Today’s Reading:
John 2
Song of Songs 2
Amos 9
The one I love calls to me: Arise, my dearest. Hurry, my darling. Come away with me! I have come as you have asked to draw you to my heart and lead you out. For now is the time, my beautiful one. The season has changed, the bondage of your barren winter has ended, and the season of hiding is over and gone. The rains have soaked the earth and left it bright with blossoming flowers. The season for singing and pruning the vines has arrived. I hear the cooing of doves in our land, filling the air with songs to awaken you and guide you forth.
Song of Songs 2:10-12 TPT
I heard the Spirit of the Living God of Grace say,
The choicest parts — I have saved the choicest parts for you. I have held back and reserved them for you. I intimately and specifically know all you have waited on, all you have desired, all you have prayed to have. You watched as others received. You watched as portions were given, and you celebrated their portion. You celebrated their portion when your plate was empty. You celebrated their portion when your cup was dry. There’s a testing that comes with My holding back one’s portion. There’s a refining and a testing that can’t be accomplished any other way.
The refining fire, the purifying of the waiting and the celebrating the gifts and the answers and the solutions that come to others does a refining work that cannot be done any other way. But I have not done it to leave you in lack. I have done it to purify and to strengthen. The kind of mettle testing that comes with waiting and choosing celebration when your vessel, your plate, your cup is empty is a strengthened mettle that cannot be forged any other way. This particular kind of testing, refining, strengthening, forging comes by waiting, comes by even feeling last.
And when they poured out their pitchers for the master of ceremonies to sample, the water had become wine! When he tasted the water that had become wine, the master of ceremonies was impressed with its quality. (Although he didn’t know where the wine had come from, only the servers knew.) He called the bridegroom over and said to him, “Every host serves his best wine first, until everyone has had a cup or two, then he serves the cheaper wine. But you, my friend, you’ve reserved the most exquisite wine until now!”
John 2:9-10 TPT
Am I not the God of mind blowing surprises and significant change that you could never see coming? I have saved the best for last. I have reserved the choicest part for you. This is your now season. This is your yes and amen with tangible answers season. This is your promotion season. This is your celebration season. It is time to celebrate because your season has come. The season of waiting and only celebrating the fulfillment for others has gone, though there will be celebrations for others too. But your deep joy shall be filled, because this is your now celebration. Yours is the choicest part. I have reserved the choicest part, the part that will delight you the most. I have saved it for you all this time, and now your plate will be full and your cup will run over.
“Yes indeed, it won’t be long now.” God’s Decree. “Things are going to happen so fast your head will swim, one thing fast on the heels of the other. You won’t be able to keep up. Everything will be happening at once—and everywhere you look, blessings! Blessings like wine pouring off the mountains and hills.”
Amos 9:13 MSG
I haven’t forgotten you. I have had you in an extended time of testing, because I needed you strong, and I needed you pure. I needed you to be undistractable with eyes only for Me. Welcome to your banqueting table. This is your now season.
How to Respond
- Worship and stay in close communion with the Lord in any lingering moments of waiting.
- Worship the Lord and celebrate the answers, solutions and gifts that He brings.
- Pray, Holy Spirit thank You for Your refining fire, for Your Presence, for Your faithfulness and for always seeing me and knowing my heart. Help me to finish the waiting season well and to celebrate and honor You fully as You turn the page from the waiting to the fulfillment and celebration season in my life.
- Declare, great is the Lord and worthy of all glory, honor and praise. He never lies, never leaves, never fails, never forgets. He never leaves His children wanting bread. He is the the Father of Heavenly lights and every good and perfect blessing comes from Him.
- Decree, I am emerging from this extended time of refining, purifying, strengthening & forging. The Lord has reserved the choicest parts for me. He has held back my answers, my blessings, my requests, because He has saved the best for last. And I will give Him all of the glory, honor and praise as He moves me into a season of celebration and rejoicing over my own life and all the good that He brings.
For more encouragement from The Glory & the New Wine, check out the post from this day in years past:
2023: The Flood Gates of Grace Have Opened
2022: The Revival of the Ages
2021: Return to the Lord
