November 2009 archives

"For we are His poems, created in Christ for the good works He has prepared beforehand to be our path (way)" from Paul's letter to the Ephesians

Getting people on their true paths, (eph2:10) will put them in their proper orbital patterns with others. When we are on our paths, we will see those we are meant to journey with.
When we are properly linked with those He has set with us, we are strengthened to flourish along our way.

In this season, being in proper orbital relationships to those around you locally is a key symbol of His building unity in His Way. Just as specific families were given sections of the wall to mend in Nehemiah's time, so we are to know which section of the wall of unity we are meant to be mending. To symbolize what God is doing in His Larger Body, and the world at large, is to be close to those He has given us now to orbit with-at the right distance, rhythm and depth.

Stars in open clusters get thrown out of orbit if they come into the wrong relationships with the other stars with which they share the gravitational pull. Gravity continues to work, but we are slung out from our proper cluster of stars, and no longer make the readable constellation God is trying to write in the sky for the world to read.

This occurs between the nations and in cities as well. It is imperative in our times, to be rightly knit with those He has given us-to be in the particular constellation of relationships He is forming through our lives. Christ is forming Himself both in us and through our relationships. This is part of His method of incarnation. He forms Himself through relationships.

The bread of His Presence, the wine of His communion, and the sword of His Word are all vital components coming out from being in right relationships with the people He has given us-seasonally and across seasons. These three elements are ministered to us through His Body. All three are needed to be whole expressions of His True Church.

Helping others, cities and even nations, get on their paths, and into their orbit with those He has given them each season is part of the great commission.

"Until we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God to a perfect man, to the measure of the fullness of Christ." (Eph 2:13)

You see that each part of the body supplies something unique. And there are times to visit other parts, but we must also be on our unique paths set beforehand to be our way, so that He can make His true expression of Himself. Many do not come into their own callings, or get on their own path and instead remain on other's paths or in other's callings. It is essential to find that unique path which is yours, and to step out on it into your calling, so that you also can supply the parts you are meant to offer to the body and to the world.

There are many stones or obstacles in the way to walking into your calling--but the One who called you is also able to cause you to stand (Rom 14:4). So allow Him to cause you to stand, and walk out on that path which is uniquely your own, and is ultimately His path for you.

Here are five stones I see set against coming into our callings: world system esp financial areas; lack of desire for maturation; anger at the larger body keeping us from growing intimacy with Christ; never having seen someone else walking in their calling; getting stuck in one church's vision or gifting.

But He who called us is also able to cause us to walk on the path given to us as our life!

"..but instead speaking the truth in love. MAY GROW UP IN ALL THINGS INTO HIM WHO IS THE HEAD--CHRIST--from whom the whole body, joined and knit together BY WHAT EVERY JOINT SUPPLIES, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, cases growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love."

We are commanded to grow up! As we grow and come onto our path, we will be placed in the proper relationships we need to flourish spiritually and in every other area of our lives. So let's!

What are the patterns He is making between His People? What is He saying about Himself, through the people He has linked you with spiritually? If the living Body is expressed by His incarnation is us and those He has linked us with, what is the shape of your constellation?

Feeling the gaps in the Body this week, but also seeing the eventual links deepening, becoming more secure--His ungapless Being choosing to experience our lack of proper linkage internally, externally, laboring for our unity, our wholeness. He, who we are growing into, is growing into us, by His own choice!

We must be on our own sections of the wall, mending-being mended. I feel that unity can't be forced now, but that there is a unifying spirit among us, locally and internationally. At the same time, really sensing the need to be diligent on our section of the wall, which for me is arting, and providing a space for artists to become whole as people--to taste the Kingdom context for their creativity. And to celebrate identity as an expression of God on earth!

My knee joint is strained on my left side--the relational side. Feeling those strains, but looking up the mountain, north towards Benjamin, I look to and down from the hills from which cometh my strength--it is in Him, as is Vision! What we see is God's desire to incarnate on a new level in the global expression of His Mystical Body, and the local. Linking with those He has given you--those living stones put in patterns in your life--your living church. Those in Jesus, but also those He has given you to journey with, to commune with.

But we also see and feel the gaps in this wall of unified incarnation--as we go further INTO Him, so that, perforce, His headship will be lifted up. When His Body is properly aligned, His Head will be clearly visible.

Personally, our part of Nehemiah's wall is going well--the beauty is starting to shine, and the sturdiness is more than I thought. Relationally, there is love and good spiritual exchange, and a quickening between households--lighthouses in patterns across the hills of Austin. Still there are gaps, and the lament of the not yet.

To go deeper into Him in your season in Christ--what part of Him He is trying to incarnate in this particular season of your journey into Him. There are seasonal missions for each of us--seasonal aspects His revealing of Himself--and afterwards one can see the patterns of His revelations. One can rise up above several seasons and see why God was emphasizing each aspect. For us there is the creative, the becoming co-heirs, the beginnings of restorational labor, occupying; for others now there is the crossing into their own lands, and beginning to take possession of inheritance. Regardless, we must be in our own seasons and working on our part of this grand wall.

The rebuilding the wall of unity. The symbolic restoration--of His symbolic dimension in cities, people, nations. He will symbolize Himself uninterruptedly one day, and we are engaged in becoming His symbols or signs Of His ability to link, to be the joints between us, both locally and internationally. My heart is that the whole symbolize Him locally and internationally. We are trying to become signs of what this will look like!

And yet..
The difficulty in experiencing unity existentially or experientially--the labor in the gaps; while still needing to work on one's own part of the wall in each person's unique style, can feel overwhelming. But He is not overwhelmed while working to pronounce His poem, and our breath to do so is in HIM!

Gaps can't be man-filled or soul powered into joining; there is an order to building, and at times it is good to fly up, balloon above to see how far we all have come; but there is first the responsibility to move in order on the aspect of the wall which is ours to mend. In ourelves this unity or integration must be moving forward--He wants to be incarnating into more and more of who we are. As He does, the shining will get brighter, and many will be able to work more efficiently and with His passion and joy and hope!