Circle

"The wheel in the middle of a wheel." Do we sing/say this because the Lord is constantly turning situations around for us? Is it because with Him there is no beginning or end? Without exception, I emphatically submit to you that the "Oh" in the Psalms and throughout scripture; "Oh magnify the Lord with me," and "Oh taste and see that the Lord is good," were not merely interjections or extra words. Could it be that the God, His Son(Jesus) and the Holy Spirit that we have been envisioning could be best illustrated as a circle? The idea of Jesus being a fence or angels being charged to encamp around believers keeping us from hurt, harm and danger, are familiar and comfortable illustrations. The God that sees all and is keeping watch over each of us day and night; the One that neither slumbers nor sleeps, could easily do all of this as an all encompassing circle. In the old testament, we know that God displayed His promise to man in a 'bow of color. So, what if the straight and narrow really does have a few bends here and there? I fully believe that believers must fully align with the word and will of God, however, God in His infinite providence is well-able to wrap himself around each of our lives and is more than flexible enough to work around each of our misgivings, attitudes, and shortcomings. It is quite possible that everywhere and anywhere we turn we can see God. Perhaps this is why He is prone to respond at the eleventh hour, for even the method of measuring time is round. At the eleventh hour it is the latest moment before reaching the maturity and fullness of the twelfth hour. Then round we go again! Perhaps this is why it is so important to be in the timing of God, because if it doesn't flow in time it will interrupt the fluidity of the circle, which is the plan and purpose of God in our lives. In striving to be well-rounded and not one-dimensional in our lifestyle, habits and relationships, I am sure it will be easier to be like Christ. Not limiting our minds to "the earth is flat" religious traditions and rituals; we can expand and give the Lord the immense amount of space needed for Him to maneuver and have His way in our lives. Thinking outside of the box seems to flow right into the Lord's desire for true change. At no time in the bible does the Lord use common sense to rid people of their ailments, hurts, fears and chains. No, our Father uses round about approaches to promote change, and see abandonment of all those things that oppress His people. I believe that both His desire for change and His method for achieving it, are still true today. The Lord wants each of us to be receptive and obedient to his promptings no matter how out of the way they appear. In that obedience we are given deliverance and an opportunity to break free from sin, repent and truly change. In this circle there are no outliers or outcasts, which leaves no room for competition within the body of Christ. With a seasoned leader and a brand new believer, taking their respective places, the Lord is able to give equal attention and love to all. So rather than getting in line, let's roll ourselves into Christ. Even as the trumpets sounding the clarion call blares through a circle and the timbrels of praise are made up of colliding circles producing sound, let's begin to see ourselves as part of the never-ending circle of Christ and abandon our thoughts of self, losing ourselves in honest worship of our Creator.

"I was caught up at once in deep worship and, oh! -- a Throne set in Heaven with One Seated on the Throne, suffused in gem hues of amber and flame with a nimbus of emerald. Twenty-four thrones circled the Throne, with Twenty-four Elders seated, white-robed, gold-crowned." Revelation 4:2-4 (The Message)

"And immediately I was in the Spirit: and, behold, a throne was set in heaven, and one sat on the throne. And He that sat was to look upon like a jasper and a sardine stone: and there was a rainbow round about the throne, in sight like unto an emerald. And round about the throne were four and twenty seats: and upon the seats I saw four and twenty elders sitting, clothed in white raiment; and they had on their heads crowns of gold." Revelation 4:2-4 (KJV)