Some Tables Come with Invitations, and Others We are Called to Create
The Table… Sometimes you're invited, sometimes you build it…
Is the Lord asking you to build or create anything? What unique and beautiful giftings may the Lord be prompting you to use?
Season 3, and others to come, of The Art of a Messy House podcast is called “At the Table.” This is where the Lord has led me with the question... Who is at our table?
Loneliness remains a significant problem in our world, even though we are more connected than ever. Yet, we also have an opportunity here. The opportunity is to ignite conversations and, in doing so, fight isolation with curiosity and love. One key to combating loneliness is building a sense of community. In December 2024, I felt impressed on my heart to look for the gaps and be a bridge.
But there are so many gaps in our current culture. Despite the world being more connected than ever (with social media), the percentage of people who are lonely, depressed, and anxious is higher than ever. Recent reports suggest that as many as 33 percent of the world's population experiences loneliness.
(Source: “49 Loneliness Statistics: How Many People are Lonely?” - by Steven Zauderer.
https://www.crossrivertherapy.com/research/loneliness-statistics )
There is a gap. There is a need. But, there is an opportunity to be a bridge, too.
How? Have conversations. Listen and learn. We need to ignite conversations. Healing is our inheritance. Set up safe spaces. Ignite others. Help bring darkness into the light.
Last summer, I was led to study and read extensively about screens and social media issues due to some situations we faced as a family. After taking some courses, attending workshops, and reading related books, my eyes opened even more to these issues we face as a society, and how screens fuel much of this isolation despite allowing for “virtually connection.”
So again, what can we do? Where there is a problem, there is an opportunity for creative solutions. This is for all of us.
Listen and learn. Have conversations. I have been blessed with the opportunity to have many true truth-telling conversations and witness the glory of God in what He does through them. Talk about it. Show what it looks like to flourish, spark conversations, and create safe spaces for sharing, not shame. So many face what we may otherwise think we are alone in facing. What can we do?
Seek the Lord in all things.
“But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well." (Matthew 6:33)
He will guide your steps.
“We can make our plans, but the Lord determines our steps.” (Proverbs 16:9)
He is a creative God. When we partner with Him, He guides us to innovative solutions. Partner with the Lord for creative solutions. We can do this wherever we find ourselves.
Pray for it.
Pray to become it, stand in the gaps, and rise as vessels. Ascend.
Draw nearer to Him.
Psalm 24:3-6, “Who may ascend the mountain of the Lord? Who may stand in his holy place? The one who has clean hands and a pure heart, who does not trust in an idol or swear by a false god. They will receive blessing from the Lord and vindication from God, their Savior. Such is the generation of those who seek him, who seek your face, God of Jacob.”
When I think of building, I think of my children and what is a favorite pastime or “current time” reality for many of us…Legos. While each comes packaged the same, one’s creativity and giftings can ignite the build and unite the pieces in a different way. For example, while my son loved following step-by-step instructions, my daughter’s unique creativity would guide her to steer away from the written directions and create her own design.
Life is like that, too. Sometimes, we are invited to a set of Lego, a table already set where the steps and even the pieces are laid out for us. The invitation is extended, so we simply show up and join. But other times, we are guided to create our own. And I am talking about more than just the physical table we use to put the pieces together on…
Some tables come with invitations, and others we are called to create.
The Lord will lead our steps. Will we be open to it?
“The Lord directs the steps of the godly. He delights in every detail of their lives. Though they stumble, they will never fall, for the Lord holds them by the hand.” (Psalm 37:23-24)
He equips us with everything we need. Will we build?
Recently, when I sensed a shift and turning of tides, yet strong opposition and even some cycles of the past, I paused to ask the Lord to lead me to a prayer strategy or even a verse to fight back with. New seasons and things call for new rhythms and a lot of grace. So it would be no surprise that God would take me back to Nehemiah for discernment of distractions and a strategy of fighting those cycles from the authority Jesus has given us.
Nehemiah brings me back to the beginning, when the Lord spoke to my heart with The Art of a Messy House and beyond. During a time of prayer, fasting, and reading through Nehemiah's book, the Lord revealed the plans and vision.
“ So my God put it into my heart to assemble the nobles, the officials, and the common people for registration by families. I found the genealogical record of those who had been the first to return. This is what I found written there…”. (Nehemiah 7:5)
A shift is happening here with Nehemiah’s mission. While Nehemiah’s mission was to restore Jerusalem and reconstruct the walls, a significant shift is noted in Nehemiah 7:5. After the city walls were complete, Nehemiah recognized a need. There was “a gap” in that they needed to repopulate the city, which was relatively empty for its size. Throughout this book, Nehemiah was sensitive to hearing and following the Lord’s lead. His steps were divinely ordered and inspired. The task that he was taking on first, to reconstruct the walls and city, was powerful because it involved physical protection and so much more. This serves as a metaphor still today for the restoration, rebuilding, and revival the Lord wants to do in our world today. Restoration, reconstruction, and revival often occur in spaces of rest, release, and rejoicing in the Lord.
For the work to be successful, Nehemiah’s leadership skills needed to be steadfast and spiritual. He displayed wisdom and discernment that leaders need today.
In the face of discouragement, distractions, or even deliberate opposition, we must remain steadfast in the Word, encouraged by the truth, pray for discernment, and focus on the One who guides our steps as we build upon the firm foundation.
We can stay focused and faithful even in the face of accusation.
“When word came to Sanballat, Tobiah, Geshem the Arab and the rest of our enemies that I had rebuilt the wall and not a gap was left in it—though up to that time I had not set the doors in the gates— Sanballat and Geshem sent me this message: “Come, let us meet together in one of the villages on the plain of Ono.” But they were scheming to harm me; so I sent messengers to them with this reply: “I am carrying on a great project and cannot go down. Why should the work stop while I leave it and go down to you?” Four times they sent me the same message, and each time I gave them the same answer. Then, the fifth time, Sanballat sent his aide to me with the same message, and in his hand was an unsealed letter in which was written: “It is reported among the nations—and Geshem says it is true—that you and the Jews are plotting to revolt, and therefore you are building the wall. Moreover, according to these reports you are about to become their king and have even appointed prophets to make this proclamation about you in Jerusalem: ‘There is a king in Judah!’ Now this report will get back to the king; so come, let us meet together.” I sent him this reply: “Nothing like what you are saying is happening; you are just making it up out of your head.” They were all trying to frighten us, thinking, “Their hands will get too weak for the work, and it will not be completed.” But I prayed, “Now strengthen my hands.” (Nehemiah 6:1-9)
Recently, I heard an aligned message by Bernice Scheidler where she said, “Don’t allow your season of rest to become a voice of accusation.”
“See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland.” (Isaiah 43:19)
The new thing brings new rhythms and a lot of grace.
Through it all, God is faithful in seeing us through.
As we step into the promises and “build,”
Like Nehemiah, the Lord will help us carry through, too.
What are we grabbing hold of? God’s promises, or the lies that will be used to weaken our hands?
Are there past, negative cycles happening? Recognize a cycle. Call it out. Pause and ask God to reveal what He wants us to know about it and what He says about it.
We recently experienced a clear cycle of being knocked off rhythm. While some of it is learning the new ones for “the new thing,” some is a distraction from “rebuilding/building.”…
“They all made plans to come and fight against Jerusalem and throw us into confusion.” (Nehemiah 4:8 NLT)
But…“The God of heaven will help us succeed….”
“I replied, ‘The God of heaven will help us succeed. We, his servants, will start rebuilding this wall. But you have no share, legal right, or historic claim in Jerusalem.’” Nehemiah 2:20 NLT)
But…“The God of heaven will help us succeed.” The enemy has no share, authority, or room here in the name of Jesus.
In the face of distractions, accusations, or rejection, remember this…
Replace the lies with Truth.
Grace is a gift of love from the Lord. It can’t be earned (Ephesians 2:8-9). God loves us and is with us always, too. In times when the waves hit us before we even see the storm coming, the lies can attempt to drown out the truth. Peter’s example in Matthew 14 helps remind us what to do in those times: keep our eyes on Jesus, not the storm, not the lies, not the comparison, not the probabilities, not our own doing or mistakes. Fix eyes on Jesus.
Replace the lies with Truth. Let’s try it right now, even in the face or midst of rejection…
When facing the spirit of rejection or experiencing it firsthand, what does God say about this? What is the truth?
Acceptance of God. We belong to God. We are His.
“But now, this is what the Lord says— he who created you, Jacob, he who formed you, Israel: ‘Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are mine.’” (Isaiah 43:1)
Allow the Holy Spirit to do His work within. Don’t just cut the branches; get to the root. Uproot the lies. Become ambassadors of belonging. Don’t just wish away the feelings; accept God’s grace and hand it all to Him. Give Him the past and present, following His lead for the future. Reject the lies and replace them with God's truth. How?
1) First, recognize what is being faced. Call it what it is. If it is unclear why cycles are cycles, ask God to reveal it.
2) Confess it. Go to God with it truthfully.
3) Seek His Word. What does God say about this?
4) Replace the lies with His truth.
5) Continue to reinforce the truth.
6) Forgive who and what needs to be forgiven.
7) Recognize it as an opportunity to lean into His strength. When we are weak, His strength works wonders. (2 Corinthians 12:10)
8) Remember you are not alone. Pray and ask God for people who genuinely love and care for you.
9) Rejoice and rest in Him. Thank God for what God is doing to allow this. He is working all things for the good of those who love Him. (Romans 8:28)
10) Release clinging to lies to grab hold of His promises.
11) Rebuke the spirit of rejection. Claim the blessing of adoption.
Those who claim to care for us may reject and hurt us. I think of Hagar, but I also think of God’s promise to redeem everything for His glory and for our good (Genesis 16:13). We are seen by the One who sees us.
God sees us.
In the face of rejection and hurt, I think of Jesus, who was rejected by others while doing the work He was called to do. Jesus knows how it feels. He felt it. He carried it
No matter what we face or feel, God loves us and extends His grace to us for all seasons. We are His. ♡
What does God’s Word say?
“So also, when we were underage, we were in slavery under the elemental spiritual forces of the world. But when the set time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those under the law, that we might receive adoption to sonship. Because you are his sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, the Spirit who calls out, ‘Abba, Father.’ So you are no longer a slave, but God’s child; and since you are his child, God has made you also an heir.” (Galatians 4:3-7)
“That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.” (2 Corinthians 12:10)
“She gave this name to the Lord who spoke to her: “You are the God who sees me,” for she said, “I have now seen the One who sees me.” (Genesis 16:13)
A dear friend shared this with me…
Remind yourself of Psalm 27:10. Read and write Psalm 27:10 in five different ways, using the following versions: ERV, NLT, NIrV, YLT98, and AMP.
Psalms 27:10 ERV
[10] Even if my mother and father leave me, the Lord will take me in.
Psalms 27:10 NLT
[10] Even if my father and mother abandon me, the Lord will hold me close.
Psalm 27:10 NIrV
[10] My father and mother may desert me, but the Lord will accept me.
Psalms 27:10 YLT98
[10] When my father and my mother Have forsaken me, then doth Jehovah gather me.
Psalms 27:10 AMP
[10] Although my father and my mother have abandoned me, Yet the Lord will take me up [adopt me as His child]. [Ps 22:10]
What does the Lord do when I am (or feel) rejected?
He:
- takes me in
- holds me close
- accepts me
- gathers me
- and, adopts me!
Strategy/mindset: When I start to feel that no one is paying attention or noticing, I thank God for noticing and for the opportunity to persevere in this fight.
Focus on the knows, not the feels
Don't wait for the blessing. Be the blessing.
Lean into the waters. He is refreshing, and the streams that run without limitations… Jesus is the blessing.
There is a rebuilding happening all over. New things and blessings are being birthed all around. May our eyes not become distracted by what we don’t have, but instead be empowered by the Lord with what He has entrusted us.
Hidden is really held. Stuckness is the set-up for true healing, and the ascent is here. May we let go and release everything to Him, making room for His more. So, if the instructions are to join or to build, may we be faithful to take each step of obedience.
We will be invited to the tables where God wants us to be. And when we aren’t, may we remember Romans 8:28: "And we know that all things work together for good for those who love God, who are called according to his purpose."
Some tables come with invitations, and others we are called to create, all while following the lead of our Good Shepherd, who knows and cares for us all.
Dear God, You guide us. Lead us. Forgive our distractions and missteps. Help us discern between a distraction and a divine interruption. You, Lord, direct our steps. You delight in every detail of our lives. Though we stumble, we will never fall, for You hold us by the hand.” (Psalm 37:23-24) Thank you for Your love, even when others reject or do not show love. Your love is dependable and ever-present. I love You. Guide me to see where You are inviting me and where I am called to build. May I always do it in Your love and for Your glory. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Be blessed, and always remember you are so loved! ♡
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♡ “To the Beat of My Father’s Heart,” a collection of daily devotions to ignite conversations with the Lord, will be released next week (June 10).
♡ To hear this conversation and more, check out AT THE TABLE, season 3 of the podcast, which is out now. See below for some links to episodes. I would love to hear your thoughts as we continue the conversation with truth in love… AT THE TABLE. ♡ ♡
Episode 93: Introduction to AT THE TABLE
Episode 94: Flourishing (Who is at Our Table - part 1)
Episode 95: Finding and Cultivating Safe Spaces (Who is at Our Table - part 2)
Episode 96: Leading with Curiosity and Love, Not Assumption (Who is at Our Table - part 3)
Episode 97: Entrapped to Entrusted: Real Stories of Faith in Action with Jessica Rogers and Alyson Perez
