV

Looking back at the choices I’ve made, fueled by selfishness and fear, it’s a wonder Christ found and restored me. He pulled me out of the muddy clay and set my feet on solid rock. He gave me a new song to sing, a hymn of praise to fill my heart. All He asked of me before sending this fresh wind of blessing, communion, and a resurrected soul was to start spending time with Him. When I started acknowledging the Trinity as an alive and active being – Jesus as the love of my life, the Holy Spirit as my best friend, the Father as a trustworthy parent – the blessings overflowed.

“What would Jesus think about this?”

“What would you do here, Holy Spirit?”

“What has my Father taught me about this?”

The Lord LOVES you. He longs for you, weeps for you, petitions for you. His love for you can scarcely be fathomed, it’s so unconditional and eternal. Don’t let the way people have disappointed you distort your view of God. Men will always fail you, but Jesus never will. My words can only skim the surface of His deep and unyielding love, but my prayer for you is that His Word will pull you deep into His heart today; that His presence will fill your lungs with the fresh, pure, reviving breath of life; that His tender mercy will nudge your soul to submit to His ways above your own. You are deeply loved and dearly chosen. He has beautiful gifts for you. Your heart is safe in His hands.

Lord, your faithful love reaches to heaven, your faithfulness to the clouds. Your righteousness is like the highest mountains, your judgments like the deepest sea. Lord, you preserve people and animals. How priceless your faithful love is, God! People take refuge in the shadow of your wings. They are filled from the abundance of your house. You let them drink from your refreshing stream. For the wellspring of life is with you. By means of your light we see light. Spread your faithful love over those who know you, and your righteousness over the upright in heart.
Psalm 36:5-10

The grass withers, the flower fades, But the word of our God stands forever.
Isaiah 40:8 NKJV