Defining Moments Part 2
Merry Monday by Parris Bailey
“And shall no longer be termed Forsaken, Nor shall your land any more be termed Desolate; But you shall be called Hephzibah, and your land Beulah. For the Lord delights in you, and your land shall be married.” Is.62:4
Defining moments are, to me, when God steps into your life and says, “this is the way, walk ye in it.” Once again I would encourage everyone of you to rehearse in your mind the times God has stopped you in your tracks. Abraham was told to count the stars, David to kill the bear, Joseph needed to dream and I could go on and on and probably should! Paul recounted the story of the Damascus road over and over again in the book of Acts and I certainly can see why. The more you tell your story the more it lives inside of you. Bars are filled with the “old stories”, the who did me wrong songs. Blues are just what it is the blues. But when God gets inside of you even your old song becomes new! Wow, now that is some good preaching!
I love this scripture in Isaiah about no longer being Forsaken. I can remember times in my life where I felt forsaken. My own doing or the church-folk misunderstanding me or my family. When you work with people stuff just happens. But in 1994 my defining moment happened when He begin to fill me with a supernatural love for Him all over again. I don’t not believe His love will ever diminish in us as long we are willing to receive it.
Lets read about Sarah Edwards defining moment- “Sarah Edwards was led, under an uncommon discovery of God’s excellency, and in an high exercise of love to God, and of rest and joy in him, to make a new and most solemn dedication of herself to his service and glory, an entire renunciation of the world, and a resignation of all to God. After this, she had often such views of the glory of the divine perfections, and of Christ’s excellencies, and at times, for hours together, without any interruption, that she was overwhelmed, and as it were swallowed up, in the light and joy of the love of God. In the summer of 1740, after a new and more perfect resignation of herself to God, with yet greater fervency, her views of the glory of God, and of the excellency of Christ, became still more clear and transporting; and in the following winter, after a similar but more perfect resignation of herself, and acceptance of God as the only portion and happiness of her soul, God appeared to vouchsafe to her, for a long period, a degree of spiritual light and enjoyment, which seemed to be, in reality, an anticipation of the joys of the heavenly world.”
I must admit apprehending his love for me everyday becomes a daunting task because, as Sarah Edwards said, “an entire renunciation of the world and a resignation of all to God” must take place. Its learning to look past the hurt and pain, the accusations, and the let downs in life and give it all to God in the view of His glory. We are married to Him, not our families, our churches, our friends or our careers.
My last defining moment came when I opened up Mary-song. It was a time in my life in which I guess you could say our family was most vulnerable. Without going into detail, I made that year 365. I needed 365 days of miracles just to get me through. Everyday seemed like a huge weight of shame and weakness. It was that same year God reminded me of His love and instructed me to open up a place for women caught up in a destructive lifestyle. While it remains a huge step of faith in which I feel so very weak, God has brought the land of Beulah to us.
Once again, call out to God to receive His precious love. Talk about and record it, you never know who just might need to read your story……