The Pace of the Kingdom
(7 minutes)
The mighty Spirit of the Lord Yahweh is wrapped around me because Yahweh has anointed me, as a messenger to preach good news to the poor. He sent me to heal the wounds of the brokenhearted, to tell captives, "You are free," and to tell prisoners, "Be free from your darkness." I am sent to announce a new season (eon) of Yahweh's grace and a time of God's recompense on his enemies, to comfort all who are in sorrow, to strengthen those crushed by despair who mourn in Zion -- to give them a beautiful bouquet in the place of ashes, the oil of bliss instead of tears, and the mantle of joyous praise instead of the spirit of heaviness.
Because of this, they (you, me, us) will be known as Mighty Oaks of Righteousness, planted by Yahweh as a living display of his glory. They will restore ruins from long ago and rebuild what was long devastated. They will renew ruined cities and desolations of past generations. (Isaiah 61:1-4)
"This is a process. You might be in a hurry, but Yahweh is not. You might be fretting every step, and in anxiety and fear about your life, but He is not. Can you see Him telling you to slow down a minute?" (Pastor Tim)
Restlessness and a hurried pace abound in our culture. Like Martha, we're often running around engaging in all sorts of things that are distracting us from the thing that would transform our entire life: being seated at the feet of Jesus so we can hear His voice for ourselves.
Have you ever stopped long enough to ask Abba why it's difficult for you to slow down? Why it's difficult for you to slow your pace and find value in being seated at His feet? The heart is incredibly deep and it is the man. It's so deep that some of its intricacies aren't even known by us, and can't be known while we're running from one thing to the next.
One thing is sure: if we're going to receive anything from Abba and see it have the effect that it's meant to have, we must find our way out of restlessness and make our way to being seated at His feet. The only way to receive from the Kingdom is to match the pace of the Kingdom. Yahweh isn't trying to see how fast you can run to reach the finish line. He's trying to see how slow you can walk, so you can actually begin enjoying the process as much as He does. This is not a competition to be won, this is a dance to be enjoyed.
In what areas are we outrunning the pace of Abba? In what areas are we striving, when we should be sitting? This is an easy one to answer. It's the areas that you are not enjoying. You can know when the Kingdom arrives because it carries peace, joy, and an overwhelming feeling that "this is right." The places where we're not matching the pace of the Kingdom will be laden with chaos, dread, and the sinking feeling that "this is not who I am or where I'm supposed to be."
And it will have nothing to do with your external circumstances, and everything to do with your inner world and how deeply your heart is connecting with Abba's heart in intimacy. When your heart has taken a seated posture in His presence, you can be in the fiercest storm of your life and be sleeping in the bow of the boat with Jesus. And the opposite is true as well: when your heart is striving and out of sync with Abba, you can be in the most comfortable and pleasant external situation in the world, and be exhausted and overwhelmed by the restlessness and chaos that still exists in your heart.
Beloved One, this is Abba's invitation to rest. The Kingdom is calling out to you and luring you into a pace that will allow you to sit at the feet of Jesus and hear Him speak the words that your heart has longed to hear. When your restlessness demands that you start running, respond to it the same way that Jesus responded to Martha: "I have discovered the ONE thing that is most important by choosing to sit at Jesus' feet. I am undistracted, seated in His presence, and I'm hearing His voice for myself... and this will not be taken away from me."
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Worship: "You Can Just Rest" by Bethel 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!
