REDEFINING “HUNGOVER”

ACTS 5:30-The God of our father’s raised Jesus, whom you killed by hanging on a tree. (ESV)

JOHN 19:30-When Jesus had received the sour wine, HE said, “It is finished,” and he bowed his head and gave up HIS spirit.(ESV)

I have often asked the Lord to REDEFINE things that have a bad connotation in my life or in general, to give me a HOLY SPIRIT lens for everything!  I thought I would invite you into a little conversation the Holy Spirit and I had, while I was running one day:) NO, it was not audible to the outside world but it was audible to my spirit:)  I often run and take notes on my phone, when I feel I get a Holy Spirit download or if I have questions that pop up for HIM.  I also jot down words that come to me and if they are 140 characters or less, I will tweet while I run:)  The longer downloads go to the notepad on my phone and eventually make their way to THE BLOG!

This particular day, as I was running, I thought about how bad it feels to run with a “hangover”.  I am in my 7th “alcohol free” year and I am so grateful the Lord took that “distraction”(the nicest word I could think of to describe something that has the potential to derail a perfectly good life:) from me!  I pray you do not read that and think I am one of those legalistic teetotalers.  It is absolutely sin for ME TO DRINK but I do not believe it is a sin TO DRINK!  For those of us the Lord has said ABSOLUTELY NO WAY, we know who we are and we know why:)  Just so you know, the Lord is still in the business of setting the captives free and opening the blind eyes to see.  I AM LIVING PROOF!!!!  So, back to my conversation with The Holy Spirit.  I asked HIM,”REDEFINE HUNGOVER PLEASE!” AND HE DID!

Acts 5:30 and John 19:30 explain.  Because of what Christ did for us on the Cross (HE HUNG ON A TREE FOR YOU AND ME), HE completed the work that the FATHER called HIM to do, in order to reconcile the world to HIMSELF! Jesus said, “It is finished” and this means OVER WITH.  IT IS OVER AND DONE WITH!  So you see:  BECAUSE HE HUNG, IT IS OVER = HUNG-OVER!  I love to play with words and this is just one example of the Spirit taking me through the Scriptures to make something NEW!

Next, the conversation took another turn.  A “hangover” is the aftermath of being full of “spirits=liquor”.  However, when we are full of  THE HOLY SPIRIT , the aftermath is HOLY OVERFLOW!

Eph 5:18-20- “Don’t drink TOO MUCH wine.  That cheapens your life.  Drink the Spirit of God, huge draughts of HIM.  Sing hymns instead of drinking songs!  Sing songs from your heart to Christ.  Sing praises OVER everything, any excuse for a song to God the Father in the name of our Master, Jesus Christ.” (The Message)

(here was a little OVERFLOW PRAISE I jotted while running:

An empty cross & an empty tomb

Now HE’s seated to the right

In the Heavenly Throne Room

Jesus rests-waits-watches & prays

HIS children bring HIM glory

as they live out their days!

Eliminating darkness

Being vessels of HIS grace

Being salt and a city

Helping others see HIS FACE!

I love The Message translation sometimes!  It articulates what my soul shouts and my heart sings in the most tangible way.   No longer am I filled with “spirits” leading to a hangover!  Because HE HUNG-IT IS OVER!  Therefore, when I asked HIM in,  I was filled with HIS HOLY SPIRIT leading to HOLY OVERFLOW, “praises OVER everything, any excuse for a song to God”!

God removes, rebuilds, restores, renews, redeems, refreshes, replants, reconciles …  The prefix “re” means “back to the original place, again,” also with a sense if “undoing”.  HE is the God of second chances-again and again and again, undoing what we’ve done, getting us back to our intended God-given purposes!  Grace REMOVES “disgrace”.   He REBUILDS ancient ruins and RESTORES the places long devastated.  HE will RENEW the ruined cities that have been devastated for generations!(ref. Is 61:4)   The Lord  REDEEMS the life of HIS servants; none of those who take refuge in him will be condemned. (ref 34:22)  He REFRESHES the weary and satisfies the faint.(ref Jer 31:25)  The nations will know that The Lord REBUILT what was destroyed and REPLANTED what was desolate.  “I the Lord have spoken and I will do it!”(Ez 36:36)   God, who RECONCILED us to himself through Christ, ALSO gave us the ministry of RECONCILIATION.(ref 2 Cor 5:18)

As I’ve referred to in previous blogs, Memphis was my proverbial “Egypt” but The Lord REDEFINED it as my  “GRACELAND” ! (Do not miss God’s cleverness!  Get it-Graceland and Memphis (Elvis’s home:)   Balconies at the beach used to be a prime hot spot for “cocktail hour” but The Lord has so sweetly REDEFINED those balconies, as quiet coffee time with just me, The Lord , my Bible, journal, and colored pens:)  College was a crazy, hazy time but yet The Lord REDEFINED those years as “The Dance”.  Jay and I claimed that song as “OURS” on Vandy soil and we have continued “The Dance” for the last 20 something years!  These are just a few of God’s divine “REPLACEMENTS”.  I look forward to a life time of “That Jesus” REWRITING anything HE chooses!  HIS SCRIPT IS MUCH BETTER THAN MINE!

What areas of your life would you like for The Lord to REDEFINE? What needs RESTORING or REBUILDING? Do you need to be REFRESHED and REPLANTED? Have you simply asked HIM in to REDEEM you and RECONCILE you to HIMSELF?

HE is ready and waiting! Just ask!
Let the REDO, the REMIX, begin and continue until the day HE brings us home or HE comes back again!

GoGod