The Valley of the New

The Valley of the New

Lord, You took one man through the valley and gave him an experience of your awe and wonders.  One man, Sovereign Lord, watched dry bones on the floor dead, with life removed long ago.  One man heard Your words of life and saw scattered bones quickened and form into a great army.  You were doing a new thing in that valley.  You are doing a new thing in our lives in these last days. 

Forget the former days, I am doing a new thing.  Do you not perceive it?   That was not a question addressed to one person but a whole nation.  They had eyes and could not discern and ears but could not understand the words preached, the future prophesied.   They could not see the works of Your hands, Lord, as their eyes were fixed on idols.  They could hear the eloquent words of men, but not Your righteous decrees.  You desire a nation of who can perceive Your slightest moves and understands who You are.  Let us be that nation!

Lord, we must perceive how You are gathering Your multilingual, multiethnic, and culturally diverse people of every nation and tribe.  We must perceive the miracle You are operating as You bring forth Your children scattered in all the earth to form one body submerged into living waters.  And we will emerge as one soul reborn and baptized by the Spirit.  And this Spirit declares us holy and calls us Your sons and daughters.  Indeed, these are Your children in whom You are well pleased.  Today, You are calling us witnesses of Your mercy and splendor.  Once we were dead, now we are alive.  Once children dwelling in darkness, now the light of the world. 

May Your Spirit guide us to glorify You to the highest.  We perceive it, we receive it.  You are pouring out Your spirit on the flesh of men and women so we may show the world, You are still alive and active.  Oh, the exodus was great.  You displayed Your might and power against the gods of Egypt.  You visited this land with 10 plagues so that their king would know You alone are Lord.  You gathered Your people and took them across the Red Sea which served them as a path to life and Pharaoh’s army as a trap.  We crossed; they drowned.  You lifted up on Your wings and took us to the other side.  But, forget the former days, You said, for bodies lied in the desert, for Your people did not revere You. 

We will hallow Your name Father.  We will celebrate Your victories and tell others of Your greatness.  We desire to see Your glory and our words express Your tender mercies.  Today, we stand as that vast army that won’t be silenced and will not dream of a home You did not prepare for us.  Today, we gather under Your wings that You might teach us, embrace and love us.  We strive for Your provision and run to Your comfort.  We yearn for Your tenderness and thirst for Your affection. 

We will not be ignorant of Your precept, for You have written them of the tablets of our hearts.   We will be fully educated in Your word, fully knowledgeable of the things that You are doing, for these are the days predicted long ago. These are the days Your people are saying: “We do not belong to the world, for we are children of the Father of lights”.  Truly, we have no nation, but we belong to Your kingdom, to Your army, to Your royal family.

We belong to God alone. This is the move that You are doing in these days.  Separating the darkness from the light, us from the children of lawlessness.  You are calling out Your bride, the one You will present spotless and pure.  For the time for the great feast is approaching and only wise virgins can partake.   You are holy indeed and we are the treasure You hold on to for eternity.

Let it be so!