Pause .. meditation... Not in word only....

In spending over twenty years in ministry in some way or another, I don't know if I have ever fully touched a place as I have in these days. Recently there has been so much upon my heart that the capacity to even begin to process all of it has become almost impossible. What does it mean to wait upon the Lord? What does that look like? What does one "do" then? How long does one wait? What does waiting entail? What does waiting look like? If it isn't inactivity then what is it? What does wait and rest have to do with one another? What does it mean to truly not build something unless the Lord is building it? How can one really know?

I understand that those who know their God will display strength and take action but what if the strongest thing one can do is to wait upon the Lord, what if the way to display strength looks completely other than anything the world would tell you? What if the action that is to be taken is one of meditation and pause and reflection? What about the scriptures in the gospel of John where Jesus speaks of not being able to do anything on His own but only doing that which He sees the Father doing?

John 5:19

Therefore Jesus answered and was saying to them, "Truly, truly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of Himself, unless it is something He sees the Father doing; for whatever the Father does, these things the Son also does in like manner.

To pause, to place oneself or allow oneself to be placed into the circumstances that BUT God goes before the one .. the one won't go....  What does that mean?  What does that look like?  One can easily see the testimony of what it looked like for Israel... But what does that look like today?

In stepping into this place in life during this season, the facet I feel and see and know more and more is the reality of the Kingdom of God is NOT in word only...  There are so many words that can be spoken and so many that are and should.. but what words are just being spoken without weight and without authority?


So I do this daily devotional that for those on the East coast of the USA is at 5:30am. Today, when feeling like the video should be posted, wouldn't you know it something happened to the video but we will get it fixed and then will post it.. I still felt it important to write this blog post even without it... In the time together today.. I paused.. not because I didn't know what to say BUT because there needs to be time for pause, for reflection... a time to honestly look at one is doing and what one is putting their hands to and declare that unless the Lord builds the house the labors labor in vain, and one can gain the whole world but lose their soul...

What are we doing? What am I doing? What is it that is ultimately the most important thing... AND THAT IS JESUS! JESUS.....

So here is the psalm we did today and some notes I wrote afterwards... as soon as the video is fixed and processed we will upload it... BUT today... today make sure you pause and you reflect upon the reality and truth of God and let that reality and truth permeate all that is within you....

Psalm 16

New American Standard Bible (NASB)

A Mikhtam of David.

16 Preserve me, O God, for I take refuge in You.
2 I said to the Lord, “You are my Lord;
I have no good besides You.”
3 As for the saints who are in the earth,
They are the majestic ones in whom is all my delight.
4 The sorrows of those who have bartered for another god will be multiplied;
I shall not pour out their drink offerings of blood,
Nor will I take their names upon my lips.

5 The Lord is the portion of my inheritance and my cup;
You support my lot.
6 The lines have fallen to me in pleasant places;
Indeed, my heritage is beautiful to me.

7 I will bless the Lord who has counseled me;
Indeed, my mind instructs me in the night.
8 I have set the Lord continually before me;
Because He is at my right hand, I will not be shaken.
9 Therefore my heart is glad and my glory rejoices;
My flesh also will dwell securely.
10 For You will not abandon my soul to Sheol;
Nor will You allow Your Holy One to undergo decay.
11 You will make known to me the path of life;
In Your presence is fullness of joy;
In Your right hand there are pleasures forever.

Today... well.. today, it was probably one of the most honest looks of the struggle in my life right now. (Mims)  How does one with awe and reverance step into waiting on the Lord and doing due diligence.  What does it look like to wait upon the Lord and to realize that unless the Lord builds the house the labors labor in vain...

In psalm 16 we read about the sorrows of those who have bartered for another god.. but in our culture what is that "other god,"  is it the belief that we have to help God along with our media shows and the offerings of technology?  Or those beautiful tools in which the kingdom of God is spread?

To know that to set the Lord continually before us and to wait upon the Lord and to have our strength renewed and to understand that within that reality then we will never be shaken is a beautiful thing to know BUT do we wait long enough for that truth to penetrate our souls?  Or do we leap to the next thing...

Yes... in this hour long devotional do I pause and reflect and allow the personal struggle of walking through what does it mean to wait upon the Lord and what does it mean to wait and to speak that unless the Lord goes before us ... we will not go...

I personally would rather not put my hand to any plow any longer that does not have the Lord actually being the one who plows the field in His great strength and power, and beauty and mercy and kindness... Human effort wanes BUT GOD....

Today stepping into Psalm 16 we paused, we waited, we allowed reflection and struggle to land and not necessarily be fully answered... But today is probably the most honest look into where I am ....  as a leader and one who loves the Lord and loves serving Him... I want to serve Him!! Not my own self interests and not the alter of ministry or image or whatever else you can put there...

This is who I am.. this is how I will always lead... waiting upon the Lord and with complete desperation not wanting to go forward unless He goes before.....

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