Day 110 of
The Red Shoe Project was a little cloudy and dreary, so I reached into the back of my closet and pulled out those
bright, sparkly, RED shoes. Perfect for today! They are a reminder to look beyond the dark clouds for The Living God who loves me!
It's been a quiet day. I love that. A little slow, a little sleepy. Not a lot of things needing my focused attention, so I was able to just continually communicate with God casually throughout the entire day -- while I was walking the dog; while I was doing the laundry; while I was making the bed; while I was cooking; even while I was watching t.v. My thoughts kept going back to Him... wondering what He was thinking, wanting to share my heart and my life with Him... wanting to just find myself wrapped in Him.
Who is this Jesus who has so captivated
my heart, mind, soul and strength?
Of course I know who He is... but I have this strange feeling in my gut, that says there's so much more. After thirty years, how is it that I feel that I've barely scratched the surface of this relationship? Am I a mere acquaintance with God? Because my desire is to go beyond that... to be His friend... to be intimately entangled in His presence... to be in such Divine Partnership that it's hard to see where He ends and where I begin... to be inseparable, not just in word... but in life.
I remember one time, decades ago, asking my son, (he was about eight years old), if I could join him in a game of "doubles" on our home video system. He agreed and even let me go first. One. Two. Three. I'm out. His turn. About a half hour later, he handed me back the controls. It was finally my turn again. One. Two. Three. Out. Back to him, for at least another half hour. I'm not sure if I ever finished that game. I may have gotten tired waiting for my turn and wandered away. LOL. But I learned a lot that day watching him play. I clearly remember that I couldn't even make it through Level One, which was quite interesting, because up until that day, I never knew that there was anything but a Level One. Watching my son, I found that there were several kingdoms to be conquered, a princess to be saved, hidden keys all over the place, and a manual that held the secrets on how to get from one level to the next.
Have you ever felt like you finally conquered Level One, only to find that you had to immediately start all over, at the beginnning, at Level Two? You're so excited about winning! Yahooooo!!! And just as you're about to do your victory dance... Oh no, it's already time to move on! There's no time to hang around and celebrate, the clock is ticking.
As I look back to
Day One of
The Red Shoe Project, I can see that I've come miles and miles. There have been many insights, numerous victories & much growth.
But as I look before me, there's miles and miles of road ahead, still untraveled. And there's this yearning in my heart, to know God in a deeper way, that leaves me little time for celebration. I must move on!
I visited with a wonderful friend the other day. She asked me if there was anyone
"special" in my life.
"Oh yes," I replied, "His name is Jesus!"
Needless to say, that didn't quite go over the way I had hoped.
"No... really," she said, "Is there anyone special these days?"
Ok, so I wonder what part she doesn't get?
" YES.... His name is Jesus!"
I understand that she doesn't get it. Hey... sometimes I don't get it! LOL. But it's the truth.
There is someone special in my life. His name is Jesus. And I don't want anything to get in the way of that. I don't want anything extra to take up my time. I don't want anyone to distract me from my heart's desire. I don't want anything in my life that will break my focus on getting below the surface, beyond the formalities, and to the heart of the matter... to the heart of Him who loves me most!
I've heard the testimonies of others. People, who over the centuries, have made it their life's goal to know the Master in the deepest of ways. Abraham, the friend of God. Enoch, the one who walked with God and God took him. Moses, who met with God face to face. John, the disciple that Jesus loved. Paul the Apostle, who penned, in partnership with the Holy Spirit, most of the New Testament. Fast forward in time... Revivalists like Finney, Moody and Spurgeon. C.S. Lewis, the father of Christian Literature. Kathryn Kuhlman, Leonard Ravenhill, Oswald Chambers, A. W. Tozer, Mother Teresa... and the list goes on and on.
What is it that they knew about Christ that set them apart? Somehow they were able to go deeper.
Is this what going into Ezekiel's River is all about? (Ezekiel 47). When a Christian walks in ankle deep, then continues to knee deep, neck deep, to the point of going under completely... Is that what Ezekiel was describing? If so, where are my
RED water shoes? It's time to go swimming!
I'm going in for a dip and may never come out!
Gail
