(REMNANTS OF VISITATIONS) And when the sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James, and Salome, had bought sweet spices, that they might come and anoint him.(MARK 16:1) The Lord Jesus Christ hung around after the resurrection for 40 days, appearing to many, the first of whom was Mary Magdalene. Then, He appeared to the two Marys and Salome, who were coming to anoint His body, not knowing that He had risen from the dead. Why did He stay in earth those forty days? He wanted to make sure they knew He was alive; He wanted to increase their faith; He wanted to confirm His word to them; and He wanted to leave something behind when He finally would leave them. Holy visitations of God always leave something of value; its a thing that is sacred, highly treasured, destiny driven, impact understood, birth indicated, and far-reaching. When the angel visited Mary, the mother of Jesus, she suddenly was thrust into a new dimension, a place where no one had ever been or will ever be ... To carry Almighty God in ones womb is to succumb to immortal and ethereal heights before ones time; it is the entrance into the light while one sits in darkness; it is the infilling of the unknown into the known; it is unspeakable and full of glory.Moses and the burning bush. God visits us in a multitude of ways. With Mary, it was an angel; with Moses, it was a burning bush. It can be a bird flying over your head while standing in freezing cold in Ravensbruck prison camp as all the women around you are being severely hurt, as it was for Corrie ten Boom. She was a Dutch Christian, who, with her father and other members of her family, helped many Jews escape the Nazi Holocaust during World War II. She was sent to the concentration camp, and while there, experienced many despicable things; she was later released through a God-ordained administrative error and all the women her age were executed the week after her release. For Corrie, this particularly freezing morning, when she felt she could not go on, her loving mighty God sent one lone bird flying closely over her head, while beatings, screaming and horror was taking place on all sides. This destined bird was very beautiful, flying majestically and gracefully above her, a reminder that beauty can exist in the darkest of places when the Lord Jesus Christ is the Master of our souls. The terror of the world becomes opaque when we keep our eyes on Jesus Christ. And, Corries bird visitation, sent by God, gave her peace in the midst of evil and gave her hope.Abrahams visitations brought a miracle; Sarah was told she would have a child at the time of life. Gods visitations have a holy result, and they constitute a birth. A birth of what? you ask. Whatever was left from the visit ... it depends on the substance of the soul being visited ... Huh? What lies lurking in the heart and soul of one who seems to stare off into space in the midst of a noisesome crowd? What is on the mind of one who never seems to be in the present, but dreams in the daytime? Elijah, fed by ravens. The prophet Elijah happened on the scene when the most wicked of all was ruling, Ahab. The Bible says, Ahab did more to provoke the Lord God of Israel than all the kings of Israel who were before him.(I KINGS 16:33) He allowed the worship of Baal to spread unchecked throughout Israel. Then came the arrival of the bold prophetic Elijah, announcing to Ahab that there would be no rain. Smug Ahab did not realize that three years would pass before he would see rain again. The truth of Elijahs prophecy would come to pass, the sinful nation would have their eyes opened to Elijahs God, and the years without rain would end with a showdown at Mount Carmel with the prophets of Baal. In the meantime, God told Elijah to hide himself by the brook Cherith. He was alone with nothing but a brook for his water supply, and he would be fed by ravens every day ... it was a God ordained visitation ...God has a brook visitation for many of us. He hides you away, feeds you with His provision ... a raven of sorts ... Youre taught in a desert-like existence about what it is to depend and wait totally on God. While the world seemingly moves along with its feasts, human gatherings, plans and performance ... but, here you are ... at the brook, waiting for the next ravens flight, alone with nothing but the whistle of the seasonal winds, your spiritual water supply, and God. The remnants of the brook will be the birth of your visitation and the depth of your soul when you come forth ... and you will come forth ... Mary and Elisabeth. The Birth! There will be a Birth, if you have been visited with promise. You say, I dont have any idea what you are talking about. I understand, but maybe this is meant only for some ... perhaps this writing is only for those brook dwellers, moon gazers, dawn prayers, remnant carriers, promise bearers, patient dreamers, and birth givers ...It will come to pass at the time of life, when the figs burst forth, when the bit of meal is multiplied in the barrel, when the seventh dip is complete ... when the ravens have stopped coming ... O, Lord Jesus, what we need is a Preponderance of power, an Awakening of Birth, a Spiritual consolation, an abundance of Rain, an explosion of Your presence ... a Holy Visitation! (SHALOM)
Posted on: Mon, 13 Oct 2014 08:23:01 +0000