Prayer (pt. 1)...

[Still looking for my face..]

Jewish History:
Ten Commandments are given to the people and then put into a box called The Arc of the Covenant. The Arc is placed in a temple, in like the inner, INNER section of the temple. Now, ONLY ONCE A YEAR, there was only ONE person that was allowed to enter the inner section of the temple, the "Holy of Holies", the High Priest. He sprinkled the blood of a goat or calve onto the arc as a blood sacrifice for the whole nation's sins. This inner section was SO holy that it is said that the high priest had to tie a rope around his ankle, so that if he were to get struck dead by God, his dead body could be pulled from inside the room. THIS CEREMONY IS VITAL!!!! So, Jesus shows up, and he is referred to as a Prophet, a King, and a High Priest.

Hebrews 9:11-15
11When Christ came as high priest of the good things that are already here, he went through the greater and more perfect tabernacle that is not man-made, that is to say, not a part of this creation. 12He did not enter by means of the blood of goats and calves; but he entered the Most Holy Place once for all by his own blood, having obtained eternal redemption. 13The blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a heifer sprinkled on those who are ceremonially unclean sanctify them so that they are outwardly clean. 14How much more, then, will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself unblemished to God, cleanse our consciences from acts that lead to death, so that we may serve the living God!

15For this reason Christ is the mediator of a new covenant, that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance—now that he has died as a ransom to set them free from the sins committed under the first covenant.

Jesus' blood nows has SUCH AN IMPORTANCE. He enters by his own blood, and becomes our mediator to God, AND NOT JUST ONCE A YEAR!!!! BUT DAILY, MINUTELY, SECONDLY, we can converse with God through prayer.

Now that we have an eternal connection with God, prayer falls under a new light. Now, it goes from being "I should pray" or "I need to pray", to "I get to pray".

My way to God can be daily, minutely, secondly thing. Will this change my perspective?

Reset...

"God, I have gone too long without you. I have forgotten your touch, your embrace, your breath. And I've grown comfortable with being uncomfortably distant from you. It's all I've know for the last three months. So here i am, crawling away form you because I dont want to accept my failures, to embrace the pain, to dive into the tension. But I hear you... thundering behind me. As I crawl, I hear the trees falling, the world withering, the earth shaking in you passionate pursuit for me, broken me. Tonight, you have arrived behind me. I can feel your presence; your breath is heavy on my neck. Tonight, we meet here. Tonight, I am reminded, in your arms, that I am loved by the star-breather. Make me who you want me to be..."

this is my story. moving right along...

This is me...

"Our excuses will define us if we let them." -The Bearded Wonder [Freddy Williams]
Excuses cause paralysis. They choke us and hinder us from burning and becoming who God wants us to be. Excuses = FEARS, FAILURES, BUSY, BOREDOM
(a few of mine..)
FEARS:
-being alone/avoided -uncertainty
-failure - letting go of control
FAILURES:
-consistency -loving
-fooling everyone -authenticity
BUSY:
-school -satisfying everyone
-volleyball -maintaining relationships
BORED:
-with every day that I wake up and wait for something to be handed to me (a nugget of life)

This is me:
I am broken and desperate for someone to put the pieces back together
And for too long, I have tried to put them back together by myself/under my own will.
This is my circumference, my edges, where life is LIVED (although, not necessarily where life is FROM).

Luke 15- The Parable of the Lost Sheep
And despite the fact that I am lost, Jesus LEAVES the flock of sheep, in DESPERATE search, PASSIONATE pursuit to find me. And when he does, HE CELEBRATES W/ EVERYONE!

That is the Gospel. That is the essence/substance in which my identity can be found

So, according to you and the world, who are you?
=> A broken, worthless, lost, fake, misguided sheep
According to Jesus, who are you?
=> A broken, worthless, lost, fake, misguided sheep WHO IS WORTH BEING PASSIONATELY PURSUED FOR...

That is a picture of love. Essence, soul, substance.
That is where Jesus resides, calling for you to join him.

Time to start digging...