Reading B/W The Lines

For whatever reason, I'm not really sure, I keep finding myself throughout the day, for the past few days, singing Petra's song Open Book. It talks about our life unfolding, with each passing day and our life being an Open Book before God. He knows what's in the next line, "will I stand or do I fall?" It's our recognizing that as we read between the lines of our life, we recognize it's His love that binds us.

The part that keeps standing out on the forefront however, is the following stanza:

"Cover to cover, Lord you know me
And what I want to be.
As You read the pages of my heart
Please tell me what you see."

We know God looks at the heart, while man looks at the cover of man.
We know many heroes of the faith knew the condition of their heart... just look at King David.
Scripture says God know intimately about us, the hairs on our heads being numbered.
He knows what we have need of, before we even ask or think.

And yet, these lyrics inquire of the Lord...

"What do you see when you look at what's written on my heart?"

While that answer will be different for each of us, depending on our place along the journey of faith, it's incredible to know that God is writing an epic piece of literature with our lives; using what the enemy of our souls meant to destroy us for His glory.

And in a similar vein of thought, as we prayed yesterday for pastors struggling in ministry because of difficulties in having a healthy ability of loving their self, I couldn't help but wonder about pastors; struggling with what is written on their heart; and what God is dealing with them personally, as He continues to work on each of us, to create us anew, to take on the image of Christ with each passing day.

What is He rewriting for His glory?
What direction is He taking with the twist and turns of life?
What will He map out in our life as we seek His face for which way we should go when the light goes green?

Consider this:

God has laid out His life; His story, as an Open Book for us to read.
We can not grow in the knowledge, fear and admonition of the Lord while keeping the book of our heart and life closed towards Him.

(I had to smile, just then, as I reread that... I can hear my pastor in my mind, stating what He often does in His messages: "Whenever you read the Word of God, it reads you.")

And it's so incredibly true. You can not read God's Word without God reading your heart, shedding light to the "what's next" area of focus, whereby He will work on us, that we may become and appear more like Christ.

So, join me, this #associatePastorTuesday, as we pray for pastors experiencing difficulty with the work God is doing on them personally, in their heart, mind and spirit. Pray for those having trouble with what God is revealing as He reads the pages of their heart; perhaps not knowing how to deal with what is coming to the forefront or not being able to come to a resolution of what and how to change. Pray for their to be a genuine renewing of the mind, as they read and study God's Word. May their be fresh illumination into the character of God and the person of Jesus Christ through the power of the Holy Spirit. Pray the fear that prevents us all from allowing God full access to our hearts would be removed; the barricades set aside; that God would have free reign on Earth, as He does in Heaven.

What the enemy has meant for destruction,
May God bring to new life through restoration
By the blood of Jesus Christ
With the power of the Holy Spirit
Our lives, an incredible story...
Authored by God Himself.

- PNC

---