It's time to get back to the altar!
By Penny Roberts King
In talking with a good friend last night, God revealed a powerful truth about myself: I have been the Runaway Bride. My life consists of choosing things, relationships, etc. in life that felt safe, instead of committing to those things or people that challenges or changes me. I have been on the brink of breakthrough to the calling God has on my life so many times, only to run back to what was familiar and “safe”, instead forging forward in faith to the unknown of whatever God has for me. You see, I could still maintain some type of control over what was “safe”, instead of surrendering full control over to God. That ALL stops now! I break that cycle in my life, in the Name of Jesus! I have been bought and paid for with the highest price, I am covered by the blood of Jesus!
If I know anything at all, it is this: God is looking for the Bride that will run and chain herself to the altar, marrying His will for their lives, running forward in ALL that He has for them, and not run back to what is familiar, “safe”, and leads to dead ends. God is looking for a lifetime commitment from His Bride. Whether it is in earthly marriage, singleness, with family, without family, with a spiritual mentor or without…whatever He is asking of you, He’s asking it of YOU, not someone else. It will be different for everyone. Everyone’s cross is different. Whatever challenges you the most, will most likely be your cross. He wants to stretch us. We were not created to be comfortable. He’s created us to stir up a comfortable world.
As we wrap up the last week and a half of 2017, and we face a brand new hope-filled year, will you choose to stand at the altar with Him, or will you run back to what He delivered you from? Will you submit your will to His, or will you leave all He has for you at the altar and run back to doing things your way, going around the same mountain for years and years, virtually going nowhere fast?
Bride, He loves you with an everlasting love. He’s willing to marry your baggage, and trade it in for a whole new wardrobe! But you have to be still at the altar and let Him do it. You have to trust Him. You have to surrender it ALL to Him, to see the fullness of what He has for you. What He has for you, is better than anything He will ask you to surrender! You will only miss “it” for a moment, before He replaces “it” with more than your mind can imagine right now. Don’t be the Runaway Bride, be the Run-to Bride! Take your running shoes off at the altar, be still in His Presence, marry His will for your life, and when you put the running shoes back on, run TO His will for your life, instead of from it. He’s waiting.
“I’m not saying that I have this all together, that I have it made. But I am well on my way, reaching out for Christ, who has so wondrously reached out for me. Friends, don’t get me wrong: By no means do I count myself an expert in all of this, but I’ve got my eye on the goal, where God is beckoning us onward—to Jesus. I’m off and running, and I’m not turning back.
So let’s keep focused on that goal, those of us who want everything God has for us. If any of you have something else in mind, something less than total commitment, God will clear your blurred vision—you’ll see it yet! Now that we’re on the right track, let’s stay on it.
Stick with me, friends. Keep track of those you see running this same course, headed for this same goal. There are many out there taking other paths, choosing other goals, and trying to get you to go along with them. I’ve warned you of them many times; sadly, I’m having to do it again. All they want is easy street. They hate Christ’s Cross. But easy street is a dead-end street. Those who live there make their bellies their gods; belches are their praise; all they can think of is their appetites.
But there’s far more to life for us. We’re citizens of high heaven! We’re waiting the arrival of the Savior, the Master, Jesus Christ, who will transform our earthy bodies into glorious bodies like his own. He’ll make us beautiful and whole with the same powerful skill by which he is putting everything as it should be, under and around him.”
Philippians 3:12-21 MSG
Penny Roberts King is a mother to three beautiful children that resides in St. Louis, MO. She works fulltime as a medical professional, and has felt a strong calling on her life since she was a young girl. God has brought her through a lot and wants to help others get freedom. Penny has ministired in various minstry areas, and wants to be where God wants her to be. To connect with her, she can be found Facebook.
