RISE
Isaiah 60:2 NLT “The glory of the Lord rises and appears over you.”
Isaiah 52:2 NLT “Rise from the dust, O Jerusalem. Sit in a place of honor.”
Jeremiah 31: 20 MSG “Oh! Ephraim is my dear, dear son, my child in whom I take pleasure. Every time I mention his name, my heart bursts with longing for him. Softly and tenderly I wait for him.”
Psalm 21:13 NLT “Rise up, O Lord, in all your power. With music and singing we celebrate your mighty acts.”
Romans 8:15-17 MSG “This resurrection life you received from God is not a timid, grave-tending life. It’s adventurously expectant, greeting God with a childlike ‘What’s next, Papa?’ God’s Spirit touches our spirits and confirms who we really are. We know who he is, and we know who we are: Father and children.”
During this season, the word *RISE* was placed on my heart. When that happens, I come across articles, podcasts, poems, quotes, songs about that specific word. Here is the definition of rise = move from a lower position to a higher one; come or go up; an instance of becoming higher.
One of the things I admire most about Jesus is He meets people right where they are. But He loves us too much to let us stay there. Sometimes we believe we need to get cleaned up to make ourselves more presentable before we could even think of thinking the name of Jesus. That just is NOT true. There is nothing you have done or said or thought or acted on or walked away from that could make Jesus love you any less than He does right here and now. Our Father God knows the hurt and sorrow you have buried deep inside. It breaks His heart too.
You are worthy of unconditional love and acceptance. Jesus wants to fill all of your empty spaces and broken pieces with something beautiful and everlasting. He longs for time with you and a personal, close relationship with YOU. Because Christ has risen, now we can rise. Even, and especially, with our broken pieces.
Declare today you will rise above the heaviness and darkness and brokenness. Let our loving Father have access to your heart. Let Him love you. Let your walls down. Ask Him to show you how He sees you. Just like a hot air balloon lifting up off the ground, imagine yourself rising above the darkness.
Dear Holy Father, thank you for meeting me right here. I give You the pieces of my brokenness that I have been holding on to. Thank you for loving me and caring for me like no human on earth can. Thank you for Your unconditional, eternal love. Lord, show me how to rise above it all in every area of my life to glorify and honor You. In Jesus’ name Amen.