On the ledge it all becomes clearer, when the mist of me subsides, and I am left to face my fear.
On the ledge it all becomes clearer, when faced with my impotence, eternity's desire draws nearer.
Be Still my soul, and know Thy God, on the ledge.
I, like most devoted lovers of God, am (potentially) a practicing idolater. (You may say "not I") {WARNING -- "Little children, keep yourselves from idols" - 1 John 5:21}. I really don't mean to be this way but "doubt" is woven into the fabric of my human existence. I constantly try to fall back on things that don't belong to me for my daily living. I constantly try to control the situation with the use of my frustrated version of omniscience (I know even if I didn't see), omnipresence (I am there even if I am not), omnipotence (I don't need anyone, I can take care of myself!). Armed by my misguided fears, and crippled by my non-reflex to trust, I step into impossible situations even more confused; and that breaks my spirit all the more. What a mess I am!
The root problem is that we rarely understand God's Will. The reason: We put His will (His desire) in the context of what we are supposed to do. That in place; now there arises a valuation or devaluation system out of our idolatrous hearts that places more or less worth on the way we "do" His will, instead of focusing on - "What is His desire?". We also may go to the extent of defining levels of His will for us that we "do"; and we use terms like - "missed", "perfect", "preferential" or "permissive" will. This all depends on human perception, and is spawned by the whispers of Hell that were first heard in the Garden, and have reverberated throughout all mankind ever since that first divisive whisper ... "God hath not said" ... "you will be like Gods determining what is good and evil". Don't keep going back to the Garden ... face the ledge.
The truth of God's Will and our connection to His Power in our prayers is found on the ledge: (Listen carefully to these two very powerful parallel passages)
1 John 5:14,15 - "And this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything ... according to His will He hears us. And if we know that He hears us, we know that we have the petitions that we have desired of Him."
Psalm 116:1,2 - "I love the LORD, because He hath heard my voice and my supplications. Because He hath inclined His ear unto me, therefore I will call upon Him as long as I live."
Both the Apostle and the Psalmist had been to the ledge. Both understood "there" that God's Will ...His desire... is to "hear us". God, who is all knowing, who is always present, who is all powerful ... desires with an intentional and intense focus to HEAR US.
Miss this and miss the opportunity to unshackle love.
Miss this and miss the point of prayer.
Miss this and you turn the image of the Living God into a performance art idol.
Have you come to the ledge? Have you come to safest place on this side of Heaven, though seemingly so precarious? Have you come to the Father through His Son? ... HE HEARS YOU!! There is no misunderstanding on His side of the HEARING -- you can TRUST that HE eternally has your best interests in mind --
Here is where we see sin for the separator that it is.
Here we learn to understand the difference between His voice and the world's.
Here is where Satan has no place, no power.
Here is where death no longer threatens.
Here is where we can take and leave our most devastating conflicts.
Here is where we know the only One that can bring forgiveness.
Here is where there is only room for the true God and Eternal Life.
Here is where we LOVE the LORD because HE HEARS US.
Here is where trust is truly grounded in His Word.
On the Ledge - Little Children, Keep yourselves from idols for they have ears but hear not.
HLFA,
Jeff