It was just over a year ago when we were at the beginning stages of opening the Onething Prayer Center and I was waiting for God to speak to Ann Marie about what we were to embark on. I won't share the story but I will share the outcome because God continues to show up and remind us often of the word He sent to her for us to confirm what He desired for us to do. When I say desired for us to do I do not mean that it was a thus saith the Lord. It was more like choice that we had to make. First he laid out what was before us, what we could do. But it was if He said " you can do this, but don't do it if you can't do this." I guess it would be easier to understand if I share what He gave us. The way this word came was a God story for another day. The relevant part for today is that it came.
Isaiah 66:1-2 Thus says the LORD: “ Heaven is My throne, And earth is My footstool. Where is the house that you will build Me? And where is the place of My rest? For all those things My hand has made, And all those things exist,” Says the LORD. “ But on this one will I look: On him who is poor and of a contrite spirit, And who trembles at My word.
Where is the house you will build for Me? And where is the place of My rest? These two questions were being posed to us. They came on the heels of a previous word from God which has a God story as well but is for another time. The word was Isaiah 54:1-6 Spread Out! Think Big! "Sing, barren woman, who has never had a baby. Fill the air with song, you who've never experienced childbirth!You're ending up with far more children than all those childbearing women." God says so!"Clear lots of ground for your tents! Make your tents large. Spread out! Think big!Use plenty of rope, drive the tent pegs deep.You're going to need lots of elbow room for your growing family.You're going to take over whole nations; you're going to resettle abandoned cities.Don't be afraid—you're not going to be embarrassed. Don't hold back—you're not going to come up short.You'll forget all about the humiliations of your youth, and the indignities of being a widow will fade from memory.For your Maker is your bridegroom, his name, God-of-the-Angel-Armies!Your Redeemer is The Holy of Israel, known as God of the whole earth.You were like an abandoned wife, devastated with grief, and God welcomed you back,Like a woman married young and then left," says your God.
Spread out! Think big! Anything we were going to do would have satisfied that. We were both unemployed within moments. We had no prospects for doing anything else other than serving out the rest of our lives with this ministry we had served for the past 4 years. Spread out what? We had nothing. Spread out nothing? Think big! Now that was no problem as I have always been a big picture, big thinker type person. But the word established the grounds upon which I was to think big.
I see there is no way to make sense of any of this without more detail so I leave off here with me thinking on the words "Spread out! Think big." No..... this recalling is not about me, these words are for someone who is reading this. Someone who needs direction or encouragement to go for it, whatever that is for you as an individual. Spread out! Think big! Says Your God!
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