Blessings Family,
We are social creatures. We are born wanting to belong. God created us to need one another physically, emotionally, intellectually, and spiritually. But before He created man for relationship with other human beings, He created man for relationship with Him.
The second dream I promised to share in my post, “Calling All Signposts,” made me realize that our Father didn’t put a need in us that He himself does not feel very deeply.
In this dream, I was in a church where they were having a special program. Everyone in this church was elderly, but I didn’t think much about it at the time. I was more focused on trying to find a seat.
When I finally did, a man came over and took me by the arm, “ushering” me to another chair. This chair put me at eye level with a table in front of me, and as if this weren’t bad enough, another man stood in front of the table, blocking any remaining view. Being a guest there, I tried to get help with this situation, but the lady beside me merely pointed out the many reasons no one ever sat there. I was beginning to feel unwelcome.
I decided to move across the room, where I found a chair in front of a small TV screen displaying a group of young men singing a contemporary Christian song. It was a good performance, but when the music was taken away from my hearing, their voices were not in tune or in sync. It was mainly the lead singer. I heard myself say, “He’s not listening to the music.”
Then I thought I saw an available chair back where I had started, so I crossed the room once more. When I got to the chair, I found to my surprise that it was occupied by a fragile elderly lady. The chair was so worn, she had sunk down into it and disappeared! In fact, when I finally found another seat, it swallowed me up, and I couldn’t see a thing. The springs grinding into my back side told me just how old and worn these chairs were.
Once more, I tried to convince the people there, that this was not a good situation, but no one agreed. Everyone in this church was perfectly happy with how things were.
Coming out of the dream, I was impressed by the words, “There is no place for me, here.”
This came as no surprise to me. I have struggled with a this fact since the Lord called me to a season of prayer years ago. I write about this in my post, “My Summer of Pressing In.”
I couldn’t seem to get a handle on this message until the Lord showed me that it wasn’t about me at all. God was saying, “There is no place for Me, here.”
I was so deep in my own pity party it never occurred to me that God could feel like an outcast, too.
As I walked through the dream with Him, He showed me that we have ritualized, legalized, and sensationalized Our Heavenly Father right out of His own house! Then He led me to 1 Kings 12.
Beginning in verse 25, when, because of Solomon’s sin, God divided His people into the kingdoms of Judah and Israel, giving the ten tribes of Israel over to Solomon’s servant, Jeroboam, whose name means “the people will contend,” to rule.
God promised to establish and bless Jeroboam, providing he keep God’s commandments. But Jeroboam decided to do things his way. He built two cities for himself.
First, in the high country of Ephraim, meaning “I shall be doubly fruitful,” he built Shechem, meaning “back” or “shoulder,” as in burden, then he went out from there and built Penuel, meaning “facing God,” however, one of the root words can also mean “to turn away” so this name basically infers challenging God.
Instead of taking God at His Word and trusting in Him, Jeroboam was so afraid of losing his new found power and authority, he told the people it was “too much” for them to go all the way to Jerusalem to offer sacrifices and worship God, so he had two golden calves made for their “convenience,” saying in verse 28,
“Behold thy gods, O Israel, which brought you out of the land of Egypt.” NKJV
If you recall my earlier articles, you may remember that Egypt literally means “double entrenchment or siege.”
Jeroboam set up one calf in Bethel, meaning “house of God,” and the other in Dan, meaning “a judge,” but coming from a root word also meaning “to contend or strive.”
The words “two” and “double” jumped out at me as I read, because in my dream there were two sides of the room. On the one, the old school, which tends toward tradition and legalism (back or shoulders), and on the other all the razzle-dazzle and feel good stuff with no substance (the turning).
Both sides are in the house of God (Bethel), and both are contending (Dan) with the Holy Spirit for control. Both are clock-watchers, serving the whims of the congregation instead of the direction of the Holy Spirit. They reminded me of the dead church of Sardis in Revelation 3:1-6, and the compromising church of Pergamos in Revelation 2:12-16.
Jeroboam appointed his own priests and invented his own feasts, imitating God’s ways while distracting the people from God’s ordained Holy Days. It all looked authentic, but it was counterfeit. Yet, God’s people gladly followed.
Then, as now, God sent warning through a prophet. He did not want to punish His children. He wanted them to come home. Jeroboam’s reaction was to lash out at God’s prophet, but God caused his hand to wither, and Jeroboam cried out for mercy. God restored his hand. God is good.
Sadly, even God’s prophet eventually fell for the lie of a false prophet after spending time in that environment. He died as a result, but Jeroboam did not turn from his sin.
“And He [The Lord] will give Israel up because of the sins of Jeroboam, who sinned and who made Israel sin.”–1 Kings 14:16 NKJV
How sad. And unnecessary. Will this be the fate of today’s church?
I asked The Lord many times, “Why would you have me share this dream? I have many that you don’t have me share. Why this one?”
Then He showed me that He and I aren’t the only ones who have no place in these churches. If you are feeling like you don’t belong, praise God! He is calling you out for a special purpose.
The key to finding this purpose is not to walk away from God because of the failings of man, but to run toward Him. Press into Him, He’s waiting for you! What does this look like?
For me, it’s rising early in the morning and spending two hours seeking the Lord first thing. Praising and worshipping Him. Meditating on His Word. Even when it seemed I was getting nowhere, I kept on. One morning as I lay on my face, crying out to Him, what I can only describe as His presence enveloped me. I was overwhelmed, as the Lord spoke to my heart,
“This is where you belong. My presence is your home.”
I knew this truth with every fiber of my being, and I just wanted to stay there. I’d finally found my home! And I can return whenever I want. I do, in fact, every morning.
God wants to meet with you in your place of belonging. You must go to the source to find it. And you have to go often. Diligence is the word.
That is where you’ll find your identity in Christ. And, once you hand over the reins of your life to the Author and Finisher of Your Faith, He will tell you where He wants you, and what He wants you to do. And He will equip you to go and do!
“But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.” Romans 11:6 NKJV
So, if you’re feeling like a stranger in a strange land, like you don’t belong, take heart! There is a place where you belong. Press in to the Lord, throwing caution to the wind. Comfort is overrated. You’ll be comfortable in Heaven, and God has more “flash” than anyone I know.
God has a message for you. He says,
“You belong to Me. Come into My Presence. Come Home.”
God’s grace and peace be yours,
Rebecca
