I’m sure there are some of you who are already humming the Dixie Chicks song ‘Wide Open spaces’ in your head!
When I read ‘wide open spaces’ I immediately think of a walk in Glencoe, between two of the Three Sisters. The trail starts off as a steep, narrow gorge, then as you climb, suddenly & very unexpectedly, the path opens out into a large flat valley between the towering mountains.
The Bible talks about wide open spaces (that I think also follow on from steep, difficult times) I read this yesterday:
‘He stood me up on a wide-open field; I stood there saved-surprised to be loved!’ (Psalm 18:19-MSG)
God brings us from the confined claustrophobic places (our life of sin, lived our own way, without Him) out into the vastness of His grace!
Our dog Layla sometimes stays in a stable when we are out. When I get home, I let her out and take her for a walk round fields. She is usually hyper with excitement, & bounces a lot, before running in huge fast circles & figures of eight in the wide open space!
Because of Jesus, through faith, ‘We find ourselves where we always hoped we might stand- out in the wide open spaces of God’s grace and glory, standing tall and shouting our praise’ (Rom 5:2-MSG)
Through faith in Jesus, we have unlimited access to the Most High God, the Creator of the universe!
Wow! We can look around at the wide-open space of God’s grace in which we stand!
We can feel the wind of His presence & sense the vastness of His love.
He gives us SPACE to truly live & ROOM to grow into all He created us to be. He frees us from our confined selves, & gives us the freedom of wide-open spaces.
Paul wrote to the Corinthians: ‘I can’t tell you how much I long for you to enter this wide-open, spacious life. We didn’t fence you in. The smallness you feel comes from within you. Your lives aren’t small but you are living them in a small way. I’m speaking as plainly as I can and with great affection. Open up your lives. Live openly and expansively!’ (II Cor 6:11-13-MSG)
We can live BIG, open, spacious, gracious lives.
For, Jesus said:
“I came so that they can have real and eternal life, more and better life than they ever dreamed of.” (John 10:10 MSG)
Blessings,
Ruth x
Blessed! 