The Established Pattern

Established pattern, the established way, the established method. The pattern, the track, the path, the way, the way of the doing, the way things are done.

Here you come and sit, in the place that is reserved. So many choices and yet you sit in the same spot, in the place of the usual, where you order the usual.

When you first came, there was no pattern, there was no usual. First you established the first, second you established the second and so on, until you established the pattern. At first unknown, then introduced, then known by name, then made welcome, then established, now more choice, more favour.

And yet you like to identify the old pattern, then break it. Predictably unpredictable you say. Just when people have you figured out, you like to mix it up, create a variation, create some variety.

You like to create the recipe, but you don’t like to follow it more than once.

Here I invite you to sit before your enemy. Your seat is reserved, the menu is set, a familiar song is playing in the background. You have been here before, you have heard it all before. The angst, the blaming, the positioning, the smile at first, the strong handshake, the posturing in order to shift your posture. You sit there in silence, I know you don’t want to be there, you are weary of the repeated pattern. You are tired of showing up, only to be contained, to be restricted, to feel the push of the conformance to their agenda.

You feel the rising up in your spirit now don’t you! The pressure, the desire to break stuff, to upset the apple cart, to create a disturbance, to confront conformity, to break the spiral, to get off the merry go around. In fact you don’t even want to get on it, for you know the pattern!

And yet I love to break the pattern. Even this morning, I broke your pattern. First you awake, then you drive and worship, then you order, then you read the paper, then when you a ready, you invite Me to speak. Yet the moment you sat in the car I began to speak. It disturbed you, I disturbed you, for you were not ready to take notes, I messed with your pattern. The paper sits in front of you, and you have visited eating, but you could not block your ears from my words, or stop your fingers from typing this.

You worried that you might forget what I said, and yet I call things into remembrance.

Sitting in silence before the enemy, in the seat I have reserved. For you must sit in the place I have prepared. You feel it don’t you, you see it don’t you. The broken pattern!

First the invitation, second the prepared table, third the anointing of oil.

Is this not the established pattern? Even your enemy anoints you, when they want something. It’s like the offering of the coffee, or the water before the menu is presented and the agenda set.

And yet, Am I not the host?

In the midst of the angst, in the place where the arms are crossed, in the place of Lo debar, the place of no communication.

Yet it is not the enemy that anoints you, and positions you, and sets the table, and lays out the agenda.

Your favourite song played this morning – “fullness of eternal promise”, “pour it out Lord, let your love run over, here and now let your glory fill this place”

Yet you struggle with the words, as you have seen and prophesied the action.

You anticipate the intended action, the fulling of the cup, actually in this case you see the tiny cup that is literally half full of coffee!

Yet you know what is going to happen. I am giving you something that will mess with the pattern, with the established order, with the setting, with the “setup”.

For the enemy seeks to lay the trap, to “set you up” for a fall, to lay captive, to drive the agenda, to lay out the plan, to obtain your agreement. You see it unfold before you.

Yet I am the breaker, I AM fullness. I go beyond the bounds, I break the patterns. I have commanded you to NOT be conformed to the patterns, but to transform the patterns.

I have spilt it, I have flowed over the edge, I have gone over the established boundary, I have broken the limit. I have placed the overflow in your cup. For the enemy contains, and is defined by containment, and what they contain is containment. You contain my overflow.

Selah, pause and think calmly on that. Calmly carry my overflow.

You come from the place of lack, you take up your position, you take a seat in the place of lack, from the place of the shadow, from the valley, from the place that once contained fullness.

Here you sit, in the place I have reserved.

What is it you expect, lack or overflow?

You feel the smile form on your lips, as the light dawns, as that which was hidden is revealed. You contain my overflow!

“Pour it out Lord, let your love run over, here and now, let your glory fill this place”

Fullness of eternal promise, expect fullness, expect the lack to be dispossessed, for I have robbed the lack from this place. For the lack now contains my fullness. It flows over the edge, it pours from your pores as you pause.

Psalms 23 THE LORD is my Shepherd to feed, guide, and shield me, I shall not lack. He makes me lie down in fresh, tender green pastures; He leads me beside the still and restful waters. He refreshes and restores my life (my self); He leads me in the paths of righteousness uprightness and right standing with Him—not for my earning it, but for His name’s sake. Yes, though I walk through the deep, sunless valley of the shadow of death, I will fear or dread no evil, for You are with me; Your rod to protect and Your staff to guide, they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head withoil; my brimming cup runs over. Surely or only goodness, mercy, and unfailing love shall follow me all the days of my life, and through the length of my days the house of the Lord and His presence shall be my dwelling place.