Relearning Everything
Written by Jarred Rushing
(6 minutes)
A common theme on our wilderness walks with Abba is relearning.
There are things we learned about Him and things we learned about ourselves under the system of religion and as we begin to surrender those theological opinions to Yahweh, He begins to teach us His truth, not rooted in fear but in a revelation of His love. I think relearning is great way to understand the word repentance. We're allowing our minds to be changed on our wilderness walks with Abba. We're asking Him questions about our deepest, most long-held beliefs and allowing His love to reshape those beliefs. By surrendering our theological opinions to Yahweh we're allowing Him to renew our minds. We're stepping more fully into the mind of Christ.
Let me speak honestly about my own journey of relearning and how I first approached these wilderness walks with Abba. As I began to encounter the revelation of His love and my own beloved identity, I knew that there were going to be plenty of things I needed to relearn. I knew that everything that I learned under the influence of religion needed to be brought to the table so Abba could show me what was worth keeping and what needed to be thrown away. There was absolutely nothing I was going to withhold from this process. I even put my own salvation experience on the line. I told Abba that we needed to go back all the way to the beginning because I didn't want anything in our relationship to be rooted in fear. I remember feeling hesitant to even ask Him about it because I wasn't sure what answer I would receive. I had a fleeting thought of "what will I tell people if I've been pastoring a church since 2016, but I wasn't really saved until 2021?" I swept that thought to the side and asked Abba anyway. He brought me all the way to the beginning and spoke so tenderly to me about what was real and what wasn't. He showed me that in the very beginning religion convinced me of things that were not true and that I made decisions to follow Him out of fear, but then He transported me to several significant moments in my history with Him and He pointed them out and said, "This was the moment you fell in love with Me. This was the real thing." I completely agreed with Him. I remember crying and thanking Him for showing me and giving me the assurance I needed. That was a beautiful walk with Abba.
This is what we mean when we talk about laying down our theological opinions. This is what we mean when we talk about taking a walk with Abba and letting His love transform the way we think. This is what we mean when we sing songs that exclaim, "Come in like a fire, come in like a flood, I don't care what it looks like, I'm so in love." It's developing a heart that values knowing what Abba thinks, over what we think we already know. Even when it comes to my most cherished, foundational beliefs like my own salvation experience, I would rather know the truth that flows from His love than trust my own opinion that could have originated in fear.
What else in my theological wardrobe was inherited from the spirit of religion, sown in fear?
If it were me, I would put everything on the table. I would bring it all to Him. I wouldn't hold anything back. If you learned it while you were under the influence of religion, then I would put it on the table. No matter how precious your memories are of when you received it or how many years you have been believing it, I would still take it to Abba.
This journey of relearning from the mouth of Yahweh is going to be one of the most important things you'll experience in your entire life. And you'll be in excellent company. There is a whole host of people who were called out of the system of religion, into the wilderness, to relearn everything they thought they already knew about God. Abraham, Jacob, Moses, Elijah, King David, John the Baptizer, the Apostle Paul, and even Jesus the Anointed One. They all found themselves in the wilderness at some point. And they were all transformed by the power of Abba's love. When they emerged from the wilderness, they were no longer moved by fear and unbelief. They had an unwavering commitment to the King and they moved in His power and authority.
This is the glorious hope. Abba's plan is not to rapture us away, but for His glory, His very presence, to cover the earth like the waters cover the sea. The entire cosmos is groaning, standing on tip toe, eagerly awaiting the revealing of the sons and daughters of God. There is a bride being transformed in the wilderness and when she emerges the world will finally see Yahweh's love on display.
Therefore, behold, I will allure her and bring her into the wilderness and speak to her heart. Then I will give her her vineyards from there and the valley of trouble as a door of hope. And she will sing there as in the days of her youth. As in the day when she came up from the land of Egypt. "And it will be in that day," declares Yahweh, "That you will call Me, Husband, and will no longer call Me, Master." (Hosea 2:14-16)
As you take the walk with Abba today, I challenge you to bring everything to Him. Let His perfect love cast out every opinion or belief that finds its origin in fear. Ask Him to tenderize your heart, making it flexible and able to relearn. Whisper this prayer to Him: "Yahweh, I yield my heart to You as we take this wilderness walk today. I let go of every belief and opinion I learned while I was a slave. I open my heart to Yours. Yahweh, let the revelation of Your love transform me into a Bride, with no stain, spot or wrinkle. I want to see you rightly."
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Worship: "When I Lock Eyes With You" by Maverick City Music & UPPERROOM
Honor: Give Online to The Wilderness Place
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