Collection Time

Wave upon wave.

Lap upon lap.

Splash upon splash.

For the impact appears small.

There is no obvious shift.

For the feeble sand barely moves from the splash.

Yet look again.

Yes look again.

Yes have another look.

Turn again.

Look again.

Touch again.

What is it you see?

A great withdrawal, a massive withdrawal, a huge draining away. Without force, without expectation, with no anticipation, a great withdrawal.

Overcome.

For I have overcome.

For without cause there is no effect.

Yet for my cause there shall be great effect.

Look one way or look another, what are you seeing?

The enemy that encamped around us, packing up and leaving. Withdrawing without reason, without cause.

For they have abandoned their cause.

For I have caused the enemy to drop his bundle.

2 Kings 7:3-8 Now four men who were lepers were at the entrance of the city’s gate; and they said to one another, Why do we sit here until we die? If we say, We will enter the city—then the famine is in the city, and we shall die there; and if we sit still here, we die also. So now come, let us go over to the army of the Syrians. If they spare us alive, we shall live; and if they kill us, we shall but die. So they arose in the twilight and went to the Syrian camp. But when they came to the edge of the camp, no man was there. For the Lord had made the Syrian army hear a noise of chariots and horses, the noise of a great army. They had said to one another, The king of Israel has hired the Hittite and Egyptian kings to come upon us. So the Syrians arose and fled in the twilight and left their tents, horses, donkeys, even the camp as it was, and fled for their lives. And when these lepers came to the edge of the camp, they went into one tent and ate and drank, and carried away silver, gold, and clothing, and went and hid them in the darkness. Then they entered another tent and carried from there also and went and hid it. 2 Kings 7:13-16 One of his servants said, Let some men take five of the remaining horses; if they are caught and killed they will be no worse off than all the multitude of Israel left in the city to be consumed. Let us send and see. So they took two chariot horses, and the king sent them after the Syrian army, saying, Go and see. They went after them to the Jordan. All the way was strewn with clothing and equipment which the Syrians had cast away in their flight. And the messengers returned and told the king. Then the people went out and plundered the tents of the Syrians. So a measure of fine flour was sold for a shekel, and two measures of barley for a shekel, as the Lord had spoken through Elisha.

For my hand is upon that which he contains.

For in a moment, in an instant I have broken it, I have broken the container, the containment.

Shattered it lies across the land.

For he was unable to contain all that he had stolen.

He treasure lies strewn across the land.

For that which stood between you and he, has been broken.

Shattered, scattered, exploded, beyond repair it lies before you across the ground.

For he has no means to collect, not means to contain or collect.

Like the walls of Jericho, I have broken that which contains. The walls have come down.

It is now time to collect.

It is time to collect.

It is collection time.

For that which you treasure lies before you.

For that which you treasure lies beside you.

Feel the warmth or her embrace.

Feel the joy of her touch.

Feel the love of her caress.

Don’t be touchy about it, just receive her touch.

For my hand rests upon her hand.

My power is in her touch.

My love is upon her lips.

My joy revealed in her smile.

For you shall no longer be withdrawn.

For my hand is upon you.

My arms holding you up.

It is time embrace that which you cannot grasp.

For that which holds you, has a hold of you, has a grip upon you, has grasped you.

For in the presence of such love, the enemy must withdraw.