Thanksgiving Restored

Written by Jarred Rushing

(7 minutes)

Now there was a man who had been disabled for thirty-eight years lying among the multitude of the sick. When Jesus saw him lying there, he knew that the man had been crippled for a long time. So Jesus said to him, "Do you truly long to be healed?” (John 5:6)

Yesterday we discovered a more accurate reading of this question: "Are you convinced that you are already made whole?"

Dr. Simmons adds that, "Jesus is asking the crippled man if he is ready to abandon how he sees himself and now receive the faith for his healing."

Are you convinced that you are already made whole?

Can you see yourself already healed?

Can you use your God-given imagination to see what Yahweh sees?

For so long we've only ever used our imagination to concoct worse-case scenarios and detailed escape plans to avoid all the potential problems and unforeseeable dangers in the world. We are experts at using our imagination in this way. We've had years and years of practice. The funny part is that somewhere along the way we spiritualized our future-tripping abilities and called it "wisdom" or "spiritual discernment." Not so much! And the cherry on top is that the religious and political spirit in the church and in the world has praised us for our ability to point out problems. And whatever gets praised gets repeated. So we are now highly trained at using our imagination to see every possible way something could go wrong. Our creative and resourceful imagination that is designed to see what Yahweh sees has gone from problem-solver, to problem-seeker, to problem-lover. Yes, there are still issues and problems that we encounter. But like Pastor Bill Johnson says, "Faith doesn't deny a problems existence. It denies it a place of influence." 

Abba is reawakening our imagination and restoring it back to its original intent - to see what He already sees. "Are you convinced that you are already made whole?" Can you use your imagination to see yourself the way Abba already sees you? Can you use your imagination to dream with God about all the ways He wants to bring restoration to the world around us? We're going to see our imagination restored to see what Yahweh sees in the same way we saw it reduced to worst-case scenario thinking, through repetition. We're going to become obsessed with dreaming about all the possible ways that Abba could transform and restore a thing, instead of obsessing over all the ways that thing could get worse. It's going to be a journey of relearning how to use our imagination, and the Holy Spirit will be our teacher. 

Pastor Tim suggested a great starting place for us this past Sunday...Thanksgiving. A day where we would have used our imagination to see all the potential problems and think about all the ways it could go wrong. The family members we aren't looking forward to seeing. The conversations we don't want to have. Pastor Tim said that some us don't even have hope for a good turkey. We can't even imagine the food being delicious. Well, we're going to let the Holy Spirit teach us how to use our imagination to see what Yahweh sees and this is the perfect place to start. 

So, as you take a walk with Abba today, allow the Holy Spirit to escort you into your Thanksgiving gatherings. Hold Abba's hand and walk through the door of the house you'll be going to. Ask Him to show you what He sees. Ask Him to show you what each individual needs to hear. Abba, what's your heart for ___________? And let Him give you the words designed just for their heart. Hear His voice concerning each person in the room. He'll give you heart-language for each one of them. We're using our imagination to travel ahead with the Holy Spirit and see what Abba sees. Would you believe that He even wants to dream with you about the food?

Let me show you how this could go. You ask Abba what dish you should bring to Thanksgiving and He tells you to bake an apple pie. You've never baked an apple pie but you trust His voice and look up the best apple pie recipe in the world and you bring it to your Thanksgiving gathering. While the desserts are getting dished out you notice your sister-in-law eating your apple pie and her eyes begin to water. You make your way over to her and ask her if everything is okay and she looks up at you and says, "This apple pie is just like the one my grandmother used to make. She would make one every Thanksgiving. She passed away a couple months ago and I never got to say goodbye. I miss her so much and this apple pie reminds me of her." As you are hearing this story you are remembering what the Holy Spirit told you about this sister-in-law when you asked Him what each person would need. While using your imagination to walk with the Holy Spirit through this gathering, He told you that this exact sister-in-law was going to need a very long hug. You had no clue why at the time, but it all makes sense now. So you look at your sister-in-law as her eyes fill with tears and you say, "God really wants you to know how loved you are. He's the one that told me to bake that apple pie. That's the first apple pie I've ever made and the only reason I made it was because He told me to, and I think it was just for you. And He told me that you were going to need a big hug today." So you give your sister-in-law the most anointed hug she's ever had and you whisper in her ear, "He loves you so much." It changes her day. It marks her. She feels the love of the Father flowing towards her and it plants the seed of His love in her heart. You just co-labored with Yahweh to bring restoration and hope to someone's heart, beauty in the place of ashes. 

Can you see Thanksgiving already healed? Can you see the Thanksgiving that Abba already sees? Your imagination is perfectly designed to perceive the heart of God in every situation you encounter. Faith doesn't deny a problems existence. It denies the problem a place of influence. Abba is calling us to co-labor with Him in seeing the restoration of all things. And the first place that restoration will come is to our mind and our imagination. 

I pray that the light of God will illuminate the eyes of your imagination, flooding you with light, until you experience the full revelation of the hope of his calling--that is, the wealth of God's glorious inheritances that he finds in us, his holy ones! (Ephesians 1:18)  

Abba, let your light illuminate the eyes of my imagination today. Flood me with light, until I experience the full revelation of the hope that You've called me to - the wealth of Your glorious inheritances that you have already placed in me! I'm exclusively Yours!

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Worship: "Real Thing" by Maverick City Music

Honor: Give Online to The Wilderness Place

Share With Us: We would love to hear how you're encountering Abba in your daily walks. Don't hesitate to share what you're hearing, seeing, or sensing in His presence. Email us here!