Previous Challenge Entry (Level 2 – Intermediate)
Topic: Illustrate the meaning of "Actions Speak Louder than Words" (without using the actual phrase). (02/21/08)
-
TITLE: Be a Doer and Not a Hearer Only! | Previous Challenge Entry
By Cherie Millsap
02/28/08 -
LEAVE COMMENT ON ARTICLE
SEND A PRIVATE COMMENT
ADD TO MY FAVORITES
She had walked the long path of Christianity from early childhood, when as a second grader she had given her heart to the Lord. But she had walked a very shallow trail, with words of conviction that never held her to a true commitment in almost all of her walk. She could talk the talk and look the look, only to despair in the unseen desert that was the song of her life. She wanted more, but didn’t want to act on it for fear of required obedience from God. So she went along looking authentic, but was truly just a clever plastic imitation.
In recent years though, a change had occurred. She began to be so dissatisfied, that this began to manifest itself into a constant knot in her stomach. It would wake her in the night with an overwhelming sense of fear, which would threaten to consume her. She at first began to fear that she was terminally ill, as sleepless nights turned into agonized bouts of outrageous scenario’s, playing out in her imagination. She was physically feeling the sleepless nights taking their toll as she began to experience real symptoms of failing health as a result.
All this turmoil began to grow until finally, in despair she could take no more. She bowed on her knees and began to pray. Driven by desperation, she began to pour forth the contents of herself. She ravaged all her emotions until she was spent, much like a candle that has burned itself into a pool of wickless wax. She laid there for what seemed like hours. She was helpless to do anything else, like one lost in the desert of hopelessness having given itself up to its destiny.
Then the miraculous happened, she felt a presence enter this place, where she was. It was a presence she vaguely recognized, yet was unlike anything she had ever experienced before. Quiet Peace! She knew it was God. It was the more, she had always longed for. He emanated a love that was beyond words, and she could feel Him, in a fullness that caused her to be undone! God gently and lovingly began to pour life down her throat and she began to see herself rising in the desert place.
When she finally crawled back into her bed it was to the sweet sleep that restored all ability to face the world. She was new! She reflected on what had happened over the next few days and felt that it was something to hide in her heart, much in the way Mary, the mother of Jesus had done. She felt if she shared it with someone, first of all, it would diminish the treasured experience and second she knew it would not be something that she could share without quizzical and snide glances of disbelief.
But over the years this experience resulted in a constant obedient putting on of the intercessors robe. She realized that she had been a burden bearer and that she, out of ignorance and self absorbed nature didn’t realize this calling. Sometimes the burdens she carried were known to herself and at other times it was not known. Most of her walk had been talking about praying, but not actually letting obedience call her to the action of putting her knees to her prayer! What came next was a constant winning of battles while perched in a deep place that had been calling her name all of her life! She began to see victory in her life and the life of others. She had quit talking about praying and began to seek the face of the one who could take her words of obedient intercession and begin to resonate them into the atmosphere as a loud battle cry of triumph!
The opinions expressed by authors may not necessarily reflect the opinion of FaithWriters.com.
If you died today, are you absolutely certain that you would go to heaven? You can be right now. CLICK HERE
JOIN US at FaithWriters for Free. Grow as a Writer and Spread the Gospel.
