Striking the Match

I wanted to read today.  It's raining out, drizzly and cold, gray and wet.  It's a good day to sit by the fire with a good book.  And yet...God is speaking to me.  He is reminding me of my calling.  One that I rarely talk about but constantly am reminded of.  All my life, I have felt it.  That strike.  Imagine a match, slowly (or sometimes quickly) being laid across a portion of sandpaper and igniting.  That's how I feel.  From the time I first met Him.  From the time I was a small girl.  I have felt that fire burning deep down in my soul.  A burning, a longing, a yearning for my God, my Father, my everything.  From the very first time I encountered Him, I knew that I would put Him above all others.  I would do anything, go anywhere, serve, love, pray, honor and worship Him all the days of my life.

And now all these years later as I pray, as I seek, as I worship--another match has been struck.  I can feel it.  A new thing, a new word, a new passion--fresh, exciting and wonderful.  It's hard to explain, to put down on paper, to share with those who've never had this experience, and yet--I feel I must.  This longing I feel to serve my almighty Father must be shared with others.  This burning, this longing, this life of prayer that is accessible for all who follow Him.  For all who believe, serve, trust and put their lives fully into His hands--a match is being struck.

I wonder--can you feel it?  That match?  Is He asking you--can I strike that same match in your heart too?

It is hard for me sometimes, walking around with this passion of mine, burning so deeply, wanting desperately to shout out--can't you feel it?  I know that some can and do.  I hear it in their voices, their songs, and their prayers.  As we cry out to God--heal our land, humble us, and make us more like you-- we want to know you more, serve you more, worship you more, pray more--more of you oh God and less of us.  That is our prayer.  Yes, it is hard for me sometimes--this prophetic heart of mine cries out to Him and asks Him to forgive me, to humble me, to hear me as I pray.

Last week this is what came out of my heart--a prayer to my God, my Savior, my Father--a prayer for all to know that He is whom I choose, over all others--

Do you know--if I had to choose, I would not choose you.  I would choose Him every time.  I wonder what you'd think if you knew, every time I'd pick Him over you.  And as the song says--you can have all this world, just give me Jesus.

There isn't any person living or dead whom I love over God.  He is my everything.  He is my life.  The match has been struck.  Today instead of reading by the fire, I have spent the day praying.  Ready, waiting, willing.  What's next God?  What is next?