While listening to a small part of a recorded sermon tonight this one thing said by the preacher really reached out and grabbed me. "Get up ~ Shake off those heavy bands and I (God) will restore to you what the locust has eaten." What that meant to me was....
"Get up out of that place you have allowed yourself to go and I will restore to you life!" That is what God does. He restores us to something better than we were....or had....before we allowed those heavy bands....burdens....to start wrapping around us. When all of life is getting us down....and we let our circumstances start to get the best of us....it is as if we have heavy things strapped to us. Things like....finances....loss....sickness....whatever it is coming against you....are like heavy bands attached all over you....draped on you! Well God is saying to just get up!....shake them off....give them to Him....and He will make all things new again for you. It might take some time or....He might change everything all in an instant....but change it He will! Most times we do have to take the first step....get up out of that dark place we have allowed ourself to get into....and just start to praise Him! Talk to Him....worship Him....humble yourself and ask Him for His help!
I have to tell you that I know what I am writing about here. Way too many times I have let those heavy bands wrap around me until I feel as if I'm being sucked down into mud and I can't seem to pull myself out no matter how hard I try! But over time I have learned that no matter how many times satan tries to take me to the darkest corner of my thoughts....and I still let him!....if I will only look up I will see the light of our Lord is there shining....waiting for me to realize that He is only a breath away! All I have to do is let go of myself....one more time....and reach out to Him in whatever way I can at that moment....and He is there pulling me up! God has never once left me....I am the one who has left Him.
So....no matter the reason and no matter how many times you have been wrapped up in those heavy bands....Shake. Them. Off. ! Let God restore to you Life!
I think of "those heavy bands" as burdens so these scriptures fit well....
Matthew 11:28-29
28 Then Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls.
"until we see JESUS....face to face"
This post reminded me of a poem I wrote a long time ago...If Iwould open my eyes I could see...the light that shines all around me...But so long in the darkness, I've come to fear the light..(Sorry, I can't remember the rest of it) :o)
ReplyDeleteThe enemy knows when to strike us and where we are most vulnerable. I think God understands that, and he really does not allow the enemy to go too far before he intercedes. We are being trained to be more trusting of the Lord...but also have more faith in the abilities that the Lord gave us as his children...That's why it feels like we are being beaten up and cornered sometimes...God is waiting to see if we will trust him and fight against the lies the enemy hurls at us.
A friend of mine put it this way: She said she had a vision of a scene from some nature show that she had seen where two male lions where fighting fiercely...the one was protecting his cub from the other, but the cub was caught up in the midst of their fight and roughed up a bit...The father lion prevailed and the cub's life was spared...but he did get a few scrapes.
That is how God fights for us when we are in danger...but sometimes the fight leaves a mark on us...But we have a God that will hold us and comfort us when we are shaken.
Love you, my friend...Praying you are feeling better!