my thoughts/impressions/things i felt like God gave me insight on from last night:
ezekiel 47:6-9
--where it empties, the water there becomes fresh (such a literal picture of letting God flow through us and empty us and bring fresh life wherever we are)
--SWARMS of living creatures will live wherever the river flows -- not "just life", SWARMS of life (that sort of made me think about CCC and the activity within the walls of the building...it certainly swarms at times!! in a beautiful way....)
--the river has a path set out for it to flow - it's not haphazard or tornado like...it's well orchestrated and designed
jeremiah 2:10-13
--there are 2 main sins mentioned - forgetting God and trying to do things on our own
--v - 5(ish) from chapter 10 -- "it never occurred to them to say 'where's God....'" -- that verse made me thankful for the way ccc faithfully asks "where's God?" and we move to join Him - rather than asking Him to join us. may it always occur to us (and to me!) to ask "where's God?" and move to meet Him there
--v - 18 (ish) from chapter 10 - talks about taking a cool drink from the Nile or a long drink from the Euphrates (sort of posed as 'why would you go off and do that?') -- my thoughts were that yes, the cool, long drinks are nice - and better than nothing - but they lack so much when up against the fresh flowing waters of the fountain that is mentioned in v. 13
isaiah 30:15-17
--thought it was fabulous that the 2 things that bring salvation are the opposite of the 2 sins mentioned in jeremiah 2 -- "salvation requires you to turn back to me (ie - not forget God!) and stop your silly efforts to save yourselves (don't do it in your own strength!)
there were 2 other things that were in my head and heart last night -- one was the phrase "spiritual disciplines" and what i thought i heard in regards to that is that we are to purposefully practice spiritual disciplines as a body (memorize scripture together as a body....fast as a body...practice simplicity as a body...etc.) -- not for the sake of the practice but for the fact that they draw us closer to Him...they help us to be more like Him.
the other thing God kept bringing me back to is the words i felt were from Him at the last quarterly board meeting that we had back in june...and, just so you know, the "tone" of this is so kind...so loving and gentle...there's no condemnation or anger...nothing but LOVE from our Father.
"i love Christ Community Church. i love your heart for missions...but there's something missing in your hearts for those right around you and something missing in your daily heart for me. your lives are never supposed to be so full that you don't have time for me - or that you don't think of me. i know american culture makes it so that you don't "need" me or "have" to think of me...and that makes me sad....but you do need me...and i want you to need me! really, i just want YOU. my love for you is so very deep - ocean depths and then some!!!
(**this next part was said with super gentleness**) beloved, you're not living fully in my love ...and therefore you're not able to share my love with those i've put in your life. it's not about winning people to me...it's about being who I've made you to be - but there are so few who even know who that is. I'll draw people to me...you just live - just be with me. i'll handle it. i really will. listen to me as i tell you who are you...we'll go from there. you've got to know who i've made you to be. ignore the world...forget opinions - even your own! listen as i tell you who you are."
