Tuesday, December 13, 2016

When Time Stood Still

This morning as I stare out my window at the Oak trees, I am witnessing the annual boxing match between winter and fall.  Fall wants to hang around, but winter has begun spraying her cold clamminess through an angry fire hose.  As seasons outside change, so do the seasons in our lives. Early morning is my time to read and pray, and this morning I feel my Heavenly Father urging me to pen something specific.  It is the only time I can think of, during my life, where I can say that time stood still.

I figure that I've made it about half way through my time here om planet earth.  Like most folks, I've had my share of epiphanies, God moments, and close calls over the years.  Six years ago, however, was the first time in my life that time actually stood still.  Val was in the delivery room and had just given birth to our second son, Colt. This is where you might assume that I'm writing about my child being born. Seriously?  Have you ever been in a delivery room when a baby is born?  No sir! Time didn't stand still for me for then!  I had a calm but stern hospital staff barking orders at me with a sense of urgency.  They were telling me what, when, and how to help with our baby's birth.  It was controlled chaos at its best!  This story begins a few moments later....

After the excitement in the delivery room, Baby Colt and Val gathered themselves and looked amazing!  Members from both sides of my family crowded into the room to see the new bundle of joy. There were "congratulations" and "Attaboys" going round the room when a knee high three year old crept through the crowded room to see for himself.  Our family stepped aside as Val re-positioned Baby Colt to make it easier for Case to look up and see his new brother.  The moment he spotted Colt, his eyes locked on him and the room went dead silent!  It was if everyone stopped breathing.  I honestly don't know how long this lasted, but there was not a single sound or movement from anyone. For me, that was the moment that time stood still.  I literally felt as if I was in a place of timelessness. To see my entire world before me in its completeness made me feel as if everything around me froze, giving me as much time as I wanted to take it all in. In that moment, I felt an elevated level of love and completeness wash over me like never before.  It gave me a better understanding of the "Agape" love that our Father in heaven feels for us.  It is a love that is pure and expects nothing in return.

On this cold wintry morning, God is reminding me that every time I reach out to him in sincerity, His eyes lock on me just like Case and Colt in the delivery room .  I have his undivided attention and I don't have to do anything or compete with anyone to keep it.  All I need to do is look up and say "Abba!"  Whatever is on my heart, that I am willing to hand over to Him, is only a whisper away. God spoke to all of us through the prophet, Jeremiah, when he said " For I know the plans I have for you, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."  He dotes on us and wants to help us achieve the very best for ourselves!

Spending time each day with the Father is the single most important thing we can do.  To have a few moments each day where the creator of the entire universe locks His eyes upon us is our opportunity to become more like Him.  To "renew our minds" is not to just read the Bible like a history book, but to transform our minds to be more like the mind of  Christ.  The more of His thoughts we allow in our hearts, the more like Him we become.  He never violates our will or forces us to give over our bad habits, thoughts, or behaviors.  When we do, however, we enable Him to bless us with wisdom, power, understanding, discernment, and best of all.....His presence!  My prayer for all of my family and for you, is to have so much of His presence and anointing on our lives, that we never conform to, but change the atmosphere around us!  Selah!