Blessing of the December Window of Reconciliation #6: Destiny Aspect, Right Adventure With Right Friends

Beloved, I would like to invite your spirit forward in the name of Yeshua.

Spirit, Listen to the word of G-d for you for today.

Some went down to the sea in ships, doing business on the great waters;
they saw the deeds of the L-RD, his wondrous works in the deep.
For he commanded and raised the stormy wind, which lifted up the waves of the sea.
They mounted up to heaven; they went down to the depths; their courage melted away in their evil plight;
they reeled and staggered like drunken men and were at their wits’ end. Then they cried to the L-RD in their trouble, and he delivered them from their distress.
He made the storm be still, and the waves of the sea were hushed.
Then they were glad that the waters were quiet, and he brought them to their desired haven.
Let them thank the L-RD for his steadfast love, for his wondrous works to the children of man!”

Psalm 107:23–31 ESV

Spirit, not only do we need the right home, and not only do we need the right relationship with the right Father, but we also need the right cadre of friends to engage our destiny with us.

We were made to become people of destiny in the context of community.

Now, some of you in isolation might say “why is that?”.

In order to answer that, I have to tell you a story.

Spirit, I have a sailor friend whose name is Bryan. He is a sailor’s sailor and has always made a home or found a place at sea. From stints in the Navy and the Army Corps of Engineers to tours near Nigeria, he has gone down to the sea repeatedly in ships and done business on the water. He has seen the works of the King on the waters.

And he has shared with me that sailors frequently have inked on their knuckles the words “Hold Fast”. if you wash overboard, that rope to which you are tied may be the last thing keeping you from physical death. In so many contexts, holding onto a lifeline is all that stands between us an eternity.

Likewise, at least four of Jesus’ Twelve fished on Lake Galilee: Simon Peter, Andrew, James, and John. And they would have understood in squalls the dangers inherent with sailing.

Unlike a cruise-ship, which is the ultimate form of mothering, military and other sailing and fishing vessels are solid expressions of fathering. The need on a boat is to develop the tools necessary to survive and thrive and return home safely. And often times, in order to thrive on a ship or a boat, you have to take calculated risks relative to your environment. And in all of that, whatever you do, spirit, do not let go of the rope. Hold fast.

And have a crew of mates that you can connect with that will work with you and help you learn the ropes and will have your back and keep you safe.

And it takes a group of people each weaving together their unique set of principles together, and bringing those sets together that helps us move into destiny. One man or woman cannot pilot a vessel alone to do a task alone. Destiny is a community skill. And Several sets of eyes that can see the various aspects are so desperately needed.

And love which flows between brothers and sisters is needed.

So spirit, I bless you for the seasons when you will be abroad. I bless you no matter the nature of the water or the location of the water. I bless you when you must be on the open ocean, or on the lakes or rivers, or in the waters underneath the earth. I bless you when the waters are calm, and I bless you when the waters are boiling out of control. I bless you when there is a red sky at night and at morning. I bless you when you are surrounded by sharks and when the waters are pure sapphire. I bless you to have the right mates. I bless your friendships to be rejuvenating and life-giving, and importantly, life-PRESERVING.

I bless you to find THE RIGHT BERTH ON THE RIGHT VESSEL, and to link up with THE RIGHT CREW. For whatever reason, the following poem feels appropriate here.

I must down to the seas again, to the lonely sea and the sky,
And all I ask is a tall ship and a star to steer her by;
And the wheel’s kick and the wind’s song and the white sail’s shaking,
And a grey mist on the sea’s face, and a grey dawn breaking. 

I must down to the seas again, for the call of the running tide
Is a wild call and a clear call that may not be denied;
And all I ask is a windy day with the white clouds flying,
And the flung spray and the blown spume, and the sea-gulls crying. 

I must down to the seas again, to the vagrant gypsy life,
To the gull’s way and the whale’s way where the wind’s like a whetted knife;
And all I ask is a merry yarn from a laughing fellow-rover,
And quiet sleep and a sweet dream when the long trick’s over.

Sea Fever by John Masefield

I bless your business and I bless your vision to see the works of G-d in the depths of the deep.

I bless you to be aware of the dynamics of Leviathan, whereever you are, in seven heads. I bless your compass, chronometer, sextant, pelorus, and maps to be true and accurate. I bless your skill in using them.

Spirit, I bless you with a merry yarn from a laughing fellow-rover. I bless you with lads who will keep you aboard and welcome you into their cabal as they accomplish great exploits in the name of the Captain of Our Salvation.

I bless you, mariners, to hear the voice of your ship and crew. I bless you when the storm is getting worse. I bless you with adventure and safe passage, no matter where the map and route take you. I bless you to know when your ship needs rest, and your mates need a hand, or a look, or a smile, or a heart.

I bless you to sleep aboard your ship when the Captain sleeps, and I bless you to wake when the Captain awakens. I bless you with love to keep your ship in its right alignment. And I bless you to be fathered in the wholeness of cause-and-effect that is critical to the operation of a fathering vessel that carries sons of the kingdom. I bless your reins to provide you counsel in the night seasons. I bless your capacity to see the usefulness of everyone else around you whose gifts are nothing like yours. And, importantly, I bless your capacity and skill at meshing your skills together with theirs, and no matter the conditions, to sail effectively. And to reach not only your destiny, but the desired haven of your home, having accomplished what the L-rd intended you to accomplish.

I bless you with wholeness in your community, as you seek for your place among your tribe. Be at peace, spirit, in the name of Yeshua.

Blessing of the December Window of Reconciliation #5: Destiny Aspect, Right Father

“Safe?” said Mr Beaver …”Who said anything about safe? ‘Course he isn’t safe. But he’s good.

from The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe

Beloved, I would like to engage with your spirit in the name of Yeshua, if they are willing.

Spirit, listen to the word of G-d for you for today.

αὶ εἷς ἐκ τῶν πρεσβυτέρων λέγει μοι· μὴ κλαῖε, ἰδοὺ ἐνίκησεν ὁ λέων ὁ ἐκ τῆς φυλῆς Ἰούδα, ἡ ῥίζα Δαυίδ, ἀνοῖξαι τὸ βιβλίον καὶ τὰς ἑπτὰ σφραγῖδας αὐτοῦ.

And one of the elders said to me, “Weep no more; behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judas, the Root of David, has conquered, so that he can open the scroll and its seven seals.”

Revelation 5:5

Spirit, there is a line of thinking that came into being with the writings of Jack Lewis that the L-rd is not safe. Indeed, in the Chronicles of Narnia, Mr. Beaver said he was not safe.

And truly, when someone is wounded or bruised or smoldering, a bruised reed Messiah will not break, and a smoldering wick He will not extinguish.

But, when the time comes for us to grow into kingdom sons, He is not going to lead us merely or only into the safe place of home, but into the risk-laden context of the wilderness. Spirit, Father did not bring us home to leave us home, but to have a safe harbor from which to do exploits on behalf of the King. And when we travel, Father goes with us, and He allows good things to come into our lives as well as testing and difficult things.

The issue is not whether or not Jesus is safe in that we can control Him, but whether or not He is good, meaning “consistent and trustworthy, free from corruption, and incorruptible”.

In the first blessing, I reminded you of the anchor that was the most trustworthy. Our best anchor is in G-d’s nature. And because everything He created was good, it follows that He who is the Source of all is also good.

Goodness is so lacking in our culture. Alienation in many places prevails.

And the masculine, fathering antidote for the brokenness is not the mothering attribute of safety, but rather goodness.

Goodness is brought about by execution, by a G-d who executes. By a good Father of Lights Who gives us every good and perfect gift. Goodness is seen EVERYWHERE, including in what He has put into you.

Father is going to challenge you, spirit. Father will spend some time working to heal you, but after a season of healing, He will take you out on an adventure with him. You might have to climb mountains, or swim oceans, or work with people who are occasionally ungrateful. You might have to run a marathon, or embrace some pain.

But, spirit, I bless you to rest in your Father’s goodness. I bless you with not just an anchoring place in home, but also a place of rest in Father’s affection as He is doing the grueling work of training you and refining you and giving you sometimes more than you can handle.

I bless you not to rely on Father’s safety when you are questing about, but on His goodness, which is central to His nature.

And that you can praise Him even when He sends you an unlikely messenger to correct you. I bless you spirit to hear Father speak in the Prophet language of Greek and in the Giver language of Hebrew.

Both Prophets and Givers are CRITICAL to your life, spirit, and I bless you to hear what Father is doing as He does it. I bless you to see, hear, smell, touch, taste, and experience the full range of Father’s good pleasure and His good gifts, even if they come in the form of fiery trials.

I bless you, in those season when you are laying on the pavement with a bleeding artery to savor the flavor of grace Father brings to you, whether it is repairing a transected artery, or eating a bowl of your favorite ice cream.

I bless you to lean hard into Him and the strength of His goodness when everything is going up in flames.

I bless you with hyperendurant resolve.

I bless you, spirit, to be galvanized against all the plans of the evil one and the clowns.

I bless you radiantly, affectionately, and zealously, in the name of Yeshua.

I bless you to find the silver lining when the clouds have gathered. I bless you with chops and strength and massive resolve and life and peace and understanding and PLENTY OF FIGHT.

Even in the dark night of the soul….