Today, I heard the best message…out of my own mouth.
I got to church with a few of my teammates, walked in, greeted people, found a seat, and then my host approached asking for one of us to share a little message; whatever the Lord wants to say. (The Race keeps ya on your toes, folks!) We sat there for a bit, praying and listening to what the Lord might want to do this morning and what these people need to hear. I was feeling a little nudge and within a few minutes, I found myself walking to the front. I stood in front of a church congregation and told them about the 11 month journey my teammates and I are on, how we are constantly uncomfortable, how we leave and live in a new country each and every month, how we are used, how we sit in so much unknown all the time, how much we’ve each grown, and how much fun we are having seeing the Lord move. I spoke about how recently, I’ve been feeling fatigued in all aspects. (Side note: If you haven’t read my last blog, go check it out!) We live in such a broken world and I’ve spent the last 9 months in 9 different countries with still 2 more long months to go. When you give the Lord your ‘yes’ and experience as much of the world in a short amount of time as I have, you start to feel the weight of everything you’ve seen, heard, and felt. I’m tired. I have no energy. I have nothing left to give.
I stood up there at that podium and heard the Lord ask me to speak the word “Tetelestai”; Greek for “it is finished”. (Fitting as it was Easter Sunday for us Americans.) As this word left my mouth, I was convicted. I went up there with the purpose of pouring out scripture and leaving a word of encouragement to the people sitting in chairs (which I did), but I left feeling a need to confess. “I’m making this about me, when it’s clearly not.” I told the church that when we recognize the power of Jesus’ last words before He met His Father again, our life changes. We begin to see that He is victorious…over everything. In John 16:33, Jesus states that “in this world we WILL face trouble.” It’s a promise. He didn’t say maybe. He said we will. But the rest of the verse is where we need to focus. “But, take heart, for I have overcome the world.” Whew, that’s a good word! He did it. It’s done. It is finished. Jesus came to this earth, walked in our shoes, experienced the hurt that is ever so present in this world, was brutally put to death on a cross, and rose 3 days later, conquering everything. TETELESTAI: IT IS FINISHED! When we recognize that our Lord and Savior did it all and humble ourselves before His might, understanding how weak we truly are, we allow Him to reign. Just as it should be. We recognize His strength and power and realize that the life we’re living is fleeting and not at all about us. It’s for the Lord. We are His hands and feet and He will use us as His vessels to advance His Kingdom in whatever way He chooses.
It’s so easy to point the finger at ourselves when we’re feeling down and hurt. That’s where I was. I had made this 11 month journey about me; about my tiredness; about my discomforts; about my fear of the future; about me, me, me. I needed a reminder of why I’m here. I needed a reminder that my life is not my own and I have a Heavenly Father always present by my side. I needed someone to snap me back to reality and help me sit and see the goodness of my Father. I needed to hear this message. God used me this morning to help open my own eyes. It was a humbling experience encouraging the church, yet feeling myself needing most of the encouragement.
I ended with my favorite Psalm, Psalm 46. It’s a wonderful reminder of who we serve. We see His strength and authority and are asked to sit in stillness, fully embracing who our God is and resting in His truth. He is our fortress!
No matter what season of life you are in or where your relationship with the Lord is, existent or not, I pray that you rest in this pivotal truth that “it is finished”! I pray that you continue to surrender your desires, your idols, and your entire hearts to the Lord, in joyful anticipation for His response. I pray that you spend some time with your Heavenly Father and allow Him to realign your heart to see and experience more of Him. I pray that you get in the Word and speak truth over your life. Go read Psalm 46 as a kick start!
I love you all a lot,
~A
