You can stand on the mountaintops that surround Jerusalem. They make the city look like a valley but it really isn't. It's in this very place that Isaiah receives a Vision from God. The place is called the Valley of Vision---that place in our heart where we know the Truth and it sets us free to be alive.
The Jerusalem city dwellers will perish by the hands of the Babylonian Army unless they repent. Isaiah preaches and no one listens. The citizens stand on their level flat rooftops in Isaiah 22 and go wild in revelry and merrymaking. Eat and drink for tomorrow we die. They can see imminent death heading their way to destroy their leaders. No one stands tall on those flat pancake rooftops where they see the trouble headed their way. King Zedekiah depends on his paltry weapons not on his LORD God.
How do we do the same in our day? Let's not take a good look at what really is going on in our lives and the imminent death it brings. Let's just be positive and enjoy life and be grateful for what we have and praise God and serve the needy and write down His Faithfulness. Dont get me wrong---we will do those things if we repent. But we don't "work" our way into Life. We fall before a Good God Who is revealing to us the ways we do not walk in trust of His Name.
Be Imitators of God not this world.
Walk in Love not distance.
Let there be Thanksgiving.
Walk as Children of the Light.
Try to Discern What is Pleasing to God.
Expose the Darkness.
Awake, O Sleeper.
Arise from the Dead.
Christ will shine on you. Eph 5:14
Make the best use of the time.
It is in the Valley of Vision that we find what we are placing our trust in ~ Isaiah 22:5
"Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children.... For it is shameful even to speak of the things that they do in secret."
ReplyDeleteThis is hard for me regarding one person in particular. For some reason I feel it's MY job to expose his shortcomings for the world to see. I needed this reminder that it will all come out in the end and it's not up to me to make his true colors be shown. Instead, it's my job to "be an imitator of God" and keep my mouth shut.
Happy Monday, Girls!
xo
We so need to make best use of the time that we have left. We need to keep on keeping on for Christ. We do not need to bury our heads in the sand and throw up our hands and say , "oh, woe is me". We need to look down into that valley of vision and see the Truth that He has for us and live for Him each day the best we can and in the power of the Holy Spirit. The signs of the time are everywhere and we need to be alert to them and live as though each day is our last and as though we have a hundred years left to live for Him. I am preaching to myself also. I am sensing a drawing in my spirit to pray for things and in ways that I have never prayed before. May we each one fall on our face and seek Him and what He has for us and be open to the opportunities He puts before us.
ReplyDeleteBlessings on each one of you.
The charge against them in the valley of vision:
ReplyDelete"you saw that the breaches of the city of David were many. You collected the waters of the lower pool, 10 and you counted the houses of Jerusalem, and you broke down the houses to fortify the wall. 11 You made a reservoir between the two walls for the water of the old pool. But you did not look to him who did it, or see him who planned it long ago."
We see the breaches in our walls of faith. We collect our tears, our we count our own arsenals, and build in our own strength. But we forget Who ordained our wellbeing, Who planned our days from long ago.
Give us hearts to love, grateful hearts, hearts that do not forget Who has done this Great Thing among us. In the valleys of vision, draw us unto You again.
"Walk in love as Christ loved us, and gave Himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God."