The Tapestry of My Calling

The Tapestry of My Calling

by Gloria A. Walker © 2018

            Interwoven in the fabric of my life is the mantle given to me at my new birth. Too young to understand, I did not care for it as I should. As a result, it became fragmented, threadbare, barely clinging together. As I sit here in my quiet time, alone with Him, I hear Him say, “It’s time.” “Time?” I ask. “Time,” He said. “You have allowed the cares of this life to fray the very fabric of your being. Where you once trusted, you now doubt. Where you were once open to new experiences, you have built a wall. Where you once loved freely, you withhold that love to guard your heart. In doing so, you unknowingly shut Me out. I was left in the peripheral of your life; however, I AM no longer willing to be relegated to the sidelines of your life. It’s time.”

            I watched as He picked up that tattered remnant. I saw the threadbare places and I found myself trembling. He drew my attention to some of those torn places. He said, “Yea, I have loved you with an everlasting love; therefore with loving kindness have I drawn you and continued My faithfulness to you” (Jer. 31:3 AMP). I felt the strength of His love reach out to embrace me, giving no room for fear, ‘for perfect love casts out fear’ (1 John 4:18). As His love surrounds me, He reminds me, “I AM Jehovah Rapha—the Lord who heals you. For I will restore health to you, and I will heal you of your wounds” (Jer. 30:17).

            As He speaks, His Word intertwines with my being, giving strength where there was weakness, joy where there was heartbreak, love where there was indifference, rivers of living water where there was stagnation, and life where death once hovered. I watched as He took His fingers and began to repair those broken places. He began to weave in His sufficient grace, reminding me, “I have made you a watchman. Therefore hear the words at My mouth and give them warning from Me (Ezek. 3:17). No longer will you run from the call I have placed on your life.”

I froze as I felt the weight of the mantle that was placed on my shoulders. It was very heavy and I felt my knees buckle under the weight of it. He continues in that still, small voice, “The mistake you made before was to try and carry it by yourself.” He then slipped His right arm around me and fitted half the mantle on His shoulders. He said, “Come unto Me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you, and learn of Me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your soul. For My yoke is easy, and My burden is light (Matt. 11:28-30). You were never meant to carry this mantle on your own.”

            As the weight is lightened by sharing the load, He continues to encourage me by saying, “Fear not, for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; year I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of My righteousness” (Isaiah 41:10). Together we began to move forward, the tapestry of my calling now mended—the threadbare places now made whole. Nestled there in His embrace, under the shadow of His wings, I feel the anointing oil of His Spirit impart the ministry of words to my spirit. I found myself relating to the words of Psalms 45:1, “My heart is indicting a good matter: I speak of things which I have made touching the king: my tongue is the pen of a ready writer.”

            I hear Him whisper as we walk side-by-side, “I have gifted you to write and to speak. Make Me known to others as I reveal Myself to you. Don’t allow the weight of the mantle to distract you from your purpose. But allow the mantle to reveal the weight of My glory as you use your gifts to draw others to Me. Remember, if I be lifted up from the earth I will draw all men unto Me” (John 12:32).

            As a result of this encounter, I am re-releasing this book of love letters and poetry, picking up the mantle, continuing to create a tapestry that glorifies God. To purchase, click on the link below.

https://www.thebookpatch.com/BookStore/out-of-the-depths-of-my-heart-i-cried/15fdbdea-c355-483f-8e57-784be4f3cd71?isbn=9781642546514

On The Banks of God's Great Sea

"In loving memory of my father, Arthur McClain, who died of lung cancer on December 16, 1994. Happy Father's Day, Daddy!"

On The Banks of God's Great Sea
By Gloria A. Walker @1996

Daddy, I know you're resting
On the banks of God's great sea.
As you watch the children play
Will you remember me?

The Watchman's Healing

Battered. Broken. Bloody.  The mountain of healing is before me. What little energy I have left is spent raging at that mountain with the promise of healing but not the power to follow through.  No hand comes to soothe my fevered brow. No hand comes to offer a cool drink of water to quench my parched and thirsty soul. My life’s blood spills to the ground where I lay dying. All around me are the things that wait for death so they may pick at my flesh and devour what is left of me.

A Servant's Heart

by Gloria A. Walker © 2011

You called to me, I answered,

"Yes, Lord, Your will is mine.

I'll yield to You my life and love.

I'll leave it all behind.

To walk with You o'er mountains high,

To walk through valley's low,

To walk with You on sunny days,

To walk where cool winds blow.

The Commitment of an Intercessor

Today our pastor put forth a call for more Intercessors. For those considering responding to that call, please read the following short excerpt from pastor Frangipane's book The Power of One Christlike Life. What an appropriate teaching/example of the life of an Intercessor.

The Commitment of an Intercessor

Then Moses returned to the Lord, and said, "Alas, this people has committed a great sin, and they have made a god of gold for themselves. But now, if Thou wilt, forgive their sin---and if not, please blot me out from Thy book which Thou hast written!" (Exod. 32:31-32)

The prayer of Moses is remarkable. Moses was not only the leader of Israel, he was an intercessor as well. Ultimately, an intercessor gives up all personal advantage for the sake of those for whom he prays. Moses knew he personally had favor with God. Yet he presented himself as a remarkable portrait of one irreversibly committed to Israel's transformation. He said, "If Thou wilt, forgive their sin---and if not, please blot me out from Thy book."

I AM FREE!

by Gloria A. Walker © 2011

"And he was teaching in one of the synagogues on the sabbath. And, behold, there was a woman which had a spirit of infirmity eighteen years, and was bowed together, and could in no wise lift up herself. And when Jesus saw her, he called her to him, and said unto her, Woman, thou art loosed from thine infirmity. And he laid his hands on her: and immediately she was made straight, and glorified God. And the ruler of the synagogue answered with indignation, because that Jesus had healed on the sabbath day, and said unto the people, There are six days in which men ought to work : in them therefore come and be healed, and not on the sabbath day. The Lord then answered him, and said, Thou hypocrite, doth not each one of you on the sabbath loose his ox or his ass from the stall, and lead him away to watering? And ought not this woman, being a daughter of Abraham, whom Satan hath bound, lo, these eighteen years, be loosed from this bond on the sabbath day? And when he had said these things, all his adversaries were ashamed: and all the people rejoiced for all the glorious things that were done by him" (Luke 13:10-17).

I stand trembling in the midst of the crowd. Stand. I am standing! I am as excited as I am overwhelmed. I look into the eyes of the One Who has just called me to Himself. His eyes are filled with such a powerful love, I find myself raising my hand to caress His face, as the feel of His hand lingers at the base of my spine. I am stopped in midstream as the words swirling around me like a whirlwind penetrates my heart. “There are six days in which men ought to work, in them therefore come and be healed, and not on the Sabbath day” (Luke 13:14). Such indignation, such anger, such vitriol in his words. Don’t you understand? I AM STANDING! Why can’t you be happy for me? Why can’t you celebrate with me?

RESPONSES TO ADVERSITY

TGIF Today God Is First Volume 2, by Os Hillman

"Though the fig tree does not bud and there are no grapes on the vines, though the olive crop fails and the fields produce no food, though there are no sheep in the pen and no cattle in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the LORD, I will be joyful in God my Savior" (Hab. 3:17-18). 

When we experience adversity, we generally respond in one of three ways: (1) we become angry; (2) we try to gut it out; or (3) we accept it with joy. 

Anger

When adversity comes our way, we say, "Why me, Lord?" We become bitter and resentful and blame God and others for our problems. We view ourselves as victims and demand that God answer our accusing questions: "Why don't You love me, Lord? We feel entitled to life, health, wealth, and happiness.