Rise of the Phoenix

The rise of the phoenix… that is how I feel. Yesterday I felt so defeated and today I just stood in awe of God. I love that God takes our ashes from where we have burned ourselves out (what we burn out on is different for each person) but He takes those ashes and makes something out of them. He doesn’t just look at us and see a burn-out, washed up, down on their luck person. NO, He looks at us and see His creation, His daughters (and sons). He sees all that potential hidden deep within us just waiting to burst forth.

I love that we can go to God as we are and He will build on what is there. There is no specific change needed to go to the altar of God just go as you are in the condition you find yourself in but go with expectation that God will meet you there. And I love that the altar of God is not just found in a church… it’s wherever we cry out at. It could be your bedroom, car, bathroom, kitchen, living room, a park, the list could go. God has met me on the floor of my closet before, remember He is used to traveling around in a tent (2 Samuel 7) so meeting you where you are at is not going to offend Him. I love that God picks us up right where He finds us, the place we surrender to Him at and He immediately starts to repair the wounded, injuried places within us.

In Matthew 11 Jesus says a particular thing, something the people had never heard the religious leaders say… He says 11: ²⁸ Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Weary means: tired, beat down, drained, exhausted, and shattered. He beckons those that are heavy in heart with hefty burdens, those that have lost all hope to come to Him so He could give them rest. So, He could refresh them with hope, love, and peace. I don’t know about you but to me that is cause for celebration because Jesus was not calling or seeking perfect people (they don’t exist) … He was calling real life women and men with problems. The people in Jesus day were not used to hearing that, they had been beaten down so long by the religious system telling them that they weren’t good enough they just lost hope. But Jesus came defying odds, breaking social norms, and giving hope to the unwanted… That’s my Savior, that is my God! BECAUSE those are my people the broken…

In the book of Romans, the Apostle Paul tells us to not give up on hope…  ^{Romans 5:5} And hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us.

Wherever you are at in life don’t give up on hope… The hope that Jesus brings does not disappoint but anoints us for the life He desires for us. Good afternoon Ladies…

PS. God is a seed planter of hope and in return He makes us to be seed planters of hope… hope doesn’t quit, it doesn’t give up, it perseveres. No matter what you’re facing learn to plant seeds of hope in people. Do you know why? Because hope raises us up and transforms us from those ashes… the rise of the phoenix… HOPE