His Resting Place

 Another sublime picture lingers in my mind from our December “God Rest Ye Merry” service. I told you last week about little Levi. As we continued to pray for children I prayed for Levi’s 4 year-old sister Eva who looked up at me with such big loving eyes. Soon I turned to my ten-year old friend Christina from Aplington. Christina is a generous, radiant, and creative girl who nonetheless battles some health issues that can be discouraging to her and her faithful mother Cindy. Do you know the feeling?

Before I laid my hand upon Christina’s head to pray, I felt like the Lord spoke to my heart that He had given someone else in the service a word of encouragement for Christina. We all waited and prayed. After several hushed moments, Deb Polk announced she felt the Lord told her she was to sing a song to Christina. Deb is our wonderful friend and mighty woman of God who was ministering at the piano for the evening. Deb invited Christina to walk up the steps to the main platform and sit beside her on the piano bench. Deb then played and sang softly to Christina, placing her forehead upon Christina’s. So tender, so deep, so healing, so encouraging. The song was “Resting Place” based upon Isaiah 66:1-2. In that passage, the Lord asks who would build a resting place for His presence. He then says He will look for the one who is humble, contrite of heart, and trembles at His word. As Deb continued to sing, loving upon Christina, little 4 year old Eva walked up the steps to Christina and lifted her arms. Christina picked her up and Eva snuggled into Christina’s embrace. So tender, so deep, so healing, so encouraging, so Jesus. A chain reaction of His loving presence. When the song was over, I then laid my hand upon Christina’s head and prayed for her healing as well as declaring that the Lord will help many people become a resting place for His presence through Christina’s life. It was indeed a night to be humble, contrite, and trembling at the beauty and truth of God’s loving word. So is right now.

Do you want to be a resting place for the Lord’s presence this Christmas?

Be humble—give Him control, receive His help.

Be contrite—give Him your sin, receive His mercy. 

Tremble at His word—give Him undivided attention, receive His guidance.

No matter what is ahead, give these three gifts to the Lord and His presence will come rest upon you. My Christmas prayer for you is that you will do these 3 things one day at a time and be His resting place through these Holidays 2012. Your family and friends need you to be His resting place. So do you.

Merry Christmas beloved,

Dick Speight

In His Hands

           At our December 7^th“God Rest Ye Merry” service here in Cedar Rapids, several brought their children and grandchildren forward for prayers of blessing, destiny, or healing. Little 15 month-old Levi was brought forward in his stroller by his parents.

Levi has had serious health problems that have baffled the doctors. With our attendees gathered all around in support, I knelt down in front of Levi who was laughing as he looked right into my eyes. I laid my hand upon his head to begin to pray for him, but Levi wasn’t too thrilled. He squirmed and began to fuss in attempting to push my hand away.

In that instant I had a choice to make—take my hand off or stick with my plan and keep it on. I chose to yield and take my hand off. Levi immediately began cooing and laughing and leaned forward and took my face in his hands and began stroking my face and beard. Obviously my hand and my plan were blocking his view of my face and his desire to reach out and touch me. He continued to look into my eyes and stroked my face as he started making sounds resonant with the singing of our music minister Deb Polk playing at the piano. I realized the Lord was holding my face in His hands through Levi! I felt so loved as the Lord led me to pray healing and destiny over Levi as he kept his hands on me! I had a sense we were surrounded by angels all around.

His mother just told us that ever since Levi came to that worship service he has been laughing frequently. He rarely laughed before. I trust the Lord He is healing Levi and that he will live a long, fruitful life helping many people seek the Lord’s face and be held in His loving hands!

Upon reflection, I realize the moment I took my hand off my plan, I gave the Lord room to work His will.  As you read this, please take a moment. Is there any matter, any plan, any relationship in which you need to yield? Take your hands off, and let the Lord smile upon you and take your face in His hands. He loves you, He delights in you.  Ask Him to fix whatever or whoever you are worried about. Trust Him to work things out in His timing. Let Him be Immanuel- God with you.

There may not have been room at the inn for baby Jesus, but you can give King Jesus the gift of room to maneuver this Christmas. Take your hands off, let Him love you and entrust all your concerns to Him. The Lord is not worried about what you are worried about. Rest in His love. Stop trying to run your own life, or anyone else’s. Place everyone you know, by prayer, in His hands. Lower your expectations of people, love them where they are. Jesus does. Ask Him to give them His abundant life and trust that He will. Lower your expectations of yourself, let Him love you where you are in life. Lower your expectations of Christmas, raise your expectations of the One who is our Eternal Christmas. What an awesome, angelic night it was with Levi. What an awesome, angelic time you can have right now, or every precious moment of your life.

Take your hands off, rest in His.

Merry Christmas beloved,

Dick Speight