Wanted
Whew. We made it.
We come together again at the end of another foot trail as we complete our path of Wanted on this journey together.
Our trailway opens to the familiar large circle area, where that roaring fire greets us as we gather and share what we have learned.
We embrace and reflect on our shared experiences as we sit together and rest, allowing the flickering flames to quiet our minds.
Peace and quiet - just what we need.
As we sit and contemplate what we have learned on this path, we notice something interesting happening.
We can see the dark lies coming out of us and being written in fire in the dark sky.
We take out our paper and write down those lies that once took hold of us, hooking us and imprisoning us.
Lies like:
We never should have been born
No one wants us
We will always be rejected
We are useless
No one will accept us the way we are
We write down whatever other lies about being unwanted flow out and appear to ensure that all that gunk is out once and for all.
Because of God's profound healing, the words feel so ridiculous as we write them down that we can't help but laugh.
It feels preposterous that we once believed this crap.
We look up from our papers and see those craptastic lies being crossed off in the night sky. It's as if God is crossing them off so intensely you can hear the scratching.
We do the same on our paper. We scratch those words off with all the intensity we can muster and toss that poopie, lie-filled paper in the fire.
Poof. Burned. GONE!
In place of those words, the night sky fills with words of truth. Like the most astonishing fireworks display, the loving words appear in bold and bright colors.
We quickly take out another piece of paper and jot them all down as fast as they appear:
You are wanted
You are beautifully made with a unique design
You are accepted
God wants you - as is
You have great purpose
You are cherished
You are sought after
We ooh and aah as this beautiful display of God's loving truths lights up the sky and fills us with a joy we have never felt so strongly.
Every word we write makes us feel stronger and taller, and we are sure our hearts will explode from all the love we feel.
We are finally starting to see ourselves the way He sees us.
And God could not be happier.
We gently tuck away that paper to ensure we never forget this moment or the truths God has given us.
All of a sudden, we notice something beautiful happening within.
The chaotic chatter that was in our mind when we started has quieted. There are still mutterings, but a sense of peace is there that we hadn't felt before.
All that God has shown us - all He has done for us- is starting to sink in, and it feels incredible.
Oh man, we want more of that!
Up and at 'em, my friend. It's time to move forward on our journey together!
John 17: 17-19
Sanctify them in the truth [set them apart for Your purposes, make them holy]; Your word is truth. Just as You commissioned and sent Me into the world, I also have commissioned and sent them (believers) into the world. For their sake I sanctify Myself [to do Your will], so that they also may be sanctified [set apart, dedicated, made holy] in [Your] truth.
John 8:12
When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, "I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life."
Psalm 119:105
Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.