Standing in the kitchen scrambling eggs this morning, I was pondering and praying for someone who had just received a phone call from the doctor’s office concerning some blood work they had done just yesterday. They said for her to come in right away…
At this, the words came up in my spirit, “It’s not life as usual anymore”.
Three days ago, the month of Elul began. This is the month that Moshe (Moses) ascended Sinai a second time to receive the writing on the tablets. This is the 40 days before the Day of Atonement – a solemn period of time for self examination, affliction and repentance. Quite definitely, Elul is my favorite month of the year.
I learned recently of a lady who had passed away from a rare lung disease. She was very young and had only been a bride for 2 years. For the husband she left behind; “life is not as usual.” I never got a chance to meet this couple nor their families, but from what I hear, their faith is stronger than ever. This is very different than most situations that involve the death of a family member, where it shakes the members to the core.
Death brings out what “life as usual” buries deep within us.
Tragedy and separation from the ones we love either draw out bitter poison, or buckets of living water.
The lady passed away on the 1st day of Elul. I find this of no ordinary meaning. Her passing, and the timing, I believe, is a message to those of us who remain. As I began to grieve that day, though I never knew her in the natural, but only in the spirit..I wrote the following:
I feel her passing is as a sign that unless we “pass into Yahuweh’s dimension” on this side, we will never dwell in His dimension on His side.
Elul 1 is the gun that starts the race to the end.
It marks a time where our death to self becomes the real entrance into life (the renewed life).
It marks a time when His servants must overcome the enemy’s crushing of the lungs that shortens our breath, in order to escape the coma that would otherwise lead to death.
Her death marked her beginning, but also leaves behind a warning for those who have allowed the enemy to crush the very life out of you. He does this by convincing us that nothing bad will ever happen and that we should continue “life as usual.”
No my friends, life is not as usual. If we choose to believe this lie, the crushing will continue until it leaves us in a coma; living as though dead.
We are called and commissioned to die to self; self desires, passions and anything that exalts itself above the Most High. The flesh is its own anti-messiah. It screams for first place and demands, “…let me go up above the heights of the clouds, let me be like the Most High!” [Isaiah 14:14]
Life as usual does not equate to “occupy the time”. Occupying the time until He comes does not mean to drift off to sleep while Messiah is agonizing in the garden. The Father is preparing to pour out His wrath to such a degree that the heavenes and the earth will shake. Nothing that is not rooted and grounded solid in the foundation of Messiah, will be thrown out, shaken to destruction.
Yes we must work, and continue living in this world – however it does not mean that our daily lives consume us to the point that we have nothing left to offer the Master at the end of the day. We are in this world, but not of it. We work for the Master while it is still day. This is occupying the time – not letting any priority take the number one spot that the Creator of the universe demands of His people. He is jealous. He is zealous for what belongs to Him.
Today, I present this warning yet also should be taken as an encouragement…Life is not as usual because the times we are living in are not as usual.
Elul has begun. It is time to allow Yahuweh entrance into the depths and corners of our beings. He will examine and He will find all that is hiding in darkness.
We are children of the Light, therefore we have responsibilities to the Master.
That precious lady, one whom I never had the honor to meet, is now dancing with the angels; looking upon the face of the Master Himself.
What shall we say then when WE finally meet Him face to face?
Is He your life? Or has He been replaced with….life as usual?
Shalom brother and thanks for sharing this! I am fond of this time and Yom Kippur as it is my first celebrated Mo’adim. I had the blessing to rid myself of many things right away when I came to start to study the Truth of Messiah and the Torah. It was very emotional to be rid of all the wickedness I knew and did not know of. Very gut wrenching to know how I had trampled Messiah and His Loving sacrifice! The fact we even have a chance to be forgiven and changed is beyond words! HalleluYAH!!!! That was back in 2007 and every year it is still NOT “business as usual”. We all should self introspect year round for sure but THIS time is so special and intimate to the core when you meet Him in that quite place. Things are gaining speed in this world, but we look forward to the One to come and hope to be called a good, faithful servant. WOW! Just to hear that from Him is worth everything this world can throw at us! Revelation 22:1-14
In the times and days we now live in, there is nothing to be considered as “life as usual”. Those who do are just kidding themselves. Head in the sand syndrome I call it. Messiah did say, ” I’m coming back. Keep yourself busy with the work I have given you. Feed my sheep, help the poor among you, comfort the sick. Bring hope to the captives,” To me that’s not life as usual. It can be a path of excitement and hope for all believers. Until you stop breathing, there is work to do.