dancing standing still

“Imitate God, therefore, in everything you do, because you are His dear children. Live a life filled with love, following the example of Christ. He loved you and offered Himself as a sacrifice for you, a pleasing aroma to God.” (Ephesians 5:1-2)

Awakening to the reality of worship that is love. Jesus offered Himself fully as a sacrifice for our atonement. This offering of pure love and obedience was a pleasing aroma to God, an act of God-honoring exultation. We are beckoned to imitate Christ in this way, to follow His example. Jesus Himself says, “Love each other in the same way I have loved you. There is no greater love than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends” (John 15:12-13). When we love others in this greater way, laying down our lives for them, forsaking our own comforts, wants, reputations, and possessions, we engage in worship. This offering of sacrificial love is a pleasing aroma to God. We sing, “Day and night, night and day, let incense arise,” our hearts crying out that the Living God be praised. Incense arises from the greater love, the sacrificial love, of a pure heart. Jesus glorified the Father by giving His life in love. And we, because we are God’s beloved children, are called to imitate the love and obedience of this man, Jesus. 

Worship with song and dance and prayer and thanksgiving.

But worship also with love of a greater kind: 

A love that lays down one’s life for others. 

Sanctification is a holy branding of becoming wholly His. 

:Orange Flame:

Through orange flame refined, restored

No fault nor blemish nor stain ignored

All consumed by searing pain

Broken, destroyed, demolished every chain

The Heat ignites this sacred space

Leaving raw exposure, unveiled, this place

Unleashed, Your Spirit has free reign

Because You have branded me

Sealed me in Your name

Boldly, I ask for internal combustion. That a fire be sparked within my very soul to burn all that is not of the Flame Himself. To consume all that is flesh within me, all pride, fear, selfishness, insecurity, shame, reputation. That all earthly in me be burned to charred fragments. All that is not of pure intention and desire be seared to ashes. Mark me with the seal of Your Name, the branding of sanctification. Forever sealed by the fire of power and affection that radiates from Your intent gaze. 

Higher and deeper, He beckons us in Love Unfailing to rise, calling forth our true identity. The fullness of His passion will not let us remain as we are, for we are more. In severe mercy, He burns away the filth of us...to make us whole. 

Selected conversation from Michael D. O’Brien’s Island of the World. Central character Josip, at the time around 12-years-old, speaks to a 40-year-old crippled man in a prison-like hospital where both are patients suffering in sickness and personal tragedy: 

“In your life, Josip, you will have much to fear. In time, you will come to a length of days, and wisdom, and goodness. You will suffer, and this suffering will bring much good to others.” 

“I do not understand what you are saying.”

“You do not need to understand. Only remember: you will be afraid. But do not be afraid.”

“What can this mean! Tell me what it means!”

“You will be afraid. But when you are afraid, do not be afraid.”

Josip is choking back his sobs; he is no longer the Lastavica of the Fields of Heaven. He is only a boy with nowhere to go, other than a place where a wolf wants to kill him. 

“Look, Josip,” says the man of the sea. “Look at the wall.” 

With his one good foot he nudges Josip, pushing him gently, making him turn to face the opposite wall. The bar of light is climbing higher now.

“Do you see it?”

Josip shakes his head.

“Surely you see it,” says the man. 

“I see the light, but the walls imprison it.”

“The light has entered the prison. Nothing can keep it out.”

“If there is no window, the light cannot enter.”

“If there is no window, the light enters within you.”

After Jesus died on the cross, He was buried in the grave. Light engulfed in darkness. In the depths of hell itself, Light overcame through Life Resurrected. The already, not yet final Victory was accomplished. Though we live in a land where darkness lurks and threatens to overwhelm, Light triumphs evermore. This all-powerful Light of Love, the Spirit of the Living God, dwells inside of you. “You are the light, like a bright shining city on a hilltop that cannot be hidden” (Matthew 5:14). Nothing can defeat this Light. Nothing can keep this Light from shining forth. The walls of a prison, the darkness that surrounds, are no match for the abounding Light of Love on the inside of you.  

“Against its will, all creation was subjected to God’s curse. But with eager hope, the creation looks forward to the day when it will join God’s children in glorious freedom from death and decay.” (Romans 8:20-21)

Can you hear heavy sighs from the trees who are restless and swaying under the swell of the wind? 

Can you hear deep groans from the mountains who stand unshaken yet lonely? 

From the river who swiftly presses onward always toward the vast expanse that awaits it?

From the wildflowers who hunger for nourishment from the sun and quenching from the rain?

Can you hear the sobbing of your spirit desperate for release into the fullness of who(se) you are?

As creation moans for restoration, for redemption,

Your heart bleeds alongside it with longing for that which is to come:

A future glory–

Freedom from death and decay.

Listen. Can you hear the song? 

I have a theory: All the influences of darkness on earth would be (to some degree) lessened if we, as humans, noticed and acknowledged each other.

The human heart longs to be seen, known, discovered, beheld, loved. We know this hunger in ourselves yet we fail to recognize that the rest of the weary, eternal souls walking this earth live with the same desperation. We pass by strangers as if we have nothing to do with each other, no common ground. Yet we are fellow sojourners in this strange, uncomfortable land. We all crave attention and affirmation, long for depth and beauty, fail to be all that we hope to be, and attempt to cling to our big dreams in spite of responsibility and an often harsh reality. We are all aching hearts with a deep hole that can only be filled by One.

What if we created space in our moments for each other? What if we looked away from our own empty basins long enough to see the hunger in another’s eyes? What if we gave a kind smile and a friendly hello to those we pass on the street, stand next to in line at the grocery store, sit next to at the stoplight in our cars? What if we had margins in our hearts, minds, and days to consider the strangers beside us? 

Let’s lift up our eyes to each other and acknowledge. Let’s understand our moments are bigger than ourselves. We hold the capacity to share the sweet, simple (yet profound!) love of noticing in a brief second through a smile, a nod, a wave, a thumbs up, hang loose, peace sign, “Hi, how are you?”

Notice. Acknowledge. Affirm. Be a world changer in your moments.

Through the power of His Sovereign Spirit, the gap between that which is secular and that which is sacred diminishes. Jesus gives us context to live in holiness in the ordinary things of this life. The commonalities of washing dishes, driving a car, smiling, working, reading a good book, eating, conversing with another, or whatever task or circumstance is before us, hold the potential to be sacred. 

Oswald Chambers says that “a spiritually vigorous saint never thinks of his life as being divided into the secular and the sacred. He sees every situation in which he finds himself as a means of obtaining a greater knowledge of Jesus Christ” (My Utmost for His Highest). 

Let’s be honest, our lives are filled with days that are often mundane, scheduled, and at times, boring. We wait anxiously always for the next moment, experience, event, season to see what the Lord has in store. But I want to encourage you (and myself!) with this truth: The Lord has more for your present, ordinary moments. Every minute you walk this earth holds the capacity for holiness and revelation through Jesus. By the power of the Holy Spirit, we can know Christ in each moment of our lives whether we are having dinner with our friends, working at our desk alone, or sharing the Good News with a stranger.

Zechariah 14:20-21 reads, “On that day even the harness bells of the horses will be inscribed with these words: HOLY TO THE LORD. And the cooking pots in the Temple of the Lord will be as sacred as the basins used beside the altar. In fact, every cooking pot in Jerusalem and Judah will be holy to the Lord of Heaven’s Armies. All who come to worship will be free to use any of these pots to boil their sacrifices.” 

What if we recognized that our lawn mowers, pencils, tea bags, computers, and cooking pots could be sacred? These seemingly ordinary things can be holy unto the Lord. How differently would we live if we understood that the Holy Spirit of the Living God dwells in our midst (in us!) daily? The Spirit is on the move even in the mundane. 

Don’t wait for the next church service, worship meeting, or quiet time to pursue fellowship with the Lord or to worship Him. You have full access to intimacy with the God of the universe right now. Turn your eyes to meet Him here.

Show me that Your glory dwells in the ordinary. 

Today I write from a white chair on a weathered wooden deck overlooking the vast expanse of the Atlantic Ocean. The wind, blowing strongly off the water all day, chills me even on this bright sunny afternoon. Wearing a cozy grey sweatshirt and sipping on cool honey green tea, I gaze out at abounding color. Bright tan sand, soothing green sea grass, a wispy light blue sky, vibrantly fun kites of various shapes (my favorite–a pink and yellow butterfly with long purple streamers), and of course, the deep mingling blues and teals of the ocean with continually foaming white caps.

My family, minus two dear ones—my sister and brother-in-law, is spending the week at a beach house rental in Nags Head. Growing up, we would rent a house down here for a week every summer. Until now, it had been over 5 years since our last visit. I am so thankful for the reunion.

The ocean changes a person in a way that’s hard to describe. The salt water soothes, purifies, and invigorates. The sea breeze refreshes. The smooth sand and radiant sun warm. The laughing gulls and the constant crashing waves simultaneously lull and beckon play. The enormity of the water invites pondering, questioning, reflecting.

Growing up near the beach, the glory and magnificence of the ocean has been dulled with familiarity. But this week, the beauty of it all has been reawakened in my heart. I always wish I could rediscover the beach for the first time, to meet the ocean as though I have never seen it before...I like to think I will get to experience this in heaven someday.

One such sea-meeting moment comes from an all-time favorite book, Island of the World by Michael O’Brien (more to come on this book as I am currently re-reading!). Young Josip from a small village in the mountains of Croatia has never seen the sea. His father takes him on a journey to the Adriatic. Here is his response when his eyes meet the beauty and wonder for the first time:

“Josip runs forward to touch it, his heart beating wildly. He is totally in love for the first time in his life. He loves it all–the water, the new sounds, the little stones, the vastness of the space above the sea, the sense of infinity that opens up before him. He has never seen so much sky gathered in a single place.

He kicks off his shoes, strips off his clothes down to his undershorts, and wades in. He grins in surprise, shouts inarticulately, a half laugh, half cry. Jumping up and down, splashing, feeling with his toes the underwater bed of round white stones, the spray on his bare limbs, the heat of the sun, he is so happy. He knows now that he can penetrate the infinite...He thinks of nothing, only feels it. There is ecstasy in his face and exultation in his heart. He flings his arms high above his head and runs forward. Laughing, he plunges in.” (p. 29-30)

Here’s to the ocean! For the marvel of such a creation and all the wonder it has to offer a longing heart. Glory to the Lord of the ocean for He holds the blue expanse in the palms of His hands. The sea, you see, only offers a glimpse of His glory and majesty, the true Ocean of Power and Love.

Soaking in the words of an all-time favorite novel, The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd. I return to this story about this time every year (I am a re-reader through and through, revisiting books that have changed me, longing to be swept up again and again into the stories I love, to reconnect with the characters who taught me truth about living and gave me new eyes to see). This is the book that grew in me a deep admiration for bees, a craving for pure honey and the sweetness of motherhood received and given, and an ardent desire to live a story of poetry.

Here’s a taste of the amber-lit language:

The only thing I could compare it to was the feeling I got one time when I walked back from the peach stand and saw the sun spreading across the late afternoon, setting the top of the orchard on fire while darkness collected underneath. Silence had hovered over my head, beauty multiplying in the air, the trees so transparent I felt I could see through to something pure inside them. (p. 71)

Now and then sprays of rain flew over and misted our faces. Every time I refused to wipe away the wetness. It made the world seem so alive to me. I couldn’t help but envy the way a good storm got everyone’s attention. (p. 75)

We lived for honey. We swallowed a spoonful in the morning to wake us up and one at night to put us to sleep. We took it with every meal to calm the mind, give us stamina, and prevent fatal disease. We swabbed ourselves in it to disinfect cuts or heal chapped lips. It went in our baths, our skin cream, our raspberry tea and biscuits. Nothing was safe from honey. In one week my skinny arms and legs began to plump out and the frizz in my hair turned to silken waves. August said honey was the ambrosia of the gods and the shampoo of the goddesses. (p. 84)

The Relentless Pursuer of your heart beckons. Love runs hard after the locked away places of your deepest self–your fears, dreams, desires, secrets, insecurities. 

When we’ve given up on ourselves and all hope seems lost. When we’re tired and burdened with fears and insecurities. When we question and doubt, fumbling in what seems to be endless darkness. When others fail us, leaving us hurt, empty, wanting. When our hearts burst with the ache of longing...He comes for us, even still. 

Wherever you are, wherever you go, He’s coming for you. 

You were a dream.

A vision that rose from the deep love of a Creative Heart.

You were created, formed, shaped.

The delicate intricacies of you were crafted and molded.

Beautifully. Wonderfully.

Made in the image of the One Who creates.

Formed in the likeness of He Who is full of endless creativity.

You bare the mark of your Creator.

The Lord Himself Who formed you has placed in your heart a creativity that reflects His own.

He has given you eyes to see and behold.

Ears to hear and be moved.

Hands to shape, form, make.

A heart that swells in response to beauty.

Each of us holds the capacity to express.

You were made to create.

In different forms, colors, avenues, mediums.

Each was made in the image of God the Creative One.

You were made to create.

To reflect the beauty, glory, wonder of the One Who made you.

So move your hands.

Express the Love, the beauty, the fascination that comes as you gaze upon the Lord.

What you hold in your heart matters.

For you have been given a meaningful perspective.

What you hold in your heart is needed.

For you have been given a uniquely personal creativity.

So move your hands.

You who were made by the Glorious Artist Himself.

This is a bit late. But here is a small post of gratitude and admiration to the lovely woman who designed my blog. 

❇ Lauren Clawson ❇

An abundant and joyful giver, always. A committed and passionate dreamer. A faithful and diligent servant. A beautiful musician with powerful songs to share. A fierce companion whose love is deep and abounding. A bold proclaimer and dedicated pursuer of Truth. A hungry and fiery lover of Jesus. A wonderfully creative and exceptionally talented artist. 

Misty Edwards on worshipping God beyond corporate songs of praise…Worship as “anything done before the eyes of God.” 

There is a hard-found sweetest to the untamed nature of surrender. Here in this place of utmost exposure we are not what we think of as “safe.” We are raw, bare, completely vulnerable. We are in danger of seeing the depths of our brokenness, the fullness of our weakness and failure. We risk feeling the overwhelming weight of our need, our desperation, the hunger that gnaws deep within. We are caught off guard by ourselves.

Standing before ourselves in the pure light of depth-knowing, we are uncovered. Naked we know coldness and shame. Feelings of inadequacy run deep. We fear abandonment, neglect, tiring those around us. These are the self doubts and terrors we are invited to believe.  

But the hard-found sweetness comes when we resist the lies, the fears, those things that feel true, and begin to understand and believe His good intentions, His faithful heart.

We call it a leap of faith, this trusting, but it really is no leap. We don’t conjure up strength in arduous effort to jump from here to there. It’s really a falling: a relaxing of muscles, a closing of eyes, a backward releasing of self into Hands unseen.

In surrender, we are unveiled. Hair pushed out of faces, eyes lifted. Seen. Felt. Known. We are fully exposed, yet completely understood, accepted, wanted. That Gentle Voice whispers those honey-balm words of affirmation, restoration, forgiveness, and redemption over our broken hearts. And we are invited into the warmest, truest, most wholesome Love.

Find a quiet space. Play this song and close your eyes. Allow the sweet honeytruth to wash over you. Drink deeply of the Father's love & trust His unending promise of desire. 

"There is not in the world a kind of life more sweet and delightful than that of a continual conversation with God." -Brother Lawrence

A consistent, fixed gaze. Locking eyes with Your Maker. Speaking, breathing, asking, waiting, listening. A deep knowing Him.  

We have been offered intimate relationship with the Lover of us through Jesus. And daily this offer remains. Our Father awaits the arrival of our hearts every morning. Eager anticipation fills His heart. Longing is in His eyes.