On Bended Knee

ON BENDED KNEE

BY STACEY SPENCER

On Bended knee;

I’m going back to the place where Christ first spoke to me.

My life of strife must come to an end.

It’s time to turn back and make my amends.

I never said it would be easy,

Or that trials and temptations wouldn’t come your way.

But if through the power of my Holy Spirit

You can remain on a holy plane,

Then you’ll receive My crown of glory.

You’ll be alright.

My baby years were easy you see;

Drinking from the milk of those who lay their foundation way before me.

Living my life of little responsibility,

With very little, to no, accountability.

Christ came to set me free!

But pride is a killer,

And I’m swimming in mine but I just can’t see.

I never said it would be easy,

Or that trials and temptations wouldn’t come your way.

But if through the power of my Holy Spirit

You can remain on a holy plane,

Then you’ll receive My crown of glory.

You’ll be alright.

Life became harder.

My spiritual warfare a lot more intense.

Lust masquerading through things around me;

Branded bottles of emotional mental offence.

Milk could no longer sustain me,

Or my battles with sin.

I had to draw closer to the Cross,

Reminding myself of the Christ within.

I never said it would be easy,

Or that trials and temptations wouldn’t come your way.

But if through the power of my Holy Spirit

You can remain on a holy plane,

Then you’ll receive My crown of glory.

You’ll be alright.

I’ve learned to become satisfied by the meat of His Word.

To walk with the Holy Spirit in order to stay spiritually stirred.

Stripping off the old man to render the new,

In order for Christ to be revealed -

Not just in me but also in you.

I never said it would be easy,

Or that trials and temptations wouldn’t come your way.

But if through the power of my Holy Spirit

You can remain on a holy plane,

Then you’ll receive My crown of glory.

You’ll be alright.

.

On Bended knee;

I’m back to the place where I can truly be me.

No more pretending or contending with His voice.

He’s silenced my serpent,

So I ask you today, “What will be your choice?”

“And I will send you another…”

The beautiful thing about God is that He always has a plan – reconciliation (restoring man back to Himself). From the very beginning (Adam, Eve, Serpent and sin – Genesis 1-3) until NOW; God’s plan is to always restore us back to Himself.

 After the death of Jesus; before His passing he said,

And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever;

John 14:16 (King James Version)

God’s ways and plans can sometimes be forgotten by man (universal context), even after we have acquired of them. We don’t always intend or desire to, but things get in the way – people, circumstances, situations.

God’s Word can also slip from our eyes, even though it should forever be before us (Deuteronomy 11:18) and not forgotten (Proverbs 4:21). But thank God He ALWAYS has a plan!

The Bible says,

“If you love Me, keep My commandments. And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever— the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you. I will not leave you orphans; I will come to you.

John 14: 15-18 (New King James version) 

We have the GREATEST gift of all… the HOLY SPIRIT. Let us turn to Him and get back to our rightful place in God.

What do we need for 2019?

-       What truth do we need to be led into?

-       What do we need to return back to?

-       What do we need help with?

-       What do we need guidance on?

-       What have we forgotten or not yet learned? Etc.

Let us ask Him; the Spirit of Truth - He knows EVERYTHING.

“Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.

Matthew 7:7 (New King James version)

 Don’t walk in 2019 or beyond without Him.

BY STACEY SPENCER

“I’m Boxed In”

Note from Author:

For 2018, I have decided to explore something different with my blog posts. I will be writing a series of allegories (a story in which the characters and events reflect a deeper moral or spiritual meaning). I have also written a set of questions to help you reflect and apply the story to your own personal life.

.....

September 12th 2017 5:30pm

       Ava storms past Olivia’s house upset and running. Being worried, Olivia runs after Ava. Ten minutes later, Ava; finally, has burnt out.

        "I’m … boxed … in!" Ava pants, throwing her knees to the ground and covering her face.

        "What box?" Olivia huffs, looking puzzled and trying to catch her breath. Olivia tries to identify their bearings.

       "Emm Ava, where are we?"

       Ava’s looks up at the unfamiliar territory around her with the same expression as Olivia.

       "Oh, you have got to be kidding? I’ve left my car open,” Olivia huffs in frustration as she turns around and starts walking back the way they came.

      "How have you got us lost?" says Olivia, turning with her hands on her hips, looking angry at Ava. Getting up and walking towards Olivia, Ava responds,

     "I didn't intend to get us lost. I just couldn't breathe."

     Scratching her head and then moving her hands to her face, Olivia questions,

     "Couldn't breathe? What? You was just running, have you gone mad?".

     Ava breaks down crying and Olivia comforts her. When Ava calms down she explains to Olivia that sometimes she feels like she is going mad. She explains that she is not referring to physical breathing but spiritual breathing. She feels overwhelmed, like change is impossible. Ava explains to Olivia the details of her life for the past year. How she feels boxed in, but not in a physical box. That she feels restricted, stagnant and limited in her mind, feelings, heart and relationships; especially her relationship with God.

    Regardless of her efforts, Ava remains spiritually frustrated in many areas of her life, causing her to feel overwhelmed like she cannot breathe. This is why she was running, she was trying to run away but gave-in because she realised you cannot run away from yourself. The box is internal, the inability and limitation is within. 

    Not knowing how to respond to Ava, Olivia comforts and encourages her, letting her know that things will get better. That she just needs to hold onto her faith in Jesus. Then they tried to find their way back home. 

September 12th 2017 10:00pm

    Later that evening, after getting her home in order, Olivia spends some quiet time thinking about Ava. Full of concern but feeling very powerless, she decides to pray for Ava. 

 “Dear Heavenly Father, I come to ask you to please help Ava breathe again. Lord you know and love Ava, please help her see and know your love at this time in her life. Father, I ask that you break the internal box that Ava feels she is in. Tear down the walls of her thinking. Melt the cement within her heart and stabilise her emotions so that she can breathe again, walk again and live again in a flourishing relationship with you. In Jesus name. Amen.”

September 19th  2017 12:30am

    Lying in the dark, tears running down her cheeks, Ava cries herself to sleep again.

    Ava finds herself in a theatre room, hearing the alarm of a monitor. A patient; covered, is on a table and the staff are just staring at the alarming monitor. 

    “Why is no one doing anything? Is the person dead?” Ava cries out.

    “Not physically dead,” speaks another.

    Ava looks around to find out where the other voice is coming from, but no one else is in the room. Ava, looking down defeated, whispering,

    “I don't understand?”

    The voice speaks again, “It’s like what you described to Olivia. It’s not physical death, but yes she is spiritually dying.” Ava looks up in surprise and asks,

    “How do you know what I said to Olivia?”

    “You know how I know Ava, just like you know who is on the table,” the voice replies.

    “Is it me Lord?” she whispers.

    "Yes, Ava it is you," the voice responds compassionately.

She falls to the floor in tears and asks, "why won't they help me?"

    "You know why?" the voice replies.

    Ava stands to her feet and examines the room as she shouts, "I do not know why!" She stands next to one of the staff, who is as still as a mannequin and throws her hands around in frustration and states,

    “I guess it's the same reason why everyone else can't help me… it's impossible!" The voice responds,

   “And that's why they can't help you because you do not believe you can be helped." She looks around in shock, then resigns speaking to the floor.

    "It is true… I'm too much of a mess."

    "Do you think a mess is impossible for me Ava?" the voice questions.

    "No Lord, but…" Ava looks for a distraction because He has caught her out. Walking over to the Doctors trolley, “Ahaha, that will do,” she thinks.

   "Why is there a big Bible on this trolley?” Ava asks.

   "My Word is waiting," the voice declares.

   "Waiting?" She questions.

   "Yes, for you Ava! My people are waiting for you, my Word is waiting for you and I am waiting for you," the voice announces. Ava, confused, asks,

   “Why are you all waiting for me, Lord?"

   "Because I have chosen you. I have presented life before you Ava. We are waiting for you to choose life," the voice boldly declares.

   “How do I choose life Lord?” she questions.

   “By saying yes to my Word,” the voice instructs.

    Ava wakes up and finds herself back in her bed, in the dark but something feels different… To be continued. 

Reflection questions

Place yourself in Ava's position and ask yourself:

1. Where am I at and what is going on inside me?

2. Am I seeking wise counsel?

3. Is God and those around me waiting for me to say "yes" to God’s Word?

4. What action can I take to move forward?

Place yourself in Olivia's position and ask yourself:

1.   How can I support those around me who are struggling?

BY CHARLENE KERR-SPENCER

All images courtesy of Pixabay