Rising Up Again and Again!

At the end of 2016 I felt the Lord begin to whisper the words “Rise Up” into my spirit, along with the scripture from Psalms 3:3 “But you, O Lord, are a shield about me, my glory and the One who lifts my head.”  I knew right then and there that these would be my words for 2017.  It was time for me to Rise Up and I knew the Father was right – I couldn’t live in the sadness of the past 5 years any longer, I had to do something about it and it was up to me.  I could continue to sit in darkness or I could Rise Up and let the Lord light my way!

At first I couldn’t see how Psalms 3:3 and the words “Rise Up” were connected until I started to dig.  Then I got excited!  Lifter is ‘ruwn’ in Hebrew and means; to rise, be high, be exalted, to be set on high or to cause to grow up.’  Perhaps in my 50th year it was indeed time for me to ‘grow up’!  I love the definition too; to make louder, to take plants out of the ground for transplanting or harvesting and to move your head or eyes up so that you can see something!

When we are in despair, depression, or grief our eyes are cast down, not only our head but our hearts hang down.  It feels as if everything aches and is oh so heavy.  BUT GOD will lift our heads, He WILL BE our glory and cause us to RISE UP and rejoice!  Our Father will not force our head up – as He gently places His hand under our chin, we have to raise our heads, we have to engage the muscles in our neck and move!  There is action required on our part!

Early in the New Year I heard a scripture from Micah 7:8 that just exploded in my heart!  “Do NOT gloat over me, O my enemy; when I fall, I shall rise; when I sit in darkness, the LORD will be a light to me.”  There was absolutely NO WAY I was going to let the enemy gloat over me!  I have sat in darkness for far too long.

The word rise in the Hebrew is ‘quwn’ – to become powerful, to stand, to be established, to be fixed, to be proven, to be fulfilled.  It was now my time to rise, to stand and become powerful and if I fall again to rise quickly!

When Hannah was a baby I remember when she began learning to walk.  She would take a few steps and her chubby little legs would collapse underneath her.  Sometimes she would bang herself as she fell and she would sit and cry.   I would pick her up in my arms, kiss her better and plop her back down.  Up she would get and take a few more steps – she never gave up, she would rise up every single time!  Now she is 17 and a beautiful dancer who jumps and leaps and spins on the very tips of her tiny toes.  I’m sure she falls sometimes when learning something new, but that will never stop her from getting up and trying again.  

Psalm 37:24 says “Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down; for the LORD upholds him with His hand.”  No matter how many times we fall we shall not fall below the supporting hand of God.  God will always be there to pick you up, dust you off, kiss you better and then plop you back down to try again!  He knows that eventually you will not just rise but you will soar and dance because He knows the end from the beginning!  Never once did I worry or fret that my child would not get up again and neither does God – He KNOWS you will!  It’s just a matter of when, and He will be cheering you on every step of the way, just as I have for my Hannah.