Monday, January 11, 2016

Press(ed)

Press(ed) Verb.
1. To move by applying pressure
2. To extract by squeezing or compressing

So... if I could give you a word that has described my 2016 so far, this would be it. Pressed. The definition of it (per Webster) is above. To be moved by applying pressure. To extract by squeezing or compressing. 

During worship yesterday, I felt pressed from above. It took all my willpower NOT to just kneel down and weep. Pressed. Moved by applying pressure. It was STRONG. I imagine if I wasn't wearing a dress, I would have definitely done it. Pressed. Squeezed or compressed. 

After worship, I couldn't get it out of my mind. The feeling. The desire to bow down low to the Worthy One. Pressed. There was a purpose for that being my main feeling yesterday. 

SUDDENLY, a light went off. God revealed so much to me in a short amount of time. Its taken me overnight to process it and be able to turn it into words. There are TWO things ...

One: 
When I think of the word press, I automatically think of a wine press. Perhaps this is my upbringing OR the fact that my husband makes wine - but I think of a wine press nonetheless. The concept is that you put the grapes into this bucket and then press on them. What you WANT comes out - the juice. What you DONT want stays in - the skin, seeds and pulp. In order to create something different than the grapes (wine), the pressing needs to happen so that what is useful and needed can be produced. Press. 

I suppose its the same in our lives, no? SO MANY people feel pressed. Pressured to be someone they aren't. Pressured to be perfect. Pressured to keep up with everyone and everything. Financial pressure... SO MUCH pressing in every day life. While uncomfortable and painful, it seems as though it is necessary in order to get something out of it. The grapes need to be pressed to produce juice. Same goes for us. 

There are changes in my life at the moment. Ones that require me to keep my eyes FIXED ON the One who knows all things. He has ordered my steps, He has proven to me that it is the appointed time... but I feel pressed. I'm in the wine press. The stuff I don't need is being left behind and what I DO need is being produced. It's painful - but I understand its necessity. 

As I was processing this pressing feeling, a scripture was brought to mind. Mark 2:22 says - "And no one pours new wine into old wineskins. Otherwise, the wine will burst the skins, and both the wine and the wineskins will be ruined. No, they pour new wine into new wineskins." It all made perfect sense to me. When God changes things, He works all things for GOOD. He won't put old wine into new wineskins. He makes all things new. In this upcoming change, what is being pressed out of me will be put into new wineskins. New wineskins are tough and strong; they can handle the process of changing the grapes to wine (fermenting). I am fermenting as we speak haha! 

God was so good to bring this to mind... It has brought me acceptance of a situation I was fighting. 

TWO: 
Remember a few posts back I told you about the word of knowledge that Pastor Eric from Bethel spoke? Here is the excerpt:  "the time of darkness and depression is coming to an end. He said we are a diamond, and we've been hidden in a cave. What we used to only see from afar, we will now see up close. As the diamond is taken from the darkness into the light, it will shine and the rays will reach impossible lengths because of the Son. We are going to be propelled to places beyond our current reach."  

Well. I've been thinking. About the word pressed. I have also been thinking about this word of knowledge. And you know what? I have made yet another connection to this word. 

See that word in there? Diamond? Guess how diamonds are formed? .............................................................................................................................................................................UNDER PRESSURE WITH A LOT OF HEAT. You see? a piece of carbon is under the surface of the Earth and under immense pressure. It is heated with magma. It stays there and then small eruptions eventually get it to the surface where it is mined. And out of this piece of black mineral comes a beautiful, never duplicated or replicated gem. Pressed. Without heat and without pressure, it would never be formed. Without heat and without pressure, we would never come to the surface and shine. 


So here I am, floored at the wine press analogy, when God throws in there the word of knowledge from Bethel ... and then i am UNDONE with the whole thing. It continuously amazes me that the God of the COSMOS would be so attentive to ME (and you). It continuously amazes me how scripture can apply to ANY situation. How even the negative things (feeling pressed and under pressure) can have a positive end result. In a way, turning negative into positive is a fulfillment of His promise to 'turn our mourning into dancing.' And so today, under immense pressure, amidst small eruptions, I choose to dance.