The Promised Returning

      Devastation. Heart-rending misery. A fire rampant, destructive, laying waste to all in its path. The effects of living on planet earth. We are the wounded. The ones who have believed the lies for so long. The lies whispered in the dead quiet stillness of night. That we are weak, unwanted, abandoned, ugly, dumb, empty, worthless.

    The lies whispered boldly- that we aren't thin enough, not sexy enough, not smart enough to be worth that job, that commitment, the marriage we have always dreamed of, a kindred spirit.

    And we feel it- the pulling on our souls as we fight the losing battle with self-talk and camouflage. If we hide long enough, maybe they won't realize who I really am. Maybe they will let me be useful without asking me to be real. They only think they want the real me.

    The most glorious trees of the forest are claimed in the fires along with the undergrowth and weeds. The fires are not descriminating- they will devour everything in their path.

      The fires of oppression burn bright and hot in a world where feminism is seductively powerful but feminity is as much under attack as ever. Women are to be strong and resilient. We are to be mothers, warriors, efficient and untouchable. Whatever happened to quiet beauty and the strength that holds families together? It is still there I suppose, but feminism has brought it more enemies than allies.

    And yet there is a beautiful glory to the devestating fires that ravage the earth on all levels and in all arenas. Eventually the fire smolders and turns to ash. Under the ash comes new, tenacious, beautiful and dependant growth. Out of the ashes comes a promise of new life. Of beauty. Of hope.

    It is always this way. In the book of Jeremiah, chapter 32, the prophet was told by God to buy a field. The land was on the verge of being captured and claimed by the ruthless Babylonians. And God was allowing it to happen. Yet he called Jeremiah to buy land that was soon to be claimed by the enemy. Why? Because the enemy would not win forever. He may win the battle, but God was not finished. In fact, he was disciplining his people and plotting his victory. In the midst of the seige came the promise that God would be faithful. That one day fields would be bought and sold again and that God would not only restore the people to their land, He would restore the people to himself. He would be their God and they would be HIS.

HIS.

There is one answer to the lies of Satan against not only the women but every citizen of earth. You can take heart and take up sword because you were created to be HIS. You are loved. You are beautiful and Strong. You are precious, unique, creative, smart. But most of all, you are Loved and you are the Bride of a King that will not stop until he has YOU. You, my friend, are pursued by the most perfect lover of all. Jesus.

Take heart. There is an enemy that is after your soul but their is a King who has already paid the ransom and set you free. He continues to fight for you. And when the fires burn their brightest, he is preparing the way for new growth, new beauty and a hope that will never fade.