“The Spirit of the Lord is on me,
because he has anointed me
to proclaim good news to the poor.
He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners
and recovery of sight for the blind,
to set the oppressed free, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor." Luke 4:18-19
I've experienced the Holy of Holies, despair and what feels (but never is) the absence of God. I've been at the mountain top and down to the darkest, coldest almost never ending valley. I've seen my life redeemed, healed, made new, empowered and transformed. I've felt my joy return, am content and have once again found satisfaction in the love of my Savior, something I thought would never be possible again. I thought I'd never be the same after losing the ability to feel God's manifest presence. I just could not, and quite frankly did not want to, imagine myself living the rest of my life without feeling him tangibly. How could I be content with less than all of him?
What he has shown me is that I do not have less of him, but that he is showing me all of him. He showed me his face when I lived heaven on earth those years I lived in the Holy of Holies. He showed my his grace, mercy and faithfulness the years I battled despair, abandonment and pain as I walked through the valley of the shadow of death - also known as the Dark Night of the Soul. He has shown me his unfailing love as he restores, redeems and makes my life new. Every season of the journey has revealed an amazing and limitless God.
With words that miserably fail to express the inexplicable, I attempt to share with you the part of Him he is now showing me...FAVOR.
I'm in Awe. God's favor cannot be justly conveyed. It is beyond words. It's seeing the impossible become possible. The unimaginable become reality. It's seeing and pinching yourself to see if your dreaming. It feels amazing. You know nothing and no one can stop you because God is greater and He is favoring you. It creates this desire to surrender everything, give up everything and live your life fully for him. It births and urgency for his kingdom to come and his will to be done in your life. It's life changing and transforming. How can that be possible again?!?! Yet it is. Somehow it is. That's how unsearchable, limitless and infinite he is. That's why discovering him never gets old.
Spring is here! The Lord's Favor. Notice the progression in the verses above. First you learn the good news. Then he proclaims our freedom and heals our blindness, then he sets us free from captivity. Finally, He declares the year of his favor to us. If like me you have suffered through many trials, hardships and felt you would never be free from captivity, rejoice! He is reminding you today of the good news we have because of who he is and what he has done. He is proclaiming that what he did on Calvary is enough to to free you and heal you. Once you've experienced his redemption, healing and freedom you will then walk in his amazing favor. It is done. Declare it, accept it and receive it in Jesus' name!
May you experience The Lord's Favor in a life transforming way..
