line up – KARLA LEES

I was one of those kids.

The ones that bloomed late, who was gangly, all legs and not as obviously coordinated or all put together as the cooler kids.

When we were all lined up, and teams were chosen, I will almost always chosen last.

This was even before I started wearing my glasses full time, which would likely have secured last past guaranteed if it had started in public school.

The funny thing was I was a close physical copy of one of the most popular girls in my public school. I was the better at volleyball, and standing long jump. She was the most popular girl at school, and already dating the most popular guy in grade 6 when I arrived at this school.

Somehow, I accepted the lie that I would always be overlooked, or called to the team last.

This all ran though my brain at lightening speed yesterday morning during an intense moment of worship, when God spoke into my spirit, “I chose you first.”

I almost lost it completely. had it not been for His living arms embracing me as He delivered that news whammy right into my heart.

God chose me first.

Not that I am better than others, that isn’t what He meant.

He will always choose me as His first choice.

He didn’t settle when He chose me.

I was first on His mind when He went to the cross.

So were you.

This isn’t about my social status or yours, but the love He has demonstrated to each of us.

He went to the cross to show You He was putting you first.

If we were all lined up, somehow supernaturally, He would choose us all at the same time, first.

We are all His favorite.

As we all have a tendency to do, we fall into the comparison mind trap lie the enemy baits us with whenever he can.

And in a flash encounter suspended in one moment in my timeline, God broke me free from that hidden memory.

God does that kind of thing for His favorites.

You, and me!

Today, take a sec and say back to Him your gratitude for His choosing you, and that He loves you so. He has moved you to the front of the line, such is His great love for you!!!

Let Him love up on His favorite. 🙂

Here it is again, the Great Reversal: many of the first ending up last, and the last first.
Matthew 20:16 MSG

We spend a great deal of time in a line.

Image from:
http://www.640toronto.com/files/2014/07/lineUp1.jpg

At the grocery store, bank, registration, movie theater or fast food place… like sheep, we automatically join the cue and wait our turn.

In Old Testament days, this even happened in the temple: lining up to enter, especially on holy days.
Lining up to buy your offering.
Lining up for your turn to offer your offering.
And if you were a priest, you lined up to receive the offering, burn the offering, or receive your assigned portion of the offering.

God’s presence resided in the Holy of Holies, and was only approached once a year by special choosing.

But God wanted more.

And then there was a line written in the sands of time for all to see, spelling out the Name above All Names, Jesus.

The Word became human, and walked among us.

God with us.

Jesus.

And turned traditional lines on their heads.

People didn’t just line up to see Jesus, like well behaved sheep.
but flocked, sometimes to the point where Jesus was overwhelmed with compassion for the crowds. (Matthew 9:39, Mark 6:34, Matthew 14:14) They could sense He loved His life in a way they had never imagined possible.

With the Living Word came a new way to live.

Align.

Align ourselves with His Kingdom.
Follow His ways, His leading.
Love with His heart.
Offer His hope.
All in.

When we accept Jesus for who He is, Holy Spirit moves in and takes up permanence residence inside of us. The Presence of God moves into the temple again.

When we try to do things in our own strength, drawn back into the old way of living mindset, or in sheep talk, baaaaaaaaad ways 🙂 we need to realign ourselves with God:

Come back into His Presence, and worship Him.

Lay our burdens down at His feet.

Speak out our wrongdoings, and ask Him to cleanse us again.

Invite Him to speak to us anew, and ask Him to teach us to hear His voice loudly, over the other voices vying for our attention.

Tired of lining up?

I am.

Jesus erased the barriers in worship keeping us from God directly.

You can go to Him at any time now.

No lining up, just aligning required.

Aligning with the God of everything will change your life, both here on earth and eternity to come.

It will be costly, aligning yourself up to a Holy God, for you will see how much you don’t line up.

His grace, mercy, and love will be waiting to minister to you through the process.

Align to His design.

The rewards will be so worth it.

For eternity.

Tag: line up

the last in line

A line…