"So I sought for a man among them who would make a wall, and stand in the gap before Me on behalf of the land, that I should not destroy it; but I found no one." ~Ezekiel 22:30
"If you extend your soul to the hungry
And satisfy the afflicted soul,
Then your light shall dawn in the darkness,
And your darkness shall be as the noonday.
The Lord will guide you continually,
And satisfy your soul in drought,
And strengthen your bones;
And like a spring of water, whose waters do not fail.
Those from among you
Shall build the old waste places;
You shall raise up the foundations of many generations;
And you shall be called the Repairer of the Breach,
The Restorer of Streets to Dwell In."
~Isaiah 58:10-12
"Now all these things are from God, who reconciled us to Himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation, namely, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and He has committed to us the word of reconciliation. Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were making an appeal through us; we beg you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled unto God. He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him." ~2 Corinthians 5:18-21
We have been given the message of reconciliation . . . we know Jesus, and the beauty and power of His love and salvation. What a gift! What a bounty! I can't help but want somehow to pour this out generously into everyone I meet, everyone I talk to, everyone I see.
Father God, I'm beyond-words grateful for the gift of these three passages strung together, and the beautiful concept they teach. Thank You for reaching into my life and continuing to show me things You want to teach me, for offering me yet more living water day by day. Thank You for Jesus, and the fountain that He is within me, springing up unto everlasting life, and thank You most of all for the patience and unending forgiveness that flows from the cross, allowing me to keep on trying, to continue the process of liberation, and to come to know You and Jesus and Holy Spirit better and better day by day and moment by moment. I love You all, and I'm so glad that You know my heart, because words really can't do this justice. Empower Your believers to walk more confidently in the ministry of reconciliation, Father. Show each and every one of us what it looks like to fully accept the commission of the message of reconciliation, and how to walk that out in our lives. I know, for me, that doesn't mean I need to stand on the street corner, shouting "Jesus is the way! The end is near!" (For which I'm so grateful, God; can I just say?) I'm so glad that I am called to minister to those I know, through blessing, through relationship, through prayer and through giving You all glory and honor. Thank You for a doable ministry, for a way of operating in Your Spirit that calls me into the depth of the things I love so much, that calls me to develop in the areas for which You have planted a powerful passion in me, and for the grace that allows Your strength to be perfected in my mortal weakness in all of those areas.
What an amazing day this has been, already. Thank You, God. Thank You so much. In Jesus' name, amen.
