From the bottom of the pit, to the top of the pit, is the way of love, filled with the fullness of the measure of Christ.
On Saturday morning, my wife shared a dream that she had with me. The first two parts of the dream were of a personal nature, however the third and concluding part of the dream, was a beautiful picture of one of the most powerful gifts in God's Kingdom.
The dream was as follows: My wife dreamt that our pastor (symbolic) said that the Lord some years ago said to him; "from the bottom of the pit, to the top of the pit, is the way of love, which accompanied a song". Then my wife shared that the Lord spoke to her and said "why don't you spend a week with me?".
Wow, that is a awesome invitation, and even the symbolic meaning of a week, being seven days, is profound within scripture.
As I pondered this dream. I thought of the many ways that we as human beings, as even believers we can dig pits. Some that are shallow and some that are deep. Sometimes we dig them one shovel at a time and over the seasons they get deeper and deeper. Sometimes we jump face first into them, sometimes we fall into them and other times we keep re visiting them. Sometimes they are easy to climb out of and other times they become so deep, that we can barley see the light at the top, as darkness surrounds us.
Through sins, walking in darkness, getting off course, being on that freeway called life and getting off at all the wrong exits, making the wrong decisions, bitterness, strife, contention, angers, un forgiveness, holding childhood grudges, that I forgive you, but! attitude, constant complaining, lack of knowledge and many other characteristic traits, we can dig deep pits that bring great sorrows and un happiness to us and those around us.
Other times our pits are dug through intense hatred, rebellion, and disobedience to God over a life time, as we have become so bitter that we become self destructive, prideful, through a hardened and rebellious heart.
Other times from past relationship issues, past marriages, and as the years and season pass, we can find life so miserable, that peace and joy seems far from us, that blessings seem to have escaped us, as we fall deeper and deeper into the pit of un forgiveness of wrongs and wounds. It doesn't matter how shallow or how deep the pit has become. It is a place of darkness, like a personal prison.
I performed a bible study on the word pit, and found the following: a hole in the ground (Exd 21:33,34), a cistern for water (Gen 37:24; Jer 14:3), a vault (41:9), a grave (Psa 30:3). It is used as a figure for mischief (Psa 9:15), and is the name given to the unseen place of woe (Rev 20:1,3). The slime-pits in the vale of Siddim were wells which yielded asphalt (Gen 14:10).
So what could a pit be symbolic of in the above. Can we view the hole in the ground, as even symbolic of being a hole in one's heart filled with offenses, a place of mischef, of woe, of bitterness and of unforgiveness. A place where a religious and critical spirit resides. Could the hole be even a place deep in our soul where un forgiveness, bitterness, a critical and judge mental spirit resides?
From the bottom of the pit, to the top of the pit, is the way of love. Love being the greatest of all gifts, love that covers a multitude of sins, love that is kind, compassionate, considerate of others, longsuffering and full of forgiveness.
Here is a powerful prayer.
That he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man; That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love, May be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God.
For love is the greatest of all gifts, and a gift of God:
Love worketh no ill to his neighbor: therefore love is the fulfilling of the law. And that, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep: for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed. The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the Armour of light. Let us walk honestly, as in the day; not in rioting and drunkenness, not in chambering and wantonness, not in strife and envying. But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts[thereof....
Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal. And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing.
And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing. Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil;Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth; Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things. Charity never faileth: but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away. For we know in part, and we prophesy in part. But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away..
When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things. For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known. And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity......
Finally, brethren, farewell. Be perfect, be of good comfort, be of one mind, live in peace; and the God of love and peace shall be with you. Greet one another with an holy kiss. All the saints salute you. The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Ghost, be with you all. Amen.
Yes, truly love is the greatest of all gifts...
Blessings in the love of Christ
In His Glorious Name Ministries
www.inhisgloriousname.com
