Trying to fulfill the Holy Spirit’s desire for me
BY JIM HONEYCUTT
A few days after my Heavenly Father had restored my heart song to the fullness of His intent, I was sitting in the backyard reflecting on its purpose. Listening to old hymns play softly in the background, I spoke in earnest with my Lord about the expansion of joy within my heart.
Trying ever so intensely to express fully the thankfulness of my restoration, I lacked the words to convey the depth of my feelings. As I prayed and sang, The Spirit of peace took control, giving me assurance, The Lord knew my heart fully. Later in the evening as the stars began to appear in the sky, I returned to my backyard sanctuary to spend time with my dogs. While sitting and watching them run, I was amazed at the degree of happiness I felt just hanging out with them while they ran chasing each other. Laughing out loud, I sat back in my Adirondack chair and gazed into the heavens. With the sun fully set, I could see beyond the blue into the night sky. It always takes my breath away for I love the night sky with its twinkling stars and galaxies spread across the heavens. Looking towards the east, I saw the Dog Star Sirius shining brightly as it climbed up to take its place. Then, in my mind, I began to think of the vastness of the heavens and suddenly I felt very small.
Of all the worlds, of all the planets, here I sit on this frail, at odds with itself one unable to comprehend a fraction of its creation. Vast, so vast. Deeper than deep. Millions upon millions of galaxies Father God holds in His hand. Yet in total contradiction to this reality, I am so at peace. For my Father’s hand is now upon me, moving within me to the blessed assurance of His stay. A tune is rising within me. For a minute I hum the melody. It is unfamiliar but flows so naturally I am moved along in my spirit. Without effort, I began to sing of Jesus and His wondrous love for me. I sing about things I don’t have the slightest understanding of, yet trust is the center piece of my expression.
At some point, after this proclamation began, the direction of my thoughts changed. I realized that all these wonderful, marvelous promises that my Father was sharing could not be fully taken advantage of while still tethered to this broke down body I was dragging around. For I know that my redemption is spiritual in nature and will not be shared with this current shell. My spirit will return to the One who created it; this temporal housing to that from which it came, the earth. And the earth is marked for cleansing by fire. As these and other thoughts danced around my mind I really desired to be with my Lord and those that had gone on before.
I had just sung: “Oh, Lord when will the tether that separates me from Your Glory be loosed? I know Father I must die!” When arose within my spirit a proclamation. I spoke it, it was my voice, I felt my breath form the words, yet it was stronger than anything I had ever heard before. It was me, but more than me, golden in its delivery it sounded mighty. For on the heels of my confession of death came: I SHALL LIVE!
Suddenly the expanse before felt like an invitation to soar and I tell you straightly if I had stood up and flown away, I wouldn’t have been surprised. Obviously, the restraint of The Holy Spirit held me in place. It has taken more than 50 years of lessons at the hands of a Loving Savior to bring me to this place. A place that looks beyond the blue to find hope. A place that looks beyond the blue to find joy. A place that looks beyond the blue to find peace. My assurance is that Jesus Christ, the One whose Name is above all names, the One who purchased my redemption by his obedience and blood, stands next to The Father God Creator of all speaking on my behalf.
And with the power placed within me by the indwelling of the Holy Spirit of God in whom there is nothing lacking, I confess, profess and will continue to address the desire of God in my mortal life, until which time I will stand up and soar beyond the constraints of this marked planet. You my friend are special, and The Creator has placed within you the desire to experience glorious joy that only He can provide. It’s by our confession of the reality of our sinful nature and the surrender of selfish intent to Jesus the Messiah, that the pathway to fulfillment is realized.
