New Order
By Margaret D. Mitchell
Week of January 8, 2022
Recently, I watched an interview with Candace Cameron Bure, in which she said our Lord gave her a Word for 2023. The Word was “Joy.”
This brought to mind someone close to me, who also does the same—asks our Lord for a single Word for the new year.
And so, I decided to do it, too, one morning. Immediately, Holy Spirit showed me the Word “Order” in a Word-vision.
I wasn’t surprised, because it’s what He has me doing right now. Also, I’ve been realizing that the work of bringing order is going to take some time.
Right now, order for me looks like reorganizing and repairing my home space in preparation for big shifts ahead. With this new order, God is making my load light, as in Matthew 11:30.
He is our God of order.
Order pleases God. It is His desire and nature. It is His wisdom. It is harmonious and facilitates the proper function and sequence of purpose, change and time.
Order is the state or condition of a thing (Webster’s). Right order is often the result of obedience, submission and walking with Him.
Order is what Jesus trained His disciples in and what He left for us to awaken to and practice in our unique circumstances as we seek more of Him in our midst.
According to Holy Scripture, order reflects discipline and commitment of our faith in God (Col 2:5). It reveals our position of dignity, rank and character (Strong's #5010). It can be an arrangement in time that expresses a position of fashion, quality and style that generally depends on one's God-given talents, experiences and resources (Thayer's Greek Lexicon).
Order is a verb.
I think of order mostly as a verb, since it’s a dynamic, ever changing framework, into which blessings fit as we grow. Order doesn't prevent us from coloring outside of the lines in expressions of creativity. But rather creates boundaries that facilitate our enjoyment of God's goodness as He continually expands it in our lives.
So, for me, order is pretty exciting. And those who have a gift of administration may enjoy the organization element of it, too. But for others, order may not feel so extraordinary.
Here’s how it can benefit you . . .
Since order is linked with authority in governing, to bring order is to be aligned with authority over that which God places in our stewardship. Therefore, order is an invitation to synchronicity and increased efficiency with God.
Order is a kind of expression of being the head and not the tail. To reign with God victoriously, void of the downward pull of confusion.
New order comes with a purposed grace to actually help facilitate space for God’s newness in our lives.
Re-order comes with mercy, relative to how God has grown us and where He’s calling us. It’s an invitation to come up higher and reign in peace, knowing He has purposed our endeavors.
We can have purpose without peace, but when we do, this should awaken us to a revealing of the need for more order. God will show us the way as we walk with Him in faith.
As our capacity of blessings change, order must correspond to facilitate peace. Therefore, building order facilitates the flow of life, freeing us to be available.
Beautiful Order
1 Corinthians 14:40 TPT instructs us to do "all things in a beautiful and orderly way." Here, the Word "beautiful" means respectful and "with the right design" (TPT study note).
Over the years, God has straightened out many, restoring them internally back to His “right design.” He fiercely safeguards this righteous order from those who would try to tear it down through disrespect and discouragement (1 Corinthians 5:11). And He invites His restored ones to participate in greater expressions of His right order outwardly.
Lift & Shift
Several years ago, Holy Spirit said to me very clearly, “Get your house in order.” Thankfully, He gave me the understanding of what He meant. He was bringing about a big shift, and He desired that heavy burdens of the extraneous be lifted from me.
So, with His directive, my husband and I began at the foundation level (garage and basement) of our home and made our way to the attic to clean out items that needed to go. We went through plastic tubs, drawers, cabinets and closets. It took us a year-and-a-half.
When we finished, God moved us out of state into new roles of blessing, where we remained for eight years.
Now, here we are again: cleaning out, storing and re-storing—bringing new order to the level that pleases God for another big shift forward.
Pray with me if you will . . .
Dear Lord,
Thank You for bringing a better order into our lives. Since order is a beautiful facilitation of new life for us, bring it on. Thank You for helping us make room for all things new that are of You for us right now and forward.
In Jesus’ Mighty Name.
Amen.
Margaret D. Mitchell is the Founder of God's Love at Work, a marketplace outreach purposed to share God's greatest power source - the love of Christ.
Originally published Sunday, 08 January 2023.
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