It Had To Be
His heart was hard toward any emotions. His inner walls, ones that stand in the heart, were brick, maybe even steel. The lie that to be a man means to feel no emotions was broken when the Savior's eyes met his. When the Savior was known to be not only Someone Who is mighty in strength, but one who also weeps with the weeping, his walls came crashing down. Now a hurting friend's grief moved him to persistent prayer as tears rolled down his face. Limitless love for his friends meant saying no to the voice of pride that says to be feel is to be weak. It had to be God. Now, in his heart, there was agape that risks and makes him free to love without limits because His Savior did so first.
It had to be God when he couldn't even look at himself in the mirror. Shame had become his identity. He had grown up in church, learning about God all his life. What he didn't know was that God not only wanted knowledge for him, but a relationship. One that is daily and presses in through the ugly. One that says, "I still want you, even if you are imperfect." As worship filled the room, eyes marked by brilliant radiance and color met his, making this the first time he knew that God wanted to look at him. Shame loses its power when, despite what you've done or who you've been, the Maker of the earth chooses to look you in the eye.
It had to be God. The Lord had gifted her with the gift of art, so one morning, she started painting. The last stroke was lifted from the page and here was a young boy she had never seen before, painted by her hand. Three years passed. No success was had as she tried to find this boy stranger she didn't know, yet had so specifically painted. One evening, as she was overseas on mission, she held her Bible in her hand with the picture laying there. She was sitting in an evening service at a church, when all of the sudden, she looked down at the painting, then at a boy who was sitting in the same room, then back at the painting. In courage and excitement, she went up to him. Before she could even explain, the boy exclaimed, "That looks like me!" There was joy and incredible awe, as both her and the boy realized, it had to be God.
It had to be God when she was headed to a brand new place with brand new people, miles from home and from her sister, who was also her best friend. She was following her calling to be a missionary, but it came with surrender of a people and a place she held dear in her heart. She met many people in this new season of her life but what was unreal was her outreach leader who had become a mentor to her. A kind and courageous woman of God, who happened to be a twin (just like her), called to missions, and living away from her best friend at the moment as well. Her mentor shared her life with the girl, how God has worked in her (and her twin's) life as they both chose to be obedient to God first. What's more, as they were on outreach together with their team, her mentor's twin was able to stay with them for a time and serve together with them. Think it had to be God? Oh wait, one more thing. Both her and her mentor (and both of their twins) share the exact same birthday.
Simply, it had to be.
To the believer, seeker, and the skeptic, no matter where you stand today, I encourage you to lift up your eyes. Maybe you've seen darkness and maybe you've felt it deeply in recent times. It is my hope that, though this is true, you have more often seen the Light. Does the enemy have ground in the world? Absolutely. Let us, however, not forget Who created the world. Let us see that we are surrounded by the Father's hand. Choose to walk in the Light, rather than the darkness. He has hope for you and He sees you too. And if you're far from Him, don't let another day pass running from this Light. One day, you will have to stop running because you will meet Him face to face. Let that day be today. Oh, He made you and oh, how He loves you.
There is hope for you. Take it.
Ash
"For the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord as the waters cover the sea." Habakkuk 2:14 NIV
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