Are You Willing?

I heard the voice of the Lord, saying:

“Whom shall I send,

And who will go for Us?”

Then I said, “Here am I! Send me.”

Isaiah 6:8

Late One Evening...

I was about to fall asleep, drifting into the deep.  As I was waiting for sleep to come, I prayed and talked with the Lord.  The more I talked the more I realized that a small part of me was still apprehensive about the future, still a little bit afraid to completely let go and let God. 

As I was realizing this, that even though I had jumped into the deep end many, many times, still a small part of me clung to the life-preserver.  In that moment I looked to Jesus and said in my heart, "That's it.  I'm done playing it safe.  I'm done clinging to lifeboats and life-preservers.  I'm all in for You.  No matter what that means, no matter where this life goes.  It's You and me forever, Yeshua.  Wherever You go, I will follow.  Whatever You have for me, I receive.  No matter how hard the road, or how long the journey, I will obediently go where You are."

The minute I said that I went into a vision.  In my mind's eye I saw myself floating along in the most serene river, flowing wherever the Spirit willed.  I noticed that at first I was floating in a boat on the river, but as I spoke of fully letting go, fully saying to Jesus, "Whatever You will, no matter the cost," that the boat began to sink below the surface. 

I started to panic, and I said to the Lord, "how will I float?"  And the voice of Jesus nearby responded and said, "No one sinks when they are with Me.  Keep your eyes on Me.  Nothing can sink you when you choose Me." 

I surrendered to the feeling of letting go of the security of the boat, and it disappeared below the surface.  For some time I just floated on the river, watching the beautiful scenery go by.  There were towering mountains capped with white snow in the distance.  The river flowed through fields of wildflowers, with swaying willows and trees along the banks.  Everything was at such a place of peace.  I noticed that my body was at complete peace, as if every fiber of my being was humming with rest.  In fact, I noticed that never before had my body felt like this: full of joy, full of peace, full of complete rest. 

I drifted off to sleep while in this vision of floating down the river with the Holy Spirit, completely at rest, at peace.

Peace - Shalom

The Hebrew word for peace is shalom, and it derives from the verb (shalem)- to make whole or complete.

Abarim Publications says it this way:

שלם

The verb שלם (shalem) means to be or make whole or complete, and is also used to describe a righteous recompense or proper restitution (whether positive or not). The familiar noun שלום (shalom) means wholeness, completeness or peace.

Other derivatives are: noun שלם (shelem), peace offering; verb שלם (shalam), to be in a covenant of peace; adjective שלם (shalem), perfect, whole, complete, safe.

Solomon's name derives from the word shalom, and it makes sense that the second wisest man to ever live (the first being Jesus), would have a name deriving from this Hebrew word for completeness.

When I truly relinquished every part of me that was somehow trying to hold on to control, when I let Jesus have my life preserver in the deep end saying I would go anywhere He asked and do anything He required even if it scared me, it was then that I felt this peace.  When I offered myself to Him I received this covenant of peace from Him.

It doesn't make earthly sense.  It doesn't make sense to give up complete control of our lives, to say yes to whatever God asks of us.  It seems dangerous and unsafe.  And yet, it was then that I felt the most safe and complete than I ever have in my entire life.  It was then that the Lord gave me a vision of my life floating along this heavenly river at complete wholeness, complete rest filling every part of me.  It was like every cell in my body suddenly came alive. 

So Be Afraid!  But Jump Anyway

Years ago I heard this story.  I honestly can't recall if it was in a sermon or if I read it.  Maybe I saw it on Facebook?  I really can't remember.

The story goes like this.  An older woman is swimming laps in the pool.  She's going back and forth, back and forth.  After awhile, two young girls appear by the side of the pool near the deep end.  The older one, about 8, is trying to convince the younger one, about 5 or 6, to jump in with her. 

As this older woman swims by she hears the older one saying, "come on!  It's so much fun!  It's not scary at all, it's the best feeling in the world!  And then we'll swim and play and splash.  It's not scary!" 

A few minutes go by, and the older girl is still trying to convince the younger one to jump.  Finally, the woman stops swimming her laps and she looks up at the two of them.  "What's the matter?"  She asks the girls.  The older girl responds, "She won't jump with me!  She's too scared." 

The older woman looks at the younger girl and says, "What's the problem?"  The young girl says, "I'm too scared to jump!"  The older woman says, "Do you like to swim?"  The young girl nods.  The older woman asks, "So what's holding you back?" 

The little girl says, "I don't know!  I love the water, I'm just afraid to jump."  The older woman looks at her and says, "So be afraid!  But jump anyway."

That story has stuck with me for many years.  Anytime Jesus invites me to take a leap with Him and I'm scared to do it, I almost always hear the Holy Spirit saying, "So be afraid!  But jump anyway." 

This is my challenge to you.  Let go.  Let go of whatever you are trying to control.  Let go of that situation you are trying so desperately to make happen on your own.  Let go of your fear, of your worry.  Let go of your life!  Come into the presence of Jesus, invite Him into the area of your life that you're trying to control and relinquish your control of it to Him.  Let Jesus take it over.  Let Jesus have it.  Surrender to Him.

For many years I have jumped into the deep end of the pool when God said, "Jump!"  But a small part of me was still clinging to the life preserver.  Finally, I gave Jesus that little bit of safety.

In the vision the Lord gave me, as I saw the boat sink and drift away I heard myself panicking and saying, "I'm afraid!  How will I stay afloat?!"  And Jesus said, "Nothing sinks with Me.  I walk on water!  The waters will never overtake you.  Stay with Me.  Choose Me, and I will choose you." 

Today, Jesus extends the same invitation to you.  He invites you to become one of the chosen, to separate away from the many.  (Matthew 22:14)

All Christians are called by the Lord.  We are all invited to partake of the more He has for us, to be a kingdom partner.  His hand is open, and He extends the invitation to anyone willing to step out in faith.  But few are willing to let go of the safety of the boat, the safety of the life-preserver.  Will you?

For many are called, but few are chosen.  Few are willing to say yes to whatever God asks of them, to give God every pain, every heartache, to follow Him into the deep whatever the cost.  Few are willing.  Are you willing?  Will you say, "here I am, send me?"

I don't know what challenges you face, I don't know what sorrow you carry.  But Jesus knows.  And Jesus cares.  And today He's inviting you to let it go, to let Him have it all.  I promise you it will end up blessed beyond measure.  Your life will end up better than you could have ever planned it!  Let go of everything that's holding you back from the fullness of the life God intends for you to have. 

The Holy Spirit is inviting you to jump, even if it scares you.  Today He says to you, "So be afraid!  But jump anyway."  You won't regret it.

Complete peace, rest and wholeness awaits you on the other side.

With joy, Jessica