Is this ' SO LONG ' or * S E L A H * ?
I bet a lot of us are asking this. Things are getting stormier. These are unprecedented times for our generation. If you ever wanted to live in Biblical times, well... perhaps that desire is coming to pass. I do not know the mind of YAHWEH, but I have positioned myself to hear His Holy Spirit and He is whispering S E L A H.
S E L A H se·lah /ˈsēlə,ˈsel-/ interjection - especially as an interruption. A Hebrew word found in some of the Psalms at the end of a verse, interpreted as calling for a break in the singing or indicating a pause for contemplation. Before this strange time of the whole world stuck in "pause-mode," when leaving my house, tires crunching expectantly on the driveway, I would S E L A H right before entering the path of my day.
At this pause on the driveway I would declare these words:
"Father, Your word says, You establish the steps of the righteous. Father, I humbly pray you consider me one of your righteous and show me the path to take this day, guiding me at every turn and direction, so that I am kept in Your perfect grace and peace and I go where you have called me to go."
Though, ironically, most of us are not going anywhere at present, this is the time to seek the path God is guiding you to take...for when this S E L A H is over.
This declaration has never failed me, because God never fails.
His word says 'SEEK ME and you will find Me.' Press into Him and He will reveal the path. He sees all, knows all, cares for all His children.
Yes, all.
Even those that don't know Him.
Yet.
And His love for those lost ones, I believe, is the reason for this present S E L A H moment.
Let me explain.
It starts with the ones who already know Him.
This moment in time is no surprise to our GREAT GOD. He is the God outside of time. He is the ALPHA and OMEGA. He is the God of order. He does not slumber nor does He sleep.
What He was calling you to BEFORE this time is the SAME thing He is calling you to after.
But in the pause, He wants to break loose the last remains of your idols, your chains, your blindfolds and the chaff from your soul that has hindered you, so that after this sacred interruption, you can run the race unencumbered.
God's people get ready. This my friends is the threshing floor. The threshing floor in ancient times was where the wheat was taken to be pressed and shaken in order to break the hard, binding, inedible covering from the grain.
And I believe it is no mere coincidence that King David bought the threshing floor of Araunah the Jebusite in order to build the altar to God, to receive God's reprieve at a time of great pestilence. Sound familiar? The threshing floor was symbolic of what God needed to do in David and His people to ready them for the next move of His spirit. But what does it look like when God calls you to the threshing floor?
It can be many, many things and it will be personal to you. It can be a humbling, a giving up of an old pattern or belief. It can look like a deeper forgiveness of someone who hurt you or learning to trust God fully in difficult circumstances. It can be truly putting God first in your life, even above your family.
I remember in the not too distant past discussing idols with my First Born. I was going through the process of God asking me to put Him first. The First-Born said, "What are your idols, Mom?" I didn't even have to think about the reply; God had already put His finger on them. "You and your brother are my idols. And this house. Definitely this house." Yes, God has given me a great love for my children and He has created in me a love of design and home. But I have often-times indulged in these people and things, leaving God on the sidelines. Give God permission and ask Him to put His finger on what needs to be threshed.
Okay, not gonna lie. This may sound daunting
BUT
you will be given
G R A C E
Yes, we are on the threshing floor, just like many revered biblical figures who came before us, including Simon Peter. I just love Peter. He was such an all-in kind of guy, with evident enthusiasm and equally evident flaws. But all his flaws could be over-looked because of his great love for Jesus and his endearing ability to admit his weaknesses and submit to Jesus' corrections.
At the Last Supper, Jesus told Peter He was depending on him to 'feed His sheep" But Jesus also added, “Simon, Simon! Indeed, Satan has asked for you, that he may sift you as wheat."
Wait – WHAT??
Hold up...it gets better. Then Jesus added, "But I have prayed for you, that you may not fail."
The King of Kings and Lord of Lords intercedes for us!
BOOM.
MIC DROP.
JESUS IS and WILL ALWAYS be our ever-present help in times of trouble. BUT there is SHAKING everywhere in this S E L A H !
Yes, indeed. This is the shaking of the lost sheep. Because they have been sleeping. Thus the shaking of the Lord Jehovah has begun. Shaking awake those He loves to the reality of how much territory that ancient serpent of old has stolen.
Wake up, oh beloved children and come out of the dark and into the light.
For it is shameful even to speak of those things which are done by them in secret. But all things that are exposed are made manifest [apparent, clear] by the Light...
Therefore He says: “Awake, you who sleep, Arise from the dead, And Christ will give you [true resurrection] light.”
Ephesians 5:12-14 ( NKJV )
In the month before this S E L A H , I heard the Lord say "TESTING." That was sobering. :-{ I had never been told that before. I wasn't sure of the breadth and depth of the meaning. God likes to unpack things bit by bit, over time. But, I knew enough to say...
"Okay Lord [DEEP BREATH HERE] let's do this thing."
In the following days, as I was thinking over "Testing," He gave me a KEY.
" P R A I S E M E "
And get this – the New American Standard Hebrew Lexicon defines S E L A H as 'Exalt.'
Ah-HAH!
So I began to PRAISE! I made a joyful noise unto the Lord. I sang praise songs throughout the day. I read aloud praise Psalms to God. I began to praise Him with my own words. And do you know what happened? I began to smile. I was flooded with peace. I was made strengthened and unmovable. I had entered into the safety of HIS presence. I had – inexplicably – JOY.
So what's the take-away here?
God does not leave us long to falter on our own. We may feel the beginnings of fear and doubt, but He always steps in and gives us direction. He gives us the gift of His presence and He uses the Holy Bible to instruct us how to get there and stay there. So let us come with PRAISE and THANKSGIVING and take a page from King David who understood this very well and provided the Key in his 16th Psalm.
Therefore my heart is glad, and my tongue rejoices. My body shall also dwell in safety. For you will not leave my soul in the realm of the dead, neither will you allow your holy one to see decay. You will show me the path of life. In your presence is fullness of joy. In your right hand there are pleasures forevermore. _______________________________ Yes indeed, King David. * S E L A H *
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