Open

Unlock.

Unlocked.

Locked down.

Locked in.

Locked up.

The opening…

The closing…

Approaching the barrier, the border, the fence, the gate.

Up against it.

Up against it.

Moving forward.

Moving towards.

The bolting.

The locking.

The closing.

The unbolting.

The unlocking.

The release.

The opening of the gate.

The closing of the gate.

The closing at the gate.

The gate of opening.

The opening of the gate.

The turning.

The movement.

The pulling out.

The withdrawal.

The unlatching.

The unlocking.

The opening.

The expectation.

The expectation reversed.

The reversal of expectation.

You expect the closing, you anticipate the closing, you anticipate the barrier, the block, the restriction, the halt to progress.

Yet what is it you see?

The approach to the gate. The locking of the gate.

Look again what do you see?

The approach to the gate, the unlocking of the gate, the opening of the gate, the enormity of what appears on the other side.

For you are so used to restraint, so familiar with restraint, the governance of your enemy, the conformity to his agenda, accustomed to his custom.

For he declares to you what is customary, how things should be, where you can go, and when you can come. He seeks to determine your comings and your goings.

Yet it is I who watches over your comings and your goings.

Psalms 121:5-8 The Lord himself watches over you! The Lord stands beside you as your protective shade. The sun will not harm you by day, nor the moon at night. The Lord keeps you from all harm and watches over your life. The Lord keeps watch over you as you come and go, both now and forever.

I have appointed you to set the standard, to declare the standard, to define the standard, to carry the standard, to be anything other than standard.

For your way is not their way, your thoughts are not their thoughts, your desires are not their desires.

Yet it is I that have determined your steps, defined your coming, and your going, the path upon which your feet shall tread.

Acts 12:10 When they had passed through the first guard and the second, they came to the iron gate which leads into the city. Of its own accord the gate swung open, and they went out and passed on through one street; and at once the angel left him.

Let me take you back.

Yes let me take you back.

Let me describe it for you…

The well worn path, that you are the first to tread upon.

Yes you know what I mean.

The picture of the well worn path, the corridor of the promise, the path of the promise, the hallway, the way of the halls. From one room to another, down the path to the viewing room, the room with a great view.

It looks like a well worn path, but you are the first to tread on it.

Walk forward, take another step forward, step by step, word by word, promise by promise, for I have promised.

Then look to the left, what is it you see?

The vision of the promise, the static picture coming to life before my eyes.

Now walk down the hall and look to the right, what is it you see?

The expanse, the place of expansion, the view that extends beyond the horizon. Yet Lord how can this be a well worn path that I am the first to tread upon?

The steps you see upon this ground, are my footsteps, for this is a well worn path for me.

I have been here before, my comings and goings are well defined for me, by me.

For you shall know the path to take, for you shall see my footprints.

For it is all in the gathering.

What is it that you gather?

What is it that you have picked up?

What is it that I am bring together?

At first the dropping.

At first the pruning.

At first the falling.

At first the cutting off.

Then the gathering.

The picking up.

The bundling up.

The movement of the bundle.

The transport of the bundle.

Gather up the fragments, so that nothing may be lost or wasted.

For my thoughts are not your thoughts, my way is not your way.

Let me show you something, a glimpse of what is to come…

For it is natural to cut off, to remove, to take that which is valuable in the eyes of the beholder, to leave the remnants, the cut offs, the cast offs behind.

Then the gathering of the remnants, that which is considered of no use in the eye of the beholder. The gathering has one purpose, to remove, to reject, to throw out, to put in the bin, to discard, to put away, to remove from sight, to dispose of.

Yet I see value in the remnant, the cast off, the rejected, the discard, the thing for which no-one regarded, for that which was considered of no value.

For you were once cast off, outcast, exiled, banished, considered of no use, without use, abandoned, rejected.

Yet I consider you of great value, the utmost value, worth dying for, worthy of redemption, something to be gathered, something to be comprehended, something to be regarded, something to be treasured.

For now is the time of the gathering.

Now is the time of the bundling.

Now is the time of the collection.

Now is the time of the harvest.

For I have opened the gate, I have released you from bondage, the way is open for you.

For I declare new openings, that you are open for business, this is the season of the open.

Exodus 33:13-19 Now therefore, I pray You, if I have found favor in Your sight, show me now Your way, that I may know You progressively become more deeply and intimately acquainted with You, perceiving and recognizing and understanding more strongly and clearly and that I may find favor in Your sight. And Lord, do consider that this nation is Your people. And the Lord said, My Presence shall go with you, and I will give you rest. And Moses said to the Lord, If Your Presence does not go with me, do not carry us up from here! For by what shall it be known that I and Your people have found favor in Your sight? Is it not in Your going with us so that we are distinguished, I and Your people, from all the other people upon the face of the earth? And the Lord said to Moses, I will do this thing also that you have asked, for you have found favor, loving-kindness, and mercy in My sight and I know you personally and by name. And Moses said, I beseech You, show me Your glory. And God said, I will make all My goodness pass before you, and I will proclaim My name, THE LORD, before you; for I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will show mercy and loving-kindness on whom I will show mercy and loving-kindness.