Prayer Focus - April 7, 2012

Prayer focus of April 7 - April 13, 2012

Rather than focusing on a quadrant, school and churches this would be a good week to reflect on the Lord and express gratitude in what He's done for us. 

Several years ago I came back to the Lord after a period of backsliding/wandering.  I sat at my kitchen table and decided to re-commit my life back to Him.  I wasn't sure what to say and thought it would have to be a long, hard prayer for some reason.  But I finally just said a simple, yet sincere, prayer expressing my desire to get right with Him and wanting Jesus back in my life.  It seemed as if God instantly was there loving me and forgiving me!  I opened my (dusty) Bible to Hebrews 12:6-11.  That was just where it fell open, I didn't even know what to read.  That Scripture has to do with the Lord chastening those He loves so we can grow the peaceable fruit of righteousness once again.  That Scripture breathed life into me.  Then I heard these words, "Bow before Me."  It scared me at first.  I felt like a kid going to face punishment from a parent.

But I went into a bedroom, knelt down and put my face on the floor.  As soon as I closed my eys I saw Jesus stand up from His throne at the right hand of the Father.  He came and stood in front of me.  I could see the whole picture even though I still had my face to the floor.  He stood over me and began doing something, moving His hands.  I wasn't sure what it was at first and then I realized He was washing me with His blood.  He was cleansing me of my sin!  I was so humbled by the fact that Jesus had to get up off His throne next to the Father to deal with my sin, to wash me in His blood.  And there wasn't anything I could do to repay Him or help Him.  I just had to stay there and let Him do this for me.  I felt so bad for making Him do this.  Then, I realized something even more humbling.  He had to turn His back to the Father in order to wash me of my sin.  He physically stood between me and the Father, His back to Him.  And I knew somehow that it grieved Him to turn HIs back on the Father, even for a moment.  But He didn't have an attitude.  He wasn't mad at me.  He loved me. But the love between Him and the Father was so great.  I felt so bad and so sorry for Him having to do this for me. 

But by the time He was done not only was my sin washed away, but so was the guilt and the shame and I was left with nothing but a great love for Him and the Father.  I now shared in that same love they had.  My sin, guilt and shame gone!

Thank you Jesus, so much!