Tears rolled down my cheeks yesterday morning while talking to my Bible-study group about this particular scripture. Even though her story lives in antiquity, Anna’s witness has become a fresh word for my heart in this season, shifting my soul and moving me forward with deeper conviction.
Soul-shifts. A movement of God that relocates the soul, the heart, and the mind to a new location. A higher level. A better way of “thinking, doing, and being” that is reflective of the heart of Christ.
Have you had one lately?
I have. It’s crept in over time. Subtle on the front side of its arrival but now more obvious to me as I’m in the midst of this sacred relocation. Undoubtedly age and experience have aided in bringing me to this point of transfer. Pain has also wielded its certain influence. And who can forget faith… always faith, working itself through the filters of time, experience, and pain. Faith being refined over time, through experience, and in the midst of pain. Indeed, all combining together to serve as the fertile soil for a soul-shift. An Anna soul-shift. One that…
• daily lives in and tends to the temple;
• comes forward to embrace visitors at the temple;
• speaks boldly about the Christ-child who is building us into his living temple.
A soul-shift that simply and profoundly believes myself to be Jesus material, and then, out of that knowledge, begins to witness that understanding to others by believing them to be Jesus material as well.
Perhaps my soul-shift isn’t great revelation for you. Perhaps you’ve been living at this location for years—always seeing others through kingdom lenses. I’d like to tell you that this has been my default response to everyone I meet, but it’s not. There’s still a lot of judgment lurking beneath my flesh. Not everyone I encounter receives the kingdom appraisal they deserve. But that’s beginning to change for me.
There’s a deep appreciation growing inside of me for all of humanity. For the least of these to those who deem themselves to be the best of these. My tolerance for God’s created is increasing in swift measure along with the boldness of my convictions. With each day that passes, each moment of actively making faith deposits into my spiritual bank account, I become more impassioned and empowered to minister God’s kingdom to others. This doesn’t mean that I always get it right; it just means that I’ve become more willing to try. Instead of passing the ministry “buck” onto someone else, I’m owning the responsibility and holding it as personal privilege.
I get to love others. So do you.
So… do you? Love others? All others?
What conditions are you placing on your love? Where does your love begin… end? What keeps you from embracing humanity? From speaking about the Christ-child to others? Have you tended to your temple today… taken stock of your reserves—the surplus and the need? Is your “thinking, doing, and being” reflective of the heart of Christ? When did your soul last shift in favor of the kingdom?
This is it, friends. Our one opportunity at loving the Jesus way. When we get home to heaven, it will be too late to live our todays differently. We won’t get a do-over. We’ll simply get a look-back—a reflection of what was… perhaps even what might have been. I don’t know about you, but I want those moments of look-back with Jesus to be moments of kingdom loving. Moments of remembering how I embraced others with the arms of Jesus. Moments when I spoke with others about the truth and love of the Christ-child.
That would be glory to me… to bring glory to God through my loving. Accordingly, I take on this soul-shift. Receive it, believe it, and promise to tend to it as this new season unfolds. I pray for the strengthening of my convictions, for boldness to speak those convictions, and for a Jesus-love that builds a safe and certain platform for ministry to his people. I pray the same for you.
Live the kingdom like you mean it, brothers and sisters, and let the love of Jesus be your guide. As always…
Peace for the journey,
~elaine
Your posts leave me searching. Always. Years ago, I was that person, reaching out to everyone I met about Jesus and what he'd done for me and what He could do for them. Boldly, unashamedly.
I wonder when that zeal left me and why I shifted? I am praying for a shift back like you have found yours.
Thank you my friend…for such a deep, soul searching post.
A shift…oh that I may see this in my life.
Kim~
Thanks, Elaine. Our new neighborhood has allowed us to build more relationships than we ever have in our 20 years of marriage. We are getting the opportunity to love, love, love others. For us it seems easier to love those who "don't know any better." We are learning that we have to love others without expectation of anything in return….easy to do for those who don't know any better…harder to do with those who do. So thanks for the reminder to look at everyone through "kingdom lenses." Love you!
It's bottom line stuff, isn't it? I mean, it all begins & ends with love, ensuring everything in between is coated with it too.
I struggle in this area, too, Elaine. Mostly I see myself as congenial & accepting, EXCEPT when I'm not. For me, the soul shifting becomes more of a soul stretching. It needn't hurt, but sometimes it does.
My bookends of love always need inspection & polish. This post was today's dose.
Beautifully done!
Yes my friend, I am feeling the adjustment of the soul-shift and my heart's realignment in areas where the Lord is calling me to holiness. Praying I will allow Him to move me, as I know He will draw me closer to His side. I pray the shifting continues…sometimes we need that "earthquake" of the Spirit so God can rebuild in us.
Shaken for His glory,
Joy
Point well-taken, Leslie. You're so right… it's sometimes harder to love those who know better but who don't live better.
I get it!
You left me thinking…
My problem is that I get so caught up in the "busy" and the planning that I forget to just love daily.
Bless you for sharing this my heart to heart friend. I so understand, love you bunches.
Oh how I love the thought of embracing others with the arms of Jesus! Thanks for the mental image, Elaine. Now may I be always willing to do it!
This is definitely a subject I have struggled with A LOT over the course of my Christian walk. To love like He does. To embrace others as He does….NO MATTER WHAT. I find myself struggling so when I feel in my heart they are not worthy or are not interested in anything having to do with our God. But I always find myself convicted, going back and re-thinking, and putting my own feelings aside. This was a wonderful encouragement to keep embracing others with the arms of Jesus…I loved that.
Have a wonderful day.
btw, I was wondering if you by any chance keep in contact with Stacy from His Way not mine? I was just wondering about her and hoping all is fine.
HUGS
""So… do you? Love others? All others?
What conditions are you placing on your love? Where does your love begin… end? What keeps you from embracing humanity? From speaking about the Christ-child to others? Have you tended to your temple today… taken stock of your reserves—the surplus and the need?""
Well, Your quote above sent my heart downward! I have been so wrapped in 'my own pain' that I have not stopped at all to tend to my temple or take stock in any reserves or others needs. Selfish me!!!
Oh Lord, turns my eyes outward!
I sense more of His love for others the older I get. I know it's His work that my eyes and heart are more compassionate than critical, more kind than judgmental. I know that is happening. But then… driving in traffic tests this every day. I don't seem to sense that same love and kindness. So… as much as I know He is working… He still has a lot to do in me. 🙁
xo
I relate to what Terri said….over time I've allowed circumstances to snuff out that zeal I once had…but changes are coming for our family, and I'm excited about the future! Love your posts!
I get this…..I've been learning to live this way for about a year or so now. It is a place of peace, knowing that I can allow others to be who and where they are. Knowing my only task is to love them right where they are.
"I’d like to tell you that this has been my default response to everyone I meet, but it’s not. There’s still a lot of judgment lurking beneath my flesh. Not everyone I encounter receives the kingdom appraisal they deserve. But that’s beginning to change for me."
Me, too. This is one of your posts that has my heart connected to yours on the same path.
Hey Elaine! I haven't posted in awhile. These verses are the verses my sister used to name her daughter, Anna Matia. I am soo grateful that the Lord is always about conforming us more and more to His image. That we would love, because the greatest of these-faith, hope, and love-is love…
Blessings to you always, ((HUGS)) to you today Elaine:)
This was so so so good Elaine! I found myself thinking of the girls I see in the pregnancy center. Of the children we see on our church bus route. Many of these in both groups are women and children that might be hard to love. And God brings them my way. I'm as you said…I find myself more and more often seeing them as Jesus would have me see them and not as the world sees them. What a privilege! And what a responsibility! Thank you for this wisdom and encouragement today!
Love you sister!
Marilyn
Do I love others? All others? I wish I could always say I did, without condition, without exclusion. And when I ignore the soul-shift, I should not be surprised when the love I am not extending towards others is not unconditional or inclusive towards me.
This is powerful Elaine…requires a deep examination and searching of our souls not through our own eyes and opinions of ourselves but through what God's Word says to see if we are living the way that is pleasing to Him especially in how we view and treat others.
Humbling post.
Blessings!
I just read this post: http://www.theknightlynews.net/2011/11/jeff-blog-what-about-my-sheep.html
before coming here. They seem to relate…and the message is…we should love the lost sheep as if they were our own flesh and blood. I pray for grace to look with Jesus-eyes. Indeed. Bless you sister! Love to you!
Kathy
I just had to cry while reading your words… not literal tears, you know what I mean, but the lump in my throat, and the wrenching in my heart…
For I so agree with you, dearest friend Elaine. Somehow we are on parallel journeys, me for over two decades now. You call it a sacred relocation. Beautiful. I refer to it as a divine repositioning… pretty much the same thing.
Learning to discern and become aware of the kingdom connections God is sending my way…
I just love these words that you have shared… with us your blog friends… but often when I read your words, I like to think that you have written them just for me.
Thank you.
Keeping you close,
Lidia
"Live the kingdom like you mean it"…this has so become my heart over the last few months…you just word it so much better than I!!
Living in His Embrace~Pamela