Well, I was in one of those crazy situations again. Huddled within the fragile frame of my Earthly existence, I was cowering in the darkest corner of the Kingdom that I could find (which, if I had truly thought this one through, once again I was dabbling in the realm of the impossible). Being in His presence had put all the shadows behind me with the exception of one, the Shadow found in going through the Valley of Death... But that shadow was not the issue at this juncture of my life (though that could change in a blink). I had sinned.
Guilt and shame had chased me down and were threatening to over take me. I was stealthily pearing through the small shattered window of hope for the rescue. What I saw dropped my heart into my stomach... "Judgement had been turned away in the opposite direction, Justice could do nothing but stand his ground at too far a distance to help; because Truth had lost his balance and stumbled in the street, while Equity was completely stripped and powerless to prevail." (Isaiah 59:14) Of all men I was most miserable.
There was a Voice that startled me because it spoke in my direction. Not immediately recognizing it, I slumped deeper into my hiding place and dared not to breathe nor make a sound. With rubble around me, now still as death... I could hear the Voice: "You have no place to hide! Come out with your hands up!"
Something strange but familiar stirred inside of me. It was all but melting me at the core and tugging away at anything that I considered as foundational for strength to resist. I was like a string tangled marionette caught awkwardly in the midst of a critical performance that was soon to be launched into ... The Unknown?
The Voice boomed again, "Come out with your hands lifted up, you are surrounded!" Now the urge to move forward was even stronger, and to surrender seemed the only course of action left... But it could mean suicide because of the trigger happy enemy that would be waiting.
The Voice, louder than before but strangely encouraging ..."Fear not, You are Surrounded!" This was that moment when faith and fear would collide, but potentially they would form the alliance of "AWE"... And then it happened: I arose from the rubble of my futile hiding, raised my arms to the Heaven of Heavens, moved forward towards my "would be" Captors to find an amazing but powerful Glory encapsulating and surrounding every molecule of my humanness ... The Glory radiated and overwhelmed the darkness in every direction.
Even though my sight was captured near blind in the Brightness; at the fringes of my perception, I observed the most hideously insidious creatures fleeing in flames caused by the Brightness of the Glory. They raced frantically from the unavoidable destruction of wickedness. The Enemy was conquered... And there in the midst of the incident ---Stood the Glory of the Bloodied Cross.
Near the Cross, Now, there I stood, with a new found desire to abide forever - Judgement stood smiling next to me locking arms with my soul, Justice was sounding me with praises that were within my reach, Truth and Equity intertwined their essence with every breath of my soul ... With Hands lifted up - and heart surrendered - His Glory Surrounded me, crowning my life with the fullness of His Vested Love. AND I was not alone ... Multitudes of battered but restored children had joined me to hear His Song of Glorious Love over us. (Read Psalm 8 at this juncture of the story -- notice that we are crowned - "Surrounded with Glory" )
Join me in a glorious life with Jesus, who has overcome the world.
Praise Him and walk powerfully in His Kingdom!
HLFA,
Jeff