Gearing Down

“Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly.”

Jesus, Matthew 11:28-30 (MSG)

Dear BraveHearts

I have a young friend who turns 14 today. I texted him the following…

Happy 14th birthday! Another significant year toward becoming a man. These high school years are really good and really hard. Lots of voices trying to tell u who to be and what to do. Learn how to find your true voice and Jesus' voice amongst the crowd. They will always be the ones telling u what is right and good and true. If it isn't good it isn’t you and Jesus. Blessings to my good friend’s son. Love when u are in mission and journey with me and the Zoweh team!

I am almost 40 years older than my young friend and I am still learning, in training, and wanting to practice the very thing I encouraged him to do. The best way I can describe it is when I am at my best at discerning, I am moving slower… geared down and able to hear and see better. There is a reason why school zones and neighborhoods require a 25mph speed limit. It is so we can respond well to anything that might enter into our path. We toss the term around a lot… "Walk with God." I take in even more when I am on foot, a pilgrim on a journey with the greatest guide ever! The journey we are on promises danger, trials, and an ever present evil… for now. Until this is remedied by Jesus through His “second” coming, we are invited to slow it down, gear down, and pay attention...

Therefore see that you walk carefully [living life with honor, purpose, and courage; shunning those who tolerate and enable evil], not as the unwise, but as wise [sensible, intelligent, discerning people], making the very most of your time [on earth, recognizing and taking advantage of each opportunity and using it with wisdom and diligence], because the days are [filled with] evil. Therefore do not be foolish and thoughtless, but understand and firmly grasp what the will of the Lord is.

Paul, Ephesians 5:15-17 (AMP)

For more than 150 women, The Deepening Weekend was a weekend of encouragement and training on the Full Life, Abundant Life, we are being promised. One woman shared…

My life has consistently brought disappointment with myself, my family and most of all men… Until this weekend, I didn’t now how to forgive. I didn’t know how to give it to God and let go! I finally did it… I let go. … I didn’t know what I came here for. God showed me a glimpse of why the first day but it just unraveled all weekend. I never thought this day would come. Thank you Jesus… I have seeked, I have found!

Meagan

What an honor for us (Zoweh and you) to step into and pray into such moments. We love creating spaces for hearts to connect with God and He with hearts. Seeing Him rescue hearts is one of the greatest privileges we know. Thank you for praying for us, for gearing down, and  for praying for hearts… entering in with prayers of Life, hope, and freedom.

Let’s Pray…

Dear God, Holy Trinity, thank you for Life, thank you for rescuing, redeeming, and now restoring us. We proclaim your reign and rule over all creation and take our place in your Kingdom as your sons and daughters. We praise you God, for you are glorious in all your ways. Even though we walk through a valley of shadow and death, we will choose to fear no evil for you are with us. Bring courage to our hearts, God, bring a new and deeper trust and confidence in you as our Sovereign over all things.

Jesus, teach and train us in the rhythms of grace and how to slow down our Life in you. We pray for rest in your company and while on mission with you for the learning of the ways of your Kingdom.

Holy Spirit, teach and train us in hearing your voice, listening for you, and inviting you to speak both wisdom and revelation for navigating this fallen place. Attune our hearts to yours that we may bring your Kingdom wherever we go and in all we do.

Father, teach and train us in how to walk with you, trust you, and believe you are working all things out for our good. We confess, we have often taken these matters into our own hands, moved without you, attempted at arranging for Life apart from you. Forgive us again for the times we have moved in fear and taken the controls, trying to move in relationships and work apart from you… all to often making things happen rather than slowing down and allowing you to work on our behalf.

Jesus, we pray over and for all the Women from The Deepening Weekend. We pray your blessing and protection over all that was entrusted to their hearts that weekend and all that you continue to do in them and for them as they re-enter the home fronts day-to-day. We pray your protection against the enemy of our hearts, the one who comes to steal, kill, and destroy—the accuser who comes to distract and derail us from intimacy with you. We pray for courage to see and hear his schemes and to stand well against darkness attempting to return them to where they were before the weekend time away with you. We pray they would exercise their strength and their alliance with you Jesus and a new day would dawn in the battle for and over their hearts. Break every lie and agreement Jesus, show them how and impart courage to do so.

Thank you, God, for the victory over darkness and for the opportunity to step into that victory with our whole hearts. We receive all you have done for us and all that you are doing in us as the great restoration of all things goes on… advancing to its completion when all things will be made new again. Thank you for inviting us all up and in to a significant role to play in your Larger Story. We gear down in order to move with you at a pace in which we can see and hear all that you are and all that you have for us. We praise your name Jesus, our Savior and King. Thank you Father for loving us so, and thank you, Holy Spirit, for guiding, counseling, and teaching us in the ways in which we should go. We give you total claim to our lives, God, and pray all this in the name of Jesus Christ, the hope of the world and the hope of our hearts.

Amen and AMEN!