Jewels From JudyTuesday, December 03 2019
Waiting for Orders Judy A Bauman https://thefathersloveim.org/jewels_from_judy_blog/view/2367 I closed my eyes as I prayed and suddenly got a picture myself on a beach. No one else was around. I threw a rock into the ocean, then sat down and hung my head in discouragement. I felt the Lord’s comforting arm came around me and He said, “Sometimes waiting for the Father’s orders can be stressful, even vexing.” I sensed His kind, compassionate eyes upon me and knew He wouldn’t try to placate me or say that everything is fine the way it is – because it isn’t! I knew that Jesus, by His Spirit, would tell me what I needed to hear. The Scriptures tell us that Jesus also had to wait, and I imagine it would have been frustrating for Him too, so I asked, “How did you deal with it, Lord?” He simply stated, “I had a lot of hidden years. Abba Father will wait for at least these two reasons: His perfect timing and your preparation. The prep work is the most important thing you can do as you wait. If it is not done correctly, then the project fails.” I thought about prep work for a meal or a home-fix-it project. Preparation usually takes the longest time for either, but it is vital to a successful outcome. I also thought about the five foolish virgins in Matthew 25 that failed to prepare for the anticipated bridegroom. Because they hadn’t invested in what was needed, the door to the kingdom was closed to them! The Lord allows me to ponder these scenarios before continuing. “You are in a different season in life, so don’t get down on yourself that things are not like they once were. I am not upset or disappointed in you. There were some doors of opportunity that you missed, but I am not disappointed in you. Do not allow yourself to be discouraged by the season you are in now. It has been a season of disjointedness for many, but that is ending. Seasons change, and just like in the natural where there are physical signs of that occurring, there are also signs when there are spiritual shifts.” He then prompts me saying, “Come on, I have something to show you!” I stand up and brush the sand off my clothes and the Lord points and directs my attention up the beach. He asks, “Do you see that?” I squint and ask Him if He means the birds, but He instructs me to look past them. Unfortunately, I don’t see anything but fog, beach, and the sandpipers running to avoid the waves. We walk in the direction He pointed and suddenly, the tip of a cargo ship begins to come out of the fog and into view! It looks to be traveling toward a nearby harbor. The Lord explains, “Be encouraged! The cargo this ship carries is provision for My church (ekklesia). Long-awaited provision is coming in and with it a plan for reformation. The Body is disjointed in many ways. That is what you have been sensing and experiencing. It’s painful! It has been a season of disjointedness, but that season is coming to a close. Often, seasonal changes linger like the warm days in fall and winter and the cold days of spring and summer. Sometimes changes are abrupt, but most times there are subtle changes like the position of the sun as the seasons' change or watching the hour hand on a clock move. It can be unperceivable like watching hair grow. In time, you do see a big change, but the change itself is a slow process. You will look back on this season and say, ‘I didn’t realize just how much was going on, but now I see it!’” The large ship is now in full view, and I see it is moored and workers are bustling around unloading the cargo. I understand that it is the Lord’s good pleasure to give us the provision needed (the tools, the resources, other believers to gather around one another) to complete the tasks He’s given us. ~ I pray this short encounter blesses and encourages you. In the Father’s Love
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