In a Moment

The Lord spoke to me.  This is what He said:

See, I have this day set you
Over the nations and over the
kingdoms,
To root out and to pull down
To destroy and to throw down,
To build and to plant.
-Jeremiah 1:10

A while ago I posted about being deceived. God, in a few moments, had revealed and removed a dark cloud over me that was heavy with lies and deceit. What freedom!  But for what purpose was I freed?  For what assignment has He been preparing me?  In another moment, God revealed and restored the call that I first heard when I was in high school.  My very good friend, DMcGee had invited me to her church.  It was a very small gathering of white folks who love Jesus.  And here, these two little black girls wanted to be a part.  I don't remember the sermon, but at the end we held hands in a circle to pray.  In a moment, I was surrounded, hands laid upon me, and a voice of a gray-haired lady said, "You will be a trumpet for God."

DMcGee and I have talked about that day only a few times.  Few people even know it occurred. But God did not forget what He spoke.  God did not forsake the workmanship of His hands, even if I, like a lost bird, got off course. The pain I felt for all those years, was nothing but a homing signal to put me back on course, to return me to the heart of God.

In a moment, God showed me that the fiery part of me, even though it is bright and all-consuming, is only a small part of me.  I am more like the very earth from which I was formed. I've tried to be something else for a long time, but now I'm embracing myself the way God made me.

No wonder I love so many things that come from the earth.  No wonder I have a heart for foreign lands. From the rustic to the glamorous, from herbs and dark wood to truffles and jewels.  I love the things of the earth.  The name I chose for my first child has earth in it for crying out loud! God uses words in this scripture that move my innards and inspire joy rather than tears. Jeremiah had a rough time of things. It cannot easy being a prophet of destruction, but if you look beyond the wrath and desolation, you'll see that God only wants His people to return to Him, to tune in to his signal and get back on course, to stay rooted and grounded in Him and allow Him to nourish them with His overwhelming love.

 I gladly yield to the potter's hand as He shapes His clay.