An Open Door

An Open Door

photo source

The words of  the holy one, the true one,

who has the key of David.

Who opens and no one will shut,

who shuts and no one opens...

Behold I have set before you an open door,

which no one is able to shut.

- Revelation 3:7, 8





...I will place on his shoulder the key to the house of David;

what he opens no one can shut,

and what he shuts no one can open.

- Isaiah 22:22

Therefor, behold, I will allure her,

and bring her into the wilderness,

and speak tenderly to her.

And there I will give her her vineyards

and make the Valley of Achor a door of hope.

- Hosea 2:14, 15

I arrived in beautiful USA on September 2 after traveling a total of thirty-four hours. In a manner of speaking, I arrived the same day I left, having crossed twelve time zones before getting here. The fact that one could actually travel back in time has always amazed me. 

After getting my bags ready on the eve of my departure, I realized that I only had three hours to sleep before it was time to get up again and prepare to leave for the airport. 

Many thoughts went through my mind as I lay down to sleep, but mostly I was grateful for how things went.

The past weeks in my home city prior to the week of my departure had all been spent attending to many things - making sure everything was in order at home for my long absence... and making sure I wouldn't forget anything I needed to bring along with me on my trip. Upon reaching Manila one week before my scheduled flight, I was also attending to our Manila home, once again seeing to it that things were in place, and making last minute purchases like foodstuff and little gifts to give away to friends and family.

In the midst of all these preparations, my heart was silently connecting with Abba Father to guide me every step of the way.

On Sunday morning, one day after I arrived in Manila, I woke up with an intense longing to sit at the feet of my Abba... and just be in His presence. No praying... no reading of His word... just sitting quietly and seeking comfort and re-assurance.

There was no audible prayer that came out of my lips, but I knew very well what my heart desired. "Let Your presence go with me on this forthcoming trip, dear Father."  It was the secret, unspoken prayer of my heart.

A few minutes later, I became aware of a soft, plaintive melody wafting into the room... it was the voice of Gillian Adams singing one of my favorite hymns, Through the Love of God.  How that happens just at the time I need my heavenly Father's affirming touch no longer surprises me. He has spoken to me countless times before through a song.

I have posted the youTube video below for anyone who wishes to listen to this incredibly beautiful song.

As the birds in the santol tree outside my bedroom window chirped merrily, saying good-bye to the month of August and saying hello to September, my heart was being touched by the generosity of Abba Father speaking so directly to meet the need of my heart early that morning through a song.

Trust Abba to always know what is on my heart without me having to spell it out for Him in black and white. 

Through the love of God our Savior...all will be well

Free and changeless is His favor... all, all is well

Precious is the blood that healed us

Perfect is the grace that sealed us

Strong the hand stretched forth to shield us

All must be well...

If there was anything I wanted from Him for my trip, it was for His presence to be with me, and for the long road ahead of me to be paved with His favor.

Free and changeless is His favor... all, all is well.

I wanted protection and well-being for my home and the precious family I was leaving...

Strong the hand stretched forth to shield us... all must be well.

What better assurance was there than the very words being sung to me by my Abba Father? I listened to the song a few times, grateful for the peace that filled my heart, just when I needed it.

The rest of the week went smoothly for me and my daughter.

I said good-bye to August, truly grateful for all that had been accomplished in four short weeks. September took over.

I finished packing my suitcases and went to bed asking God for strength and endurance for what was ahead.

At 2:15 a.m. of September 2, Philippine time, a family friend Willy, arrived with his van to take me to the international airport, about 45 minutes away from where I lived.

"On my way...."

Checking in was so quick, it only took me 30 minutes to finish everything. By 3:30 a.m., I was already at my pre-departure gate, two hours early for the 5:30 a.m. boarding time!

Time went by so quickly anyway and before I knew it, Delta flight 3895 was airborne, headed toward its first destination - Nagoya, Japan.

We landed in Nagoya about four hours after take-off... waited for two hours at the pre-departure before boarding again for the flight to Detroit.

Once on board, I settled comfortably in my seat, prepared for the eleven hour flight from Nagoya to Detroit. 

"Make sure that all electronic devices are turned off." 

Sleeping on this flight was not going to be easy, so I tried to make the most of it by being relaxed and having an on and off conversation with my heavenly Father. 

Having a moving map right in front of me was a crash course in geography! From time to time I turned it on to have an idea of where we were in relation to the destination.

As the plane flew over miles and miles of land and sea, I had much time to think about this trip I was undertaking. At the start of the year, I absolutely had no idea this was going to happen. This journey to the other side of the world was totally unplanned and unexpected, yet here I was. A verse came to mind: 

For I know the plans I have for you,

plans for good and not for evil,

to give you a future and a hope.

- Jeremiah 29:11

Plans for good, and not for evil.

Truth be said, I was quite reluctant to go on this trip. The United States is such a far destination for me. It takes so much effort and money, not to mention the physical and emotional preparation required to go on a journey of this nature. 

But things happened very quickly. I was given a US visa renewal without any fuss, among other things. Without going into further detail, let me just say that I found myself at the threshold of a different season in my life.

And here I was... at the Father's disposal. A few times I wasn't really sure if this was what the Father wanted for me. But my sister had insisted that this was the best time to visit her... and really I began thinking that I must not deprive ourselves of this wonderful opportunity to be together again, to spend time making new memories, to re-bond... to re-connect... to make up for the many years and miles that had separated us since we began having separate lives. 

I experienced an Aha! moment, I wanted to seize the day, grab the opportunity... so I dropped all my reservations and announced to myself, Carpe diem! Go for it!

I am generally not an excitable person... Things impact me more internally than externally. 

But on the plane, I decided I wasn't going to have an iffy attitude about it all. I  will gladly give this trip the best that I have to offer. It is an investment from which I knew we were all going to reap eternal gains.

I prayed that Abba Father would honor the desire of my heart for the days ahead of me - that I would be a channel of blessing, and healing, and restoration. 

Believing that there is surely a good purpose for it all.

As indicated by the many hours and miles required by this travel, I am also traveling a long distance spiritually. First the natural, then the supernatural.

That is what Paul writes to the Corinthian city church:

But it is not the spiritual that is first but the natural, 
and then the spiritual.

- 1 Corinthians 15:46

This is my current location statement. What happens in the natural is an indication of my spiritual reality. I am traveling a long distance spiritually as well. There are new experiences and new opportunities from heaven waiting for me.

Delta flight 630 landed at the Detroit Metropolitan Airport a few minutes after 12 noon of September 2. Once again, everything went smoothly for me. Passport control, customs check up, and the series of security check... everything went smoothly. 

At the Detroit Metro tunnel which features sculpted glass walls, fabric ceilings, and about 400,000 computer generated lights which move in sync with soft music. Walking here is truly an awe-inspiring experience!

Less than one hour after I disembarked, I was at my boarding gate for my next flight.

I waited at this departure gate for more than 8 hours before I finally boarded my flight at 9:35 p.m.

Finally, at about 2 a.m. of September 3, after almost 36 hours of no sleep, I was ready to sleep in this cozy and comfortable bedroom, beautifully prepared for me by my loving sister. God's presence and His favor went with me all the way!

Today I am aware that at sundown another new year, Rosh Hashanah in the Hebrew calendar, begins. It is the year of the Ayin Dalet. 

Dalet is the fourth letter in the Hebrew alphabet. "The Hebrew alphabet doubles as numbers giving each character a numerical value. Since each Hebrew character possesses a pictorial meaning as well, there are layers of richness to each letter/number." (see Melissa Flores, The Year 5774: Ayin Dalet)

Melissa Flores writes:

Dalet is the picture of a hanging tent door. The door, dalet, can also mean the movement of one coming from or going into the tent. As is the case with every word, we can interpret negatively or positively. During dalet, one will either move (1) out of or (2) back into their tent. WIll you choose to vacate places of confinement or will you choose to retreat into the tent of isolation?

Indeed these are such significant words for me.

Ayin dalet is for me, the year of the open door...

new spiritual realities...

new opportunities...

new kingdom connections!

It truly is a beautiful beginning for me, this ninth month of the year, and this new year.

Incredible as it sounds, everything seems to be moving according to a divine plan and purpose.

I look forward to new beginnings, to God opening many new doors before me, one of them the door of hope in what I though was my valley of Achor.

God makes a way, a path through the wilderness.

I couldn't ask for anything more, or better. An open door is a way out of what controls, confines, limits, and inhibits me. An open door is a way of provision... a redeemed perspective!

Father I lift myself up to You. Lead me, guide me. 

Thank You in advance for this new year, the year of the open door. 

Thank you for what You have prepared for me - 

a new road on which to travel... 

a forward movement... 

a way out of what limits, hinders, and weighs me down. 

Set me free from old cycles and old ways of looking at things.. even old ways of doing things with You! 

Open my eyes to new horizons and vistas! Show me a panoramic view of new things that You are doing in my life and in the lives of those I love. 

Bring me up to the next level of Your eternal kingdom opportunities for me and my family!

So we fix our eyes not on what is seen,
but on what is unseen, 
since what is seen is temporary,
but what is unseen is eternal.
-2 Corinthians 4:18