Monday, January 24, 2011

Awaken The Dawn

Through a series of events literally too extravagant for words, God has knocked me off me my feet this weekend. And now, via this blog, I'd like to pass the blessing forward to you.  My 13 followers. :)

The past two years of my life I would categorize as a season of trial. It wasn't all bad, but there were two blatant issues that hung over me like a shadow almost constantly.  I tried (like all of us have with one issue or another) to "give it to God". Isn't that what we good Christian folk always say to one another when we don't know what other counsel to give?  "Just give it to God."  Well I'd tried again and again to give my burdens over to Him, but somehow I kept obliging myself right back to the God role.  Carrying them myself. 

Well, LOOOOOOOONG story short, this past Saturday night God all-out drenched my apartment with His presence and in a moment of worship, just Him and I, I felt Him say into my heart,
"I promised in My Word that sorrow lasts for the night and joy comes in the morning. Jordan Shea, your night....is...over.  Morning is here. Now Beloved... awaken the dawn with your praise."
Yall, I can't with my little blog words describe to you the literal feeling that came over me of breaking through and crossing a finish line. It's like I'd busted through a stained-glass window and it shattered into a million pieces.  God TOOK that burden from me. I didn't give it, didn't have some giant moment of surrender, God did what I could not do my self.

Here's where the application for you comes in. If you are currently in a night of sorrow, mourning, or trial and you're weary, sleep-deprived, broken, hoping that God's Word comes to be true for you:  Awaken the dawn with your praise.   Here's what God showed me. I think I would still be in the dark night of sorrow had I not for the past two years deliberately praised Him. I would get phone calls late at night from a friend who was struggling, and even in my brokenness for them I would hang up that phone, grab my guitar and sing "blessed be Your name!"  I truly believe that this dawn of morning in my life was awakened by my praise.

Wherever you are, "dawn" does not have to mean heaven. there can be a place of restoration here on this terrestrial turf. I believe it. It doesn't necessarily mean that everything you've lost will be given back, but every strand of joy the enemy has stolen can be reclaimed. Your night has lasted long enough. Awaken a new day in your life by choosing to bless God's name. Angels lean in and are intrigued with wonder when they see this being called man, the apple of God's eye, worship. We get to experience something that Scripture says angels long to look into:  Grace.  The created beings that have beheld the very countenance of God envy us!  We know a part of God's heart that they can only imagine. Take hold of God's graces and worship Him for He is good.

Keep doin' the walk.
Jordan

2 comments:

  1. Well said. Find it very interesting. Feel the Lord is leading me to post some thoughts about daily surrendering (yielding) to Him. I'm just making sure I have the fullness of it before I do. You've added another aspect. By His grace He'll sometimes take things from us whether we're willing or not. HMMM!

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  2. Love this, Jordan! Proud to worship with you on Sundays :) Thank you for sharing this strong encouragement.

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