The Light of His Face...

"It was not by their sword that they won the land, nor did their arm bring them victory; it was your right hand, your arm, and the light of your face, for you loved them."

Psalm 44:3...This is the verse Holy Spirit brought to my attention a couple months ago. I love my country and my heart breaks for my country, for the world. I love the men and women that have fought and even died for my freedoms so I can share my thoughts in writing. This verse continues to bring me assurance during such a difficult time in America.

Hearing of so much hate, so many accusations, so many power trips, so many ego trips...a battle for a "kingship" to repair and restore a "kingdom" that has been broken, breached. A kingdom that in reality has been broken since the great deception in the Garden of Eden. Then there are the destructive talks of big armies, big money, big promises and big promotions. Faith leaders fueled the discussions and sometimes the destruction. Relationships continue to be strained, broken. The un-friending on social media continues. The mom with the homosexual son continues to be afraid for his life, his future. The single, pregnant mom that makes just enough to send her first child to daycare so she can work for minimum wage still makes an appointment for an abortion. The homeless, mentally ill veteran is still sleeping in the back alley in Downtown Phoenix. The orphan still aches to know his father. Radical groups continue to destroy life every moment as we mount up to make America great again.

It is painful, it is dark...

We as a family gathered this Sunday morning to praise, worship and reflect. What a life we have...the good and the bad...we are thankful! Then Ian had us ask this question.

Father God, what would you like to share with us, the church, today?

Just before he asked the question, Holy Spirit brought me to Psalm 44:3 again. I wrote it in my journal as I figured He must have more to reveal...and like a faithful Father knowing the heart of his daughter, He began to reveal as I invited Him to speak.

He immediately gave me a picture...a purple heart.

My initial thought was, why not red? But I quickly pressed in to the more He had. He said..."He is King, invitations into His Kingdom will abound this year." I turned a page back from Psalm 44 and read Psalm 43:3 as a reminder of how a king reigns. "Send me your light and your faithful care, let them lead me; let them bring me to your holy mountain, to the place where you dwell."

While sharing with my family, as I spoke the word purple heart...the revelation came to me in such fullness. Purple Heart...which is awarded for "being wounded or killed in any action against an enemy of the United States or as a result of an act of any such enemy or opposing armed forces".

He is our Hero, our Advocate...Jesus sent by the Father, His Father. Sent to war here on earth and in the heavens on our behalf, for His victory, for our victory! He suffered, was wounded, was killed and was resurrected to conquer the enemy and all opposing forces. Not just for America, but for the world. For God so loved the world...

It will not be by our swords that we will retake "our" land, it will not be by our own strength that we will have victory. But it will be by His right hand, His strength, and THE LIGHT OF HIS FACE, FOR HE LOVES US!

The victory is His and will always be His...will we choose to step into that truth, that reality? Will we dwell in and choose to share the light that is within us or will we allow the voice and power of men to keep others in the dark? Will we stop at nothing less than what He paid for? What did He pay for?

Did He pay for safe borders? Clean water? Land ownership? Gun rights? Civil rights? Air conditioned mansions? Freedom of speech?

NO...He paid for YOU! Your life, your heart, your future. The only rights He promises is the rights we have as sons and daughters in His Kingdom.

So I would challenge you to ask...Father God, what would you like to share with us, the church, today? Let the light of His face shine on you, in you, out of you...for He loves you, He loves us.

For God so loved the world...