Isaiah 43:19 Behold, I will do a new thing; now it shall spring forth; shall ye not know it? I will even make a way in the wilderness, and rivers in the desert.

It is no secret that I am old. I have seen much, I have done much, and I have had much done to me. So it came as a surprise that the Lord should do a new thing. I did not even realize the extent of the experience until days later as I talked it out with my accountability partner.

It started early Sunday morning in the shower. With the hot water streaming down my head, neck and back, the Lord brought to me His mind on His glory. There is no way for me to express all that was given in that moment, not even in a series of devotionals. I had to go to the Word to confirm everything.

It was in the Old Testament use of glory that my experience is expressed but not fully understood until today. It was in the Gesenius’ Hebrew-Chaldee Lexicon that I discovered the faint beginning of understanding; heaviness, always expressed figuratively.

This heaviness was new for me. I had no experience with it, nothing to rely upon through experience, wisdom, or knowledge. I didn’t know how to deal with it. It is not until now that I can figuratively express what was happening.

2 Corinthians 1:8 (in part) we were pressed out of measure, above strength, insomuch that we despaired…

Proverbs 3:10 So shall thy barns be filled with plenty, and thy presses shall burst out with new wine.

This was a new experience for me. Never have I been pressed down with this heaviness, His glory, to the point I became uncomfortable in my own skin, like grape in a wine press. “I just want to scream.” That is how I put it.

What is the harm? The wine press is unaware of its surroundings. Nothing outside of what is going on inside is of any value or importance. It is not relevant to the outside world until the process is finished.

The wine is not ready for consumption.

Matthew 19:20 The young man saith unto him, All these things have I kept from my youth up: what lack I yet?

If you remember the tale of the rich man and the eye of a needle, then you might remember that when he asked Jesus what was required to have life, Jesus said keep the commandments. This was the man’s answer and Jesus did not deny the young man’s commitment in this. This young man had kept the commandments.

But was it enough? Obviously not because Jesus then said, “if you would be perfect” which is not the same as keeping the commandments. Did you get that? Obedience is not perfection. Who wants to be perfect? That is the real question that needs to be addressed here. The young man did ask what he was lacking.

Are we good?

In our current vernacular that question is rhetorical. It implies that I have done enough, don’t ask more of me. It does not impact who we are, it says “I’ve done enough.” Who we are is the issue at risk.

Luke 23:28-29 But Jesus turning unto them said, Daughters of Jerusalem, weep not for me, but weep for yourselves, and for your children. For, behold, the days are coming, in the which they shall say, Blessed are the barren, and the wombs that never bare, and the paps which never gave suck.

Are we there yet?

V31 For if they do these things in a green tree, what shall be done in the dry?

Are we dry trees, barren of fruit, withered, useless for anything except to be burnt?