After reading verse 3 of 1 Kings 3, which said that Solomon offered sacrifices to God, but also offered sacrifices at the local altars, I thought to myself, this must truly displease God. God had instructed his people to refrain from offering sacrifices at local altars. In Leviticus 17:3-4 God said it this way, “Any Israelite who sacrifices … in the camp or outside of it instead of bringing it to the entrance to the tent of meeting to present it to the Lord, … that person shall be considered guilty of bloodshed; they have shed blood and must be cut off from their people.”

That sounded like a strong directive with very serious consequences. I read the other verses like a novel, expecting to read about how God expressed his displeasure with Solomon, and the various punishments that were meted out to him, but the verses that followed were revelational. God looked past Solomon’s actions and saw his heart. Right there at the local altar of Gibeon, “…the Lord appeared to Solomon during the night in a dream, and God said, ‘Ask for whatever you want me to give you.’”
God was a loving Father to Solomon instead of being a judge because he saw that Solomon was genuinely seeking Him.

This morning like Solomon, my Heavenly Father spoke with me. He asked me, “Averil, why do you worry?” My reply was, “because my life hangs in the balance”. His response brought tears to my eyes and soothe my heart and spirit all at once. He said, “Don’t you know that I care about you more than the lilies?” I sort of kinda did, especially when it comes to other people, but when it’s my story being written, my strong faith fails sometimes.

The conversation continued, “Like with Solomon, I see your heart, you do everything to be in the center of my will, so much so that I often hear you say, Lord if I’m wrong and I missed you on this, I want your will to be done”. “I saw you, face down praying those words multiple times during the pain that this year has brought you. Like I did with Solomon, I will honor your heart. All I have spoken to you and promised you will come to pass. You will never want for any good thing”.

After that dialog, I was in tears, not flowing tears but the blurry eyes type. It was my heart that was the biggest mess. I was wrecked. My Heavenly Father took the time to meet with me to remind me that I was important to Him and He loved me and was concerned about every area of my life.

For those who don’t know, I’m in the midst of a battle against breast cancer. Well, not a battle really, but a war that I know that I’ve already won. The very moment that I was diagnosed, my Abba Father told me, “This won’t end in death, but will bring Glory to my name.”

I immediately began to pray and interceded with my brothers and sisters around the globe and my prayer has always been, “Lord, I am following the pathway that this unfolds to. If you desire that I skip chemotherapy then completely dissolved the lump before then. If not I will do chemotherapy, but it will not negatively affect a single healthy cell in my body”.

Today, I am holding on to my prayer and my Abba’s promise that His words won’t return to him without accomplishing the purpose for which they were spoken. God doesn’t babble vain words to sound intelligent or to impress others, that’s what we do. His words are yes and amen. They are sharper than any double edge sword and divide the joints and marrow. Do you get how sharp that is? Marrow is found in bones, the deepest parts of our being. The Fruit Ninja video game immediately came to mind and I thought, yes, sharper than any of those knives.

What do you need God’s word to cut away from you today? Fear about your life and safety? Fear about your children’s future? Fear about your unsaved loved ones? Fear about your health? Fear about your financial situation? Child of God, whatever fears you are facing today, I declare in the name of Jesus that they are chopped into fine pieces, and a firm, well-established faith in your Lord and Savior Jesus Christ has replaced them.

Conversations with God don’t need to take hours, you don’t have to coax or plead Him into speaking. He wants to speak with us. If you truly grasp the magnitude of God’s love for you, then you will be able to accept the fact that your Abba Father longs to spend time with you. You just have to learn to stop and listen to Him as He reminds you that nothing in earth or Heaven could separate you from His love. That, His plans are for your benefit and not your demise. That when you call He will always hear and answer. That, His eyes are always upon you, and His ears attentive to your cries. That, He is near to the broken-hearted. That he will supply all of your needs according to His riches in Glory.

Child of God, you’re not reading this by accident. God led you to this very moment. Right, where you are and right now, just pause whatever you’re doing and say this prayer. Father, please speak to me, I’m listening. Sit still as His love embraces you and listen. He mainly speaks in quiet whispers to our hearts so if you don’t hear an audible voice that’s okay. Listen as He reminds you of how much you are loved. Sometimes the biggest obstacle to communication with God is our belief that He doesn’t really love us.

This can be especially true for people of color who have been traumatized by hatred and hurt. Who have been cheated and stolen from, lied about, and too. Who have been made to feel so unimportant and insignificant that you think God is just like everyone else you’ve encountered in life. You accept Him with the slightest hint of self-preserving doubt sprinkled on everything you read in the Bible.

Child of God, regardless of your color or colorful habits, just as you are, your Abba Father LOVES you, and right now He is confirming that love. Bask in it, accept it, soak in it, receive it all. No one is coming to take it away and leave you broken-hearted. Let the torrents flow from your eyes, let the pain deep within the pit of your stomach be washed away. His love is healing.

I see a mother holding her womb and weeping over the child that passed away because of a misdiagnosis. I see a woman who just lost her home because of predatory lending. I sense the pain of two women, each of whom lost a left leg: one because of a hit and run accident and another because of an explosion. I see a teenage girl who is being bullied and mocked at school. God is healing your heart’s wounds. You can trust Him with your heart. Your life will never be the same after today. Your Abba Father LOVES you and isn’t there to take anything from you but to restore and replace all that the devourer has stolen. He has heard every prayer and has stood up on your behalf today. He has stood up to signify the end of an era and a new beginning for you. Receive it today, in the mighty name of Jesus Christ amen.

Please contact us at quietconfidence.org .