Over the years, I’ve become increasingly aware of the importance of and the need to listen. Personally, I find talking (and I can do much of that!) so much easier than listening.
For all living creatures the Lord has made, the ability to listen, sense, watch and be on guard are the key not only to propagate and thrive, but to survive. And in-built in these creatures is the knowledge of a place or mechanism of safety.
I find the same holds true for us as believers in Jesus. We must listen to His voice and keep our eyes on him. He is our sustenance and safety!
Habbakuk 2:1 says...
‘I will stand upon my watch, and set me upon the tower, and will watch to see what he will say unto me…’
One night, on coming back from an outreach, I felt a strong burden to pray. I didn't know what I was praying for but I prayed in the spirit. The scripture above was heavy on my heart.
As I prayed in the spirit, my heart was saying, “Lord, what are you saying? Lord, what are you saying to your people?”
After what seemed a long while, I got up and went to sleep. I had a dream.
* * *
In the dream, I saw a raised silver platform in the middle of what looked like a large hall. On the platform I saw a groom and his bride. They were both dressed in white. The groom stood tall and regal and the bride, dressed beautifully, was dancing. She faced her groom and with joy danced to him. She was dancing to him and for him. and all around the platform was a crowd of people cheering them.
As I watched the cheering crowd, I felt the presence of a group of people in their midst. They were a faceless organised syndicate. Very clear and focused in their mission and intent. I felt a strong sense of danger.
My attention turned back to the dancing bride. As I watched, the bride previously focused on her groom suddenly turned from facing him and began dancing to the crowd. She swayed and moved to their cheer and admiration and revelled in it. Her groom stood tall and regal, watching his bride as she moved away from him and faced the crowd. She was unaware of the faceless syndicate that lurked within the same crowd that offered such adulation.
At the moment she faced the crowd, she became vulnerable, exposed… though she didn't realize. Then from the faceless syndicate in the crowd, a shot rang. The bride (and the groom) were shot at.
But the strange thing was nobody else seemed to notice. The crowd carried on cheering - it was business as usual!
* * *
I felt strongly this dream was the Lord speaking His heart to His body, His bride. “Look at me, my bride, keep your gaze on me!”
Jesus, our bridegroom is our covering and our safety.
Jesus cares about us, His bride. He gave himself for us. When his bride is hurt, Jesus hurts.
When we face (look to) Him and do everything we do for Him, then we abide in Him.
But if we become conscious of people to please them, then that moves us away from him (though our groom never moves away from us). This makes us vulnerable to the attacks and wiles of men and the enemy.
So:
Let's Abide in Him
Psalm 91:1 - ‘He that dwells in the secret place of the Most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty’
Keep Our Eyes on Him
Psalm 25:15 - ‘My eyes are continually toward the LORD, for He will rescue my feet from the net’
Psalm 27 - ‘I have set the Lord always before me. Because He's at my right hand, I shall not be moved’
Keep guard over our hearts
Proverbs 4:23 - ‘Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it’
Seek to Glorify Jesus in all you do.
Colossians 3.23 - ‘And whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men’
God bless
Kiki Liley