In my sphere there exist many who have yet to give their lives to Jesus. They are ever on my mind and heart. If that be the case for this wee girl, then how much more does He—with His boundless love—long for an abiding relationship with them? How He must yearn to call them His own...His own special people, His beloved.
I am thankful God formed me as a woman. We are feeling creatures. We are, for the most part, compassionate by nature. As we bring souls to the throne of God’s heavenly grace, it is most often with deep emotion and a passionate desire for Him to draw them nigh. Our hearts break. The ability to feel such complexities…it is truly a gift.
Even as the Lord would use our God-given emotions, we must submit them to the filter of His will and allow Him to give us a balanced perspective for the spiritual battle in which we are engaged. Yes…it is a privilege to feel deeply but we are not responsible for their salvation. Only Jesus can save. Only His Holy Spirit can penetrate the stoniest heart and replace it with a heart of flesh. As Ezekiel pointed out (in chapter 3), we have been given charge to sound the warning cries but each person will ultimately choose whether they will turn from wickedness and yield to the Lord or whether they will continue the life of sin they have come to love.
At times we allow the weighty burdens of those around us to bend our backs as we labour in prayer. But Jesus said,
“Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” ~Matthew 11:28-30
The burdens belong to Him and so does the battle…
“The horse is prepared for the day of battle but deliverance is of the Lord.” ~Proverbs 21:31
As a woman called into the royal family of Christ—and consequently as a soldier into spiritual battle—my tailor-fit arsenal houses a God-given supply of emotions. I am learning the discipline of their preparation and practise in battle. More importantly, my heart is learning how to lay deliverance before the only One through whom it is possible…the Lord Himself.
So on this day I find much needed rest and balance within His sovereignty. I find myself happily under His yoke, trusting that the precious names and faces I lay before Him are HIS to deliver. After all, it is HIS battle. He is simply asking me to be prepared for it.
