Shaken (by the power of the Almighty!)

 Just before the birth, the birth pains get more intense. Maybe if life were somewhat normal, we could question why, and God is very patient to answer our questions, and then by the reading of the Word, we learn how to recognize His answers. Be what it may, right now is the battle and the war, and prayer is not an option, it is a necessity! We who are His, are privileged and honored to be a part of His merciful plans. He develops us as warriors willing to fight. He gives us the strength and faith for the conflict! He welds us as His weapon! We are called out of, for this, because within the very word “fight,” there is also the word “gift.”

As the messenger pointed out, the closer we get to God, the more we are persecuted. “All those who would live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution.” We can rejoice that we are counted worthy to suffer for Him (who is more than worthy to receive our offering).We are His Body, “regarded as sheep to be slaughtered,” just like Him. We are the gentile Ruth to the kinsman Redeemer, Boaz. And what did Boaz tell Ruth? He said to her, “I will do all that you have asked.”

We have the authority to ask for anything, when we want what HE wants, and place our very life on the altar, as He did. In the courts of heaven, our prayers plead for justice, and the God who is THE judge, is now also, our Son given for us, and our Prince who gives peace.

I offer an overarching example in my own life. I remember when I was young, I prayed the Lord would wake me up in time to get the kids ready for church. Well, there was an earthquake right on time. (I told the Lord His sense of humor was amazing.) More recently, I was praying and praising Him, and rejoicing in what I knew He would do, soon. The earth started moving and shaking and at first I was laughing in joy, but it went on and on, so then I rebuked it and it was still. Around the same time, when I was praying with my sisters in the Lord, the whole house was rocked, gently, and all of us in the house felt it. The most recent incident happened the first day of a two day fast, the purpose of which was to ask the Lord deliver His people Israel from their unbelief. That was the same day of the recent violent shaking in the Middle East. Hasn’t The Lord said He will shake heaven and earth?