|
|
|
Topic: Brace Yourself by Kim Potter
|
|
Author
|
|
Kimberly Fowler
Senior Member
Joined: 11/09/2012
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 2917
|
|
Posted: 07/23/2015 at 12:01pm
|
IP Logged
|
|
|
Brace yourself…these are the words I heard the Lord speak
to me last Wednesday night as I sat watching my four year
old granddaughter play with her toys. As I heard those
words I began to pray in the Spirit.
As it usually goes when Brailee is with me, if I pray in
the Spirit, she mimics me, she prays with me. I have never
corrected her or thought it was odd, it’s just how it is
with us when I pray in the Spirit.
I continued to sit in my chair, watching her play and we
were both praying in the Spirit, this continued for about
an hour. At one point Brailee said ‘Nana, why are we
praying?’ I said ‘I don’t know honey, I just feel we need
to pray.’
That night, over and over I heard God say ‘brace yourself.’
Terror Hits Home
The next morning as most of you know, we began to hear
reports of a shooting at multiple locations in our area.
Malls were on lockdown all around us. All government
offices were on lockdown. The news was horrific. I could
not believe this was happening in my area, just moments
away. When they closed the road that is a couple miles from
my home, it settled in and I began to grasp the horror of
what was happening here in our cities.
I have seen these types of things in large cities but I
never imagined this place would be a target. It became real
to me very quickly, and not in a world sense, but in a my
part of the world sense.
The more we watched things unfold, the more oppressive it
was. Breanne and I were constantly talking about what was
happening and the horror of it all. At one point I had to
turn off the news, turn on worship music and refocus. Even
though it was just miles from me, I had to get my mind back
on God. Once again I heard my God say ‘brace yourself.’
At first I thought ‘what else could today hold?’ However, I
knew a few things. I knew God’s voice and the tone of His
voice and it was not bringing fear but comfort in those two
words ‘brace yourself.’
Knowing this, I went to my computer and began to look up
the meanings of those two words. When I found the
definitions I knew what God was saying.
Same Words, Different Meaning
While most of us know ‘brace yourself’ to mean ‘get a hold
of yourself for you are about to hear something really bad
or experience something really bad.’ That is not what God
was saying. In earlier days when people first starting
using this phrase it meant ‘lean into or upon something so
that you will be able to maintain your balance, no matter
what comes your way.’ Ahhh…I see God!
Brace yourself didn’t mean what I thought it did, it meant
you will make it through the storm you simply have to lean
into something or lean on something or someone.
It made sense now. Proverbs 3:5-6 says; Trust in the Lord
with all your heart, and lean not on your own
understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He
shall direct your paths.
Lean into God
This scripture is telling us to TRUST GOD, first of all and
it is also showing us which thing we need to lean into. In
times like today, we see much evil around us, we can’t lean
into what we are hearing and we can’t lean into our own
understanding in these things, we must trust God and lean
into Him.
When He was telling me to ‘brace myself’ instead of what I
perceived it to be, He was telling me to lean into Him. It
reminded me of a few weeks ago when Bryson was sick. He was
very weak and was having trouble walking. I put my arms
around him and said ‘here, buddy, lean on me, and I will
help you.’
As he leaned into my arms, I was able to steady him when he
was unable to steady himself. This is what God is saying to
us today.
Keeping Balance
God is saying ‘lean into me, I will wrap my arms around you
and steady you – you will be able to maintain your balance
and peace, if you lean into me.’ What an awesome promise.
When horrible things happen, although we have to be aware
of it, we don’t have to allow it to take us out of a place
of peace in God, we don’t have to allow it to cause us to
become unbalanced, if we lean into God.
As God began showing me this on Thursday I walked into my
bedroom. I had left worship music playing all day in my
bedroom, I had forgotten to turn it off when I left that
morning. It was so peaceful in that room. The atmosphere in
my bedroom was vastly different from the atmosphere in the
rooms where the news had been broadcasting the events of
the day. Why? His presence kept balance in that room. The
rooms with the television and news broadcasting were more
oppressive, much more oppressive, much heavier.
We keep balance by remaining in His presence. We keep
balance by leaning into Him when things are too heavy for
us. We keep balance by leaning into Him when we can’t walk
steady on our own.
Friends, we are in challenging times, there is no doubt
about it and this week it came closer to home than I ever
imagined. But it did not take God by surprise, He gave me
instruction before it happened …brace yourself…lean into me
and I will keep you steady. Isn’t that a great promise! It
is a promise for you and for me, in challenging times we
can lean into God, He alone can keep us steady.
I want to leave you today with a song, one we sang years
ago…
Learning to Lean, Learning to Lean
Learning to Lean on Jesus
Finding More Power than I ever dreamed
Learning to Lean on Jesus
That’s what we find when we lean on Jesus … more power than
we ever dreamed…let’s learn to lean.
PS
We pray today for the families and the loved ones of the
shooting victims in Chattanooga. Father, comfort their
hearts and speak to Your people during this time. May we be
a beacon of hope and a light house of peace. As You bring
others across our path, may they be made aware of Your
presence in our lives and as they inquire, may we share
with them how to lean into You. That You alone are our
source of comfort and strength and our only hope. In Jesus’
Name. Chattanooga+Strong
By Kim Potter
|
Back to Top
|
|
Rose Cowen
Senior Member
Joined: 09/28/2014
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 1613
|
|
Posted: 07/23/2015 at 12:11pm
|
IP Logged
|
|
|
I love this..thanks for sharing...the Lord has taught me
this...also..to know and to have God in all of my
life...all things and situations....thank you and thank
you Jesus
|
Back to Top
|
|
Pura Macias
Senior Member
Joined: 05/17/2013
Location: Spain
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 316
|
|
Posted: 07/24/2015 at 2:04am
|
IP Logged
|
|
|
Yes, there is no other in whom we can trust - Jesus is our strength.
Thanks for sharing.
|
Back to Top
|
|
Margaret Jacob
Senior Member
Joined: 09/28/2014
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 409
|
|
Posted: 07/24/2015 at 8:30pm
|
IP Logged
|
|
|
LEARNING TO LEAN, such precious memories come from singing that song in Sunday School in the early 50's.
Thank you for the post. I pray over the news at times and notice that balance is crucial. After a newscast I retreat to a room where I worship the most.
|
Back to Top
|
|
|
|
If you wish to post a reply to this topic you must first
login
If you are not already registered you must first
register
|
|
You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot create polls in this forum
You cannot vote in polls in this forum
|
|
|
