Dwelling With the Father in the Middle of the Moment
Answering the Father in ordinary minutes, steady heart, steady hands
Devotional Credit, eManna by Witness Lee
Photo Credit, Unsplash
There is a simple and steady way to walk through a hard exchange. Jesus shows it in Matthew 11. He is speaking sharp truth to cities that would not receive Him, yet right there, He turns His attention to the Father and says, I praise You, Father, Lord of heaven and earth. The scene is confrontational. The posture is fellowship. Jesus is not thrown off course by resistance. He stays with His Father and honors His wisdom.
Witness Lee draws our attention to that quiet third party in every conversation. There is you. There is the other person. There is the Father who is with you. Jesus answers the Father while speaking to the crowd. He recognizes the Father’s larger purpose, and He sides with Him. That is not resignation. That is trust. He keeps step with heaven while standing on earth.
This moves us from managing outcomes to remaining in communion. The life of abiding in Christ lifts our gaze from personal rights and reputations to the honor of the Father. When He reveals truth to the humble and hides it from the proud, we do not try to force doors open. We agree with His timing, His ways, and His care. We rest in the liberty Jesus has already given, and we answer the Father in the middle of real life.
Thank you, Witness Lee, for helping us notice Jesus’ fellowship with the Father in the heat of the moment. It is a path we can take today. Not a technique. A relationship. Not cold duty. A living union with Jesus by the Spirit.
Journal Entry – Voice of the Holy Spirit Through Scripture
I steady your heart in My presence. In conversations that stretch you, turn toward Me. I am the Father who loves you, and I am near. I set Your eyes on My Son, who honored Me while speaking hard truth, and I form the same mind in you. I have placed you in the Beloved, and I have placed My Spirit within you. I reveal the kingdom to the humble, and I give rest to those who come and learn from Me.
You are not bound to the old way. You died with Jesus, and you live to Me. Stand in the freedom He secured. Present yourself to Me, and I will express His life through your words and tone. I work in you to will and to act. I call you to set your mind on things above, where your life is hidden with My Son. As you abide, fruit grows. As you behold, you are changed. This is not by the letter, but by the Spirit, and the glory increases.
I am forming a people who answer Me in the middle of the day. In the kitchen, in the clinic, in the office, in traffic, in conflict, answer Me. Agree with My wisdom. Trust My timing. Let the peace of the Messiah rule in your heart, and let His word dwell in you richly. I complete what I begin, and I keep you as you keep your gaze on Jesus.
Real-Life Analogy
Picture a kitchen timer quietly ticking while you stir a pot that wants to boil over. If you keep staring at the foam, you will overreact. If you keep one ear tuned to the timer, you make calm adjustments at the right second. In the same way, the Holy Spirit within keeps holy time in you. You are not ruled by the boil. You attend to His steadying presence, and you respond in season.
A specific way to walk this out, when a conversation stiffens at work, turn inward to the Lord who lives in you and say, Lord, I yield this exchange to You, express Your patience and clarity through me now. Then answer the next sentence with honesty and gentleness, trusting that Jesus is actively working through you.
Prayer of Confidence
Father, thank You that Your Son stayed in fellowship with You while speaking truth. Thank You that in Jesus I share that fellowship today. You have already given me liberty in the Messiah. You have already placed Your Spirit within me. I receive Your wisdom, Your timing, and Your peace. I gladly present myself to You and celebrate that You express the life of Jesus in my words and actions today.
Scripture References for the Voice of the Holy Spirit Through Scripture Section
Matthew 11:24-26; Galatians 5:1; 2 Corinthians 3:16-18; Romans 6:6-11; Romans 6:13; Colossians 3:1-4; Philippians 2:13; John 15:4-5; Ephesians 1:6; Ephesians 1:13-14; Colossians 3:15-16; Hebrews 12:2; 1 Peter 5:6-7; Romans 8:9-11