On the 22nd Day of Christmas...

On the 22nd Day of Christmas, the Father said to me,

The Lost Sheep by Liz Lemon Swindle

"Oh child of unrest, how long I have waited for you to dine with me. I will always wait for you. Your stubbornness is not offensive to me. Come to my table and dine. Eat from My table and you will never go hungry. As you join me, you will see every need met. You will begin to notice some changes in your thoughts, in your moods, and in your perspective. I am not against you. I do not go about your day accusing you of the things you've done or haven't done. That is an echo from the ancient tree of the knowledge of good and evil, those words come from an illegitimate father. I know your thoughts. I know what you do when no one else is watching, and still, I yearn for you to know that I am a loving Father.

Life is thrown about carelessly these days- the Life I am offering you includes a permanent place in my family. Orphan of my heart, your adoption papers cannot be taken away from you, they only require your signature, a metaphor for agreeing with me. There is a phrase being passed around, accusing many of having an orphan spirit. Beloved, an orphan is not a mere spirit, it is a person who doesn't know who their Father is. There are many fathers, there is only one Father/ Elohim. You simply don't know how far I will go to make sure you know that you are loved. I was born for you, and I died for YOU, now I am inviting you to Live," says the Father.

I ran to my prodigal son, exposed my ankles, and became as undignified as David running through the streets of Jerusalem naked. When you come to me, I can't help myself but celebrate!

I desire to take our relationship to the next level. I desire to take you from sitting at a table eating crumbs or in a church pew begging to me like an orphan weeping, Please sir, may I have some more, to a Son who knows His worth because of who you are to Me. Everything I have, I give to you. My first gift was the gift of My Son so that you could be restored to me as My Son. Male, female, Gentile, Jew, rich or poor, it matters not- I extend the same gift to all who would receive Me," says the Father. "I love you. Come as you are and embrace Me, not the possibility of who I might be, or what you might do for Me. Come to Me. Even now the list of good things has started playing like a grainy old record- throw it away. I don't require a list of the good things you have done and I don't require perfection. Angry? That's okay too. Don't turn away, but stomp your way through the lies that suggest you will always be alone. I love you. I will take you as you are, but I will never force you. The invitation stands. You cannot earn what you already have, I love you, says the Father.

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When I look at this painting by Liz Lemon Swindle, I see myself, I see the many people who do not know how deeply the Father loves us. The Father has taken me through so much. At times I am angry, I am proud, I don't want to mention the difficulties I face, I want to be perceived as someone who has it all together- an overcomer. God massively corrected me last night. These are His words and I offer them to you as a meal. I can't perform or perfect the things He is giving me, I can only give them to you freely. I cannot charge for His words, that is why the request for individual prophecy has been shut down. There is nothing I can do to earn His love- it's just there for me, always. It is there for you always. God reminded me that I do not need to be perfect, I need to simply receive His love. He reminded me, that when I am doing His will, everything I need is right there. Thank you, Father. Jesus is the perfect Christmas gift so that I can know Your Love. I love you.

I pray that you comprehend that love, that you arrive at your destination with Him, your FIRST LOVE walking arm and arm.

When we speak His words He says, "Thy lips are like a thread of scarlet, and thy speech is comely (pleasant, attractive, agreeable)... Song of Songs 4: 3. That thread of scarlet is over the door of our mouth, the place where we speak. It is like the blood that was painted over the doors of the Israelites when the destroying angel was approaching or the scarlet cord that was placed in Rahab's window. We must choose to respond to our accuser using Christ's words and not our own. We must respond as Christ responds- the washing of the water of the word is for all-- the rain falls on both believer and unbeliever alike. Patiently we wait, for the adoption of all of God's children. I have included scripture references above, click on the links if you would like to study this more deeply.

I thank God for you!

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