Pastor Rudy's HeartBeat

JUNE 22, 2007

YESTERDAY WAS THE FIRST DAY OF SUMMER...  TECHNICALLY, IT'S THE LONGEST DAY OF THE YEAR- THE DAY THAT WE EXPERIENCE THE MOST SUNSHINE...  FOR ME, IT COULDN'T HAVE COME AT A BETTER TIME...  YESTERDAY MADE ME REALIZE HOW DESPERATE I AM FOR THE LORD'S SONSHINE...  DARKNESS COMES WHEN I SEPARATE MYSELF FROM HIS TRUTH AND BUY THE LIES THAT BOMBARD ME EVERY DAY AND DUPE ME INTO ATTEMPTING TO LIVE VIA MY OWN MEANS...  I CAN'T CREATE LIFE- ALL I CAN DO IS LIVE THE ONE LIFE THAT GOD GAVE ME!  I'VE BEEN GUILTY MORE THAN ONCE OF TRYING TO MANUFACTURE MY OWN LIGHT...  RATHER THAN JUST BEING READY TO HUMBLY RECEIVE WHATEVER THE LORD LONGS TO SEND MY WAY- I PUT CONDITIONS AND TERMS TO WHAT HE MUST SEND AND HOW HE MUST SEND IT AND THE EXACT MOMENT HE MUST SEND IT BY...  EVERY TIME I DO THAT- I SHUT HIS LIGHT OUT AND REPLACE THE BRIGHTNESS THAT I COULD BE INHABITING WITH A MURKY, LOUSY FOG THAT I STUMBLE IN AS I TRY TO NAVIGATE MY WAY THROUGH...  BUT YESTERDAY- THE SON CAME OUT AND THIS TIME I DIDN'T GO LOOKING FOR THE SHADE...  THIS TIME I LET THE FULNESS OF HIS RAYS HIT MY FACE AND WARM MY HEART AND RATHER THAN TRY TO CONTROL THE TEMPERATURE- I JUST RECEIVED THE GIFT OF THE DAY HE GAVE ME...  NOTHING MORE- NOTHING LESS- NOTHING ELSE!

SUMMER HAS NEVER REALLY BEEN MY FAVORITE SEASON- BUT THIS YEAR MAY BE DIFFERENT FOR IF EVER I NEEDED THE LORD TO ARISE AND SHINE AND LET HIS GLORY UNHIBITEDLY GO STREAMING ALL AROUND ME- ALL THROUGH ME- IT'S NOW...  AND SUMMER REMINDS ME THAT ONE DAY:

"NO LONGER WILL YOU NEED THE SUN OR THE MOON TO GIVE YOU LIGHT, FOR THE LORD YOUR GOD WILL BE YOUR EVERLASTING LIGHT, AND HE WILL BE YOUR GLORY.  YOUR SUN SHALL NEVER SET; THE MOON SHALL NEVER GO DOWN- FOR THE LORD WILL BE YOUR EVERLASTING LIGHT; YOUR DAYS OF MOURNING WILL END..."  ISAIAH 60:19-20

MY WINTER SEEMED TO LAST 6 LONG MONTHS- BUT HERE COMES THE SON AND I SAY IT'S ALRIGHT!!!  THE SON HAS COME OUT AND I'M BACK-NOT LOOKING TO BE GOD- JUST LEARNING HOW TO BE CONTENT TO SERVE HIM AND BE FULLY LOVED BY HIM AND TO ALLOW HIS LIGHT TO REVEAL ONCE AGAIN THE JOY THAT HE HAS PROMISED FOR THOSE OF US WHO ARE HIS SONS AND DAUGHTERS...  IT IS A SEASON OF SONSHINE- IT'S SUMMER TIME FOR MY SOUL!!!  IT'S TIME TO LET THE SONSHINE IN!!!  I AM AND I'M NOT LOOKING BACK!