By Rhonda Sassano

“When I turned to see who was speaking to me, I saw seven gold lampstands. And standing in the middle of the lampstands was someone like the Son of Man. He was wearing a long robe with a gold sash across his chest. His head and his hair were white like wool, as white as snow. And his eyes were like flames of fire. His feet were like polished bronze refined in a furnace, and his voice thundered like mighty ocean waves. He held seven stars in his right hand, and a sharp two-edged sword came from his mouth. And his face was like the sun in all its brilliance. When I saw him, I fell at his feet as if I were dead. But he laid his right hand on me and said, “Don’t be afraid! I am the First and the Last. I am the living one. I died, but look—I am alive forever and ever! And I hold the keys of death and the grave.”

This is no allegory, peeps.  This is J E S U S, the King of all Kings, the Lord above all Lords!  The Great I Am is He, Maker and Creator of all things, and He holds it all together by His Word! This is One who wants to be close to me, an insignificant, broken, scraggly  worm.  But His love covers me; His presence fills me; His breath “lives” me!  How can I possibly withhold my heart from Him, or scorn His extended hand that wants only to embrace and heal and comfort? 

Holy Spirit, we are so moved by you. We hardly even know what to say, or how to pray! I know that my heart longs for you. I long to know you in a deeper way than I have before. I long to be more aware of your constant presence, not just every day, but every single moment , you are here… You are with me… You hold my hand. And you are holding it right now. You said to come to you, Jesus and you would give me rest whenI  choose your yoke. So right now I lay down the yoke that I am carrying, the worry about finances, The concern over difficult relationships, the need for better health, The very deep need for comfort in time of grief and uncertainty. I lay down the fire of my own dreams and desires.  I want what you want, and the pieces of my heart that are too selfish to want Your will over my own, Father, I declare that I want those wayward pieces to want Your way, too. 

So I lay my heart on the altar right now I hand it over to you; it’s not even a sacrifice because I know that I can trust you. I know that you are for me and never against me. I know that your heart, no matter what I am facing, no matter what circumstances surround me, no matter the challenges that I have been through or are yet to come, Your heart is to draw me into you, to bring me closer.  All the issues are opportunities for you to prove your love and your faithfulness to me an opportunity to give you glory in the way I hang onto you through every storm and every desert and every crushing.  you’re the only thing that matters.  I want you more than anything.  you have my heart. I give over my mind to you and my body as well. Holy spirit, have your way in every nuance of my being. I command my heart to hear the word of God today, I command my spirit to receive it with joy and faith, so that all the mountains can be moved and I can embrace your ways to my full capacity.  I pray, and I know You hear me and will answer my prayer. In Jesus name.

“God is not looking for those who can but those who will.”