DebraBee

They came in off the streets. They were desperate for what was being offered. Miracles and healing. Some came from a distance, others from nearby. All wanted to know if it could be true? Were miracles and healing still done today?

I watched as people were healed of back pain, knee pain and gum pain. There were miracles of short legs grown out, arms realigned and blind eyes saw again.

I had come knowing the answer was always “yes” and I went home rejoicing that many others now had the same answer.

The scepter was within the hands of the fair maiden. She admired its beauty and adornment. Nothing more precious did she carry in all her possessions. She knew its value. It had been given to her by the King of princes. The King had instructed her to carry her scepter wherever she went and not to put it down. In the night she was to keep it beneath the pillow where her head lay.

One night the fair maiden began to dream. A court jester was dancing before her eyes. His costume was made of the finest linens. He was talented and graceful in his dance. With each circle of movement the jester drew closer to the maiden. His smile was inviting and friendly. He soon began to invite the fair maiden to dance with him. At first she resisted his invitation, but he was relentless for her to come out upon the floor with him. Reaching to her with both hands the fair maiden could feel the attraction to want to join in the dance.

She started to lay down her scepter that her hands would be free to twirl with the jester, but an ache arose deep in her chest. She took her eyes from the dancing fool before her and looked carefully at her precious gift. Remembering the King’s instructions she wrapped her arms tightly about the scepter. Her aching chest filled with contentment once more.

Lifting her eyes she saw the jester anew. He was filled with anger at her refusal to dance. His appearance changed from beauty into darkness. His smile turned into a leer and his graceful dance became a taunting insult. Closing her eyes the fair maiden awoke from the dream. Her King touched her cheek and again handed her the scepter.

Tonight we celebrate heaven and hand walk ourselves into the new awakening….

Take one….She sat in an old chair within our office. Without blinking she dropped into prayer for a woman who would never know this side of heaven the words offered to the King

Take two…Laying upon the carpet I read from a book the Words of life, and listened to harmonious prayer offered to the King

Take three…She was a beautiful woman ruffled about the edges. She spoke of many things, but under the small talk I could hear her longing to be loved. She shook my hand in true affection and I knew she desired to know the King.

Final take…Lord, Your kingdom come, Your will be done…

I got there two steps ahead and grabbed my numbered ticket just before him. We chose seats separated by a room full of people. I was listening to music but looking around at the faces surrounding me. Each time I looked up, our eyes would connect. It seemed he was monitoring the room as much as I.

I began a mental inventory of the people I was sitting with. How many had any kind of hope for heaven? How many lived lives thinking about today only? I began to pray for these lives to come awake. Looking across the room once more, I saw the stranger watching too. I wondered to myself what it was he watched for; inwardly I hoped it was for good things.

The rulers of the age spoke these things…

Act 4:17-18 But so that it spreads no further among the people, let us severely threaten them, that from now on they speak to no man in this name.” So they called them and commanded them not to speak at all nor teach in the name of Jesus.

History repeats itself in ignorance.

Leadership can be so precarious. In times past and even now, the role of the church has been to offer hope and help. This call comes with an understanding at how influential the position of leadership can be. Many have been wrongly seduced by influence. Although it is a gift from God to receive a position of influence, our enemy comes at us with temptation to overstep our roles. Satan wanted to sit on God’s throne so he alone could receive praise and worship. His downfall is a bitterness and he is ever trying to lead us all into this same trap.

We must understand how to pray in this hour for those who are in leadership roles. God desires our eyes to be upon Him alone but our enemy comes to craftily draw us aside. The enemy wants us to set our sights on our own name, the name of our church, on our own reputation, on the works of our own hands. With open eyes we can “see” this trap and pray for those who lead us. With hearts of “love” we must protect them.

We had crossed the bridge to find a place in the shade. The bench where we sat offered relative privacy. I was as still as my outer skin would let me be, but I could feel myself trying to get comfortable while squirming some. Inwardly my peace would not be moved.

Our words came and went in the hours we shared. I looked at the rushing water while I listened, wondering where exactly we were heading. The years in between began to fade. I heard words of hope come into my head once more from a night we had spent in my room long ago. It was a song being played over and over…

“Every night I say a prayer in the hope that there’s a heaven….show me the way, show me the way, take me tonight to the river, and wash my illusions away, show me the way”  *

* Lyrics Peter Frampton, Show Me The Way

My heart was an island set apart. It had been cold and dark, in a far away place where no one dared journey enough to reach it. You came to find it. You brought Your love with endless waves, wearing down the jagged edges of my coastland. You took away the coldness with Your Son. You brought light into every dark corner, letting new growth begin. You built the bridge to share my heart with others.