I love the messengers in my life. I love the people and the music and the books and pastors and podcasts and nature and my cup of coffee in the morning and all these things that remind me that Your mercies are new every morning. They speak to me about ways I have not known You yet, ways I could know You. They whisper to me to relinquish what i have not yet let go of. Sometimes they just call to me to sit before You and know You.
They are lovely. So much so, that sometimes I find myself in danger of clinging to them and preferring them - their company - to You. Is it because listening to a podcast or a song is easier than sitting before You myself? Or does it seem more…interesting?
But these things - well, they “baptize with water” so to speak. Worthy, but…You baptize with the Holy Spirit. You are the Lord. You are King. You are the one they are calling for me to prepare a way for - they are the messengers. Lovely messengers, but just messengers. They should make way - give way - to You.
You are what I need.
You are what I need today. Help me, Lord, to see things as pointing to You, but not taking Your place. To let them deliver the message and then let them go. Not forgetting the place they had or the part they play, but not clinging to them, not giving them Your place in my life.
if the message does not lead me to You, then it failed. If I let the message/messenger take a bigger piece of my heart - then I have failed.
Everything and everyone around me, every event in my life, is alive with the message - that the kingdom of God is near. You are near. And You are coming.
Everything can point me to YOU, prepare the way in my heart for You even more, if I will see it and let it.
If I won't confuse the messenger with the message and the One who sent it.