Dobermans, Nancy Honeytree and Undivided Devotion

Happy New Year friends! By God’s great mercy we stand on the threshold of a brand new year. And speaking of that… by now you’ve probably heard that according to several ancient calendars and prognosticators, the year 2012 will be civilization’s last.  Now if you’re in love with Jesus, that’s actually a very exhilarating thought.  While the Bible teaches “no man knoweth the day or the hour” of Jesus’ return (and civilization’s resulting end), it does teach that it’s possible for us to discern the “season” of His return.  For those paying attention, the fulfillment of Biblical prophecy (captured on our evening news) makes it very evident that time is winding down on the wrist watch of this church age. Therefore the stakes – regarding the use of our time – are high. 

Add to that fact I’m a Grandmother and you begin to see why time is the commodity I value most.  These days I’m no longer looking for careless ways to spend it or “kill it.”  In grade school, I remember watching the minute hand tick around the big, black clock that hung on my green, grade school wall.  The last fifteen minutes before the bell rang felt like for-ev-er!  Remember those days? How slowly time passes when you’re young. 

But pass it has.  Today I’m no longer waiting for the day when I’ll get my driver’s license, have my very own apartment or spend my very first paycheck  anyway I like.  I’m not anticipating the moment when I’ll meet my special “someone” and set up the perfect home. Doesn’t youth give us a million reasons for living?

Yes, yes, the blossom of my youth has passed.  Consequently my sense of anticipation over good things to come has shifted. Shifted into overdrive.  Overdrive as in “over Jordan.” It may be hard for some people, looking in their own rearview mirrors, to understand but lately I’m feeling as much anticipation as ever.  It’s just that the anticipation isn’t coming from thoughts of beginning something. It’s coming from thoughts of ending something – life here. Nope, these days I’m not carrying a book bag.  I’m carrying a heavy sense of urgency.  I’m getting up in the morning with the anxious desire for God to point out the specific purposes He has for me.  And I’m focused and serious as I ask Him to give me the strength and courage I need each day – to obey what He reveals.

Question?  How much time do you spend (or have you spent) imagining the moment when you’ll actually get to look into Jesus’ eyes and gaze at His beautiful face for the first time?  It’s alarming how fast our “flesh” will diminish the value of a simple exercise as invaluable as that one.  It goes without saying, no one is interested in spending time imagining something they’re not looking forward to.  As I say, in a book I’ve recently finished, you and I will never be able to live for someone or something – that doesn’t seem real to us.

For years Jesus didn’t seem real to me.  He was a subject to be studied – not a person to be known.  Has the wisdom of your years made the difference clear for you?  Gratefully, age has left me with more than gray hair.  And consequently I have no intention of finding even a trace of disappointment on Jesus’ face when it’s my turn to see Him.

I don’t mind telling you I’ve wasted a lot of time accomplishing some good things with the days of my life. I say I’ve wasted time because a wiser me knows good things are not synonymous  with “God willed” things – the accomplishments He’s interested in.  Again, now that I know that difference, I’ve picked up the pace of my race.  Anyone who knows me will tell you,  I’ve never been an athlete. But these days – in the realm that exists beyond the veil – I’m quite the runner.  I’m running hard to accomplish the detailed desires of the God who loves me with the days I have left.  How about you?  Are you living to die and hear, “Well done?”

 My daily work-out for victory in the marathon Paul talks about is beautifully simple.  I first commit my day to God. Next, I ask Him to direct me in detail. Then, as soon as is possible, I drink in the hydration of His revitalizing Word.  Finally, I find a stretching place on the floor to pray. Hence the “prayer pictures” I’ve been sharing on this Blog.

So without further a due,  here are a few snapshots from my most recent prayer time.  If (as Julie Andrews once sang) we’re to start at the very beginning, I have to start by saying that my prayer life was completely transformed several years ago.  And it happened as a result of reading one verse of Scripture:  Hebrews 8:2, where Jesus is described as, “…a Minister of the sanctuary and of the true tabernacle which the Lord erected, and not man.”

Before I did my own study on the process of prayer, I half heartedly imagined that when we pray, our prayers are simply released into the air and heard by God “where-ever” we are at the time – since God is everywhere.  In part that’s true.  God, in the person of His Holy Spirit,  is everywhere.  But this particular verse reveals that our prayers ascend to an actual throne room in a real temple that exists in Heaven;  in a veiled realm that is far more real than this one we can see. The Bible makes it very clear that God the Father, resides in the True Tabernacle of Heaven. And He sits on The Throne of the Majesty on High above the mercy seat that exists there.  Aren’t we quick to say we believe the Bible is literally true. Yet how easily we dismiss what it literally says with figurative applications. May I ask? When you pray, what do you picture? Do you picture the things you’re praying about or have you always pictured the Truth – that your petitions, as you pray, are ascending to the throne room of God in the true tabernacle that exists in Heaven?

Several years ago, God expanded my vision of that place.  Now understanding that it was a literal Throne Room, I saw that it had doors of entry.  Maybe like me, over your life time, you’ve heard people thank God for “access to His throne,” when they pray out loud.  Yet only in recent years have I stopped to picture that – as God’s child – the doors of access to this real room are always open to me.  I assure you, if you intend to capture the magnitude of this privilege that’s ours, you’ll have to arrest your flesh.  Flesh will fight and kick to convince us that any effort to pray  is sufficient – the shorter, the better.  How it hates the restriction focused prayer requires.  It will endure hours in an uncomfortable position when it comes to watching mindless drivel on television but how it’ll squawk if you ask it to kneel in a few moments of concentrated prayer.  Today, my awareness of the priceless, privileged place where I am invited to stand or kneel, has forever changed my attitude toward prayer. 

The Throne Room that exists in Heaven is the back-drop for today’s prayer picture.  As I knelt to pray, I saw myself kneeling before God there.  Pouring out my heart, I longed to wrap both my arms around His feet and cling to Him. Then in the middle of that desire, clear thoughts began coming to my mind and spirit from God’s Spirit.  He sweetly conveyed that although He understood  His Holiness evoked my worship, at that moment – He  desired my companionship.  Responding at Jesus’ feet, I saw myself stand up and move to His right side to search for His hand. 

To help me grasp His desire, God brought a second picture to mind. Some seventeen years ago now, my husband sprung the happy news on me that we were the proud owners of a Doberman puppy.  Living on a farm, I had welcomed many new puppies into the family.  But I must confess, I wasn’t happy with this most recent glad tiding. As a matter of fact, I was upset. I had heard lots of stories about Dobermans and I was afraid of them.  Finally, after some tall talking on the breeders part,  our family increased by one, over-sized, chocolate, Doberman puppy,  appropriately named, “Boss.”

My husband has a theory that puppies should always be purchased in twos.  Consequently, it wasn’t long before  a second Doberman came to live with us.  We named her, “Lace.”  Her white skin and bright blue eyes were striking.  Doberman’s are known for their intelligence and fierce loyalty. That being said, Lace wasn’t the brightest bulb in the pack.  However, what she lacked in intelligence, she made up for in loyalty.  Perhaps all dogs do this but Lace had the incessant habit of “stalking” still moments.  When anyone of us would stop for even a second, the dog would dash over, find our hand and repeatedly nuzzle it until our palm was affectionately resting on top of her head.  When you walked on – she followed – staying right at your feet.  Tripping was her specialty. 

With this picture in mind,  there in the Throne Room of Heaven,  I thought about God’s desire to “rest His hand ” on us. He’s never bothered by our coming. He waits for us to come. Isaiah 40:28 says,  “ Have you not known? Have you not heard? The LORD is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He does not faint or grow weary;  his understanding is unsearchable. “

My thoughts raced over the trite expressions people use regarding God’s “hand of blessing.”  I thought about all that’s been written about the importance of parent’s laying hands on children to transfer blessing.  There in those contrite moments I stopped to ask myself how persistent I actually was when it came to locating God’s hand of direction.  Humbly I had to acknowledge  that more times than not, I behave like the child that insists on being too big for a Father’s hand.  I exhibit the “let me walk by myself” attitude – you know – the independent desire flesh has to enjoy as much freedom from God as is safe; not enough distance to jeopardize the security of salvation by any means – just enough to let me express my “self.”  Hmmmm…sad that wisdom waits for gray hair.

Finishing my prayer time, I stood up to wonder what size difference it would make in my life if I pursued the will of God with “Lace’s” unrelenting devotion. And believe me,  Dobermans can be unrelenting.  What if instead of spending my energy on surrendering to my Master – I began working to maintain constant contact with His hand – asking God to hyper sensitize me to the sin that would separate me from Him – asking God to speak more clearly than ever in response to my increased commitment to do exactly and only as His Spirit directed.  The truth is: An unrelenting pursuit requires undivided devotion. 

Which brings me to the subject of Nancy Honeytree, a wonderful Christian artist, still referred to as the first lady of Christian music. “Undivided Devotion” was a song she used to sing. Immerging powerfully from the drug culture into the Jesus movement, her anti-establishment fearlessness of being unashamedly in love with Jesus, intrigued me.  I had the privilege of seeing her in concert in a small church when I was a teenager. 

Back to Dobermans, have you ever watched a dog cock his head from side to side as if trying to understand what he was observing?  At the concert, the rowdy youth group and I sat cross legged on the floor, excited about the new direction Christian music was taking.  But Nancy was not there to entertain people.  At times there was frustration on her face as she tried to draw this crowd of “fun seekers” into worship.  I remember wondering why this young, single girl with a guitar was so disinterested in the world and captivated by Jesus? I was pretty sure, I knew all there was to know about Him. After all, I was a seasoned preacher’s daughter.

Today all I can say is, “God bless Nancy Honeytree’s undivided devotion.”  God used the gifts He gave her to show me what devotion looks like.  People may forget all the things about us we hope they will remember.  But they will never be able to escape the glimpses of the Savior they see in us.  Yes I’m a gray haired Grammie that still plays Honeytree’s cassettes on her tape recorder (Pioneer’s my favorite).  I don’t mind saying I’m an old dog that’s learned some wonderful new tricks for by-passing the power of my flesh. The process of being God’s best friend can be summed up by use of the picture of man’s best friend; a relentless pursuit of the Master’s hand and keen ears that stay attentive to His voice.  There are some challenging days ahead for us if Jesus tarries. What do you say, we keep our heads low – in a posture of prayer – where  we can find God’s right hand of blessing?  Isaiah 41:10, “Fear not for I am with you. Do not be dismayed. I am your God. I will strengthen you; I will help you; I will uphold you with my victorious right hand.”