by Nancy Taylor Tate
“Who is this that cometh up from the wilderness, leaning upon her beloved…” Song of Solomon 8:5
The passion of my heart is to be able to say, “Yes, Lord,” regardless of the situation, circumstance, or challenge. It is essential to recognize and yield to the workmanship of God within if we are to grow in our walk with the Lord. A deeper relationship with the Lord is available, but it requires a trust and submission to the Lord in the daily circumstances of our lives.
Walking in a place of submission involves receiving our calling and the understanding that He has given us, then not becoming possessive of it, but saying, “Lord, I submit all of this back to You.” The door will then open for us to hear more and be led further.
Abraham knew that he had heard from God. He had been told to take his son, Isaac, up the mount and sacrifice him. If Abraham had not been open to hearing further, he may not have noticed the lamb in the thicket that the Lord provided as a substitute sacrifice. Abraham’s attitude of submissive dependence enabled him to enter the fullness of the Lord’s plan, which he understood only in part at that time.
Jesus is the potter, and we are the clay. We are in the process of becoming that which He sees us to be. He is all–knowing; He knows the end from the beginning. Therefore, we must trust Him fully, regardless of what our perception or thought might be at any particular moment in our lives.
There have been many times of “adjustment” in my own life. During these times, it has encouraged me to remember some of my dad’s experiences. At times when the Lord spoke, my dad thought he knew what would happen, and when it didn’t come to pass, he could be disappointed at the moment; but down the road, when things had turned out to be quite different, he always rejoiced because he realized what the Lord had intended was much better than anything he initially expected.
A teachable spirit that loves the Lord and continues to trust and submit, will bring us through to the full intention and purpose of our Lord—His highest and best in our lives. We must always maintain a stance of submission to the Lord, knowing that we need the continued leading and guidance of His Holy Spirit.
The Song of Solomon is a story of submission. There is an awakening to the love song of the Lord that brings an initial hunger for Him. From that initial hunger comes a continued hunger, which opens the door for the inward working of the Lord. The bride does not turn aside from seeking the one she loves (Jesus), regardless of any difficulty she faces or solace offered by others. Because of her continued poise of spirit toward the Lord, she finds Him.
“It was but a little that I passed from them, but I found Him whom my soul loveth: I held Him, and would not let Him go…” Song of Solomon 3:4
Through all that she experienced, as she continued to seek her heavenly Bridegroom, the bride was brought into a place of desire for Him alone and, as a result, found her place of participation with Him in His purposes.
“I am my beloved’s, and his desire is toward me. Come, my beloved, let us go forth into the field…” Song of Solomon 7:10-11
The Lord is calling us today, into this same place of intimacy, submission, and participation with Him.
“Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear My voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with Me.” Revelation 3:20
After we “hear the voice of the Lord” and “open the door,” we are enabled to hear the “sound of the trumpet” that leads to a revelation of the One sitting on the Throne, and the unfolding of things to come:
“After this I looked, and, behold, a door was opened in heaven: and the first voice which I heard was as it were of a trumpet talking with me; which said, Come up hither, and I will show thee things which must be hereafter. And immediately I was in the Spirit: and, behold, a throne was set in heaven, and One sat on the throne.” Revelation 4:1-2
The desire of the Lord is toward those who desire Him. There is much emphasis today on doing, but there is a longing in the heart of the Lord for those who yearn to become that which He would have them to be. While there is an outward expression, it must spring from the touch of His presence within us.
There are situations that the Lord uses as tools to work His image and likeness into our being. The very service or ministry into which the Lord is calling us, may be an instrument to change us. God may be using our availability to do something through us, but He also desires to do a further work in us!
Like Paul, I am to press toward the mark for the prize—the fullness of God in my life. As Charles Haun taught, “We will go as far as our surrender will take us. We will be filled with as much as we can empty.”
There are times when we are given assignments where we try to be “strong for Jesus.” Even in these areas, there is a submission to the Lord that allows His working within and the intervention of God on our behalf.
Kathryn Kuhlman would ask the Lord if she had been more yielded, would one more person have been healed? The key to the power in her ministry was knowing and yielding to the Holy Spirit—not becoming strong, but submitted and yielded. The Lord worked within Kathryn’s heart a great love and compassion for people. She said if ever she lost that love, she would never have spoken another message again.
Rees Howell went through tremendous dealings in his life that brought him into a deeper place of yieldedness to the Lord. From this position of yieldedness, the Lord was able to use him, and those who were joined together with him, even to intervene in international events, through intercession and prayer, as he learned to yield to and follow the leading of the Holy Spirit, allowing the Holy Spirit to move through him.
The Lord is calling each of us into a place of intimacy and participation with Him. It is a place of yieldedness and submission, a place of hearing and being led by the Holy Spirit, that we might become united with Him.
“I am my beloved’s, and his desire is toward me. Come, my beloved, let us go forth into the field…there will I give thee my loves.” Song of Solomon 7:10-12
My prayer is for an increase of the inner working of the Lord within each of our lives. It may not always feel good, and we may not always like or seemingly appreciate it, but in time, we will recognize that His inner workings are intended to bring us to His highest and best.
Years ago, a person had seen something with the words, “Yes, Lord,” and told John Wright Follette that when they saw those words, they were reminded of him. Many years later, someone who heard this story, engraved those same words on a wood plaque and gave it to my dad. They said that when they heard that story, it made them think of him. Today I have that little plaque hanging on the wall of our Parousia Ministries office. It is one of my most treasured possessions.
Lord, may this be the mark of my life, and others—simply, “Yes, Lord.”