What Would I Have You Be?

NOV. 4, 1980, 5:53 AM
W. WILLOW, STUDY

You heard… or developed yourself… a question which can be the theme for the morning. It came in the rather immediate post-alarm period when, awakened abruptly from a dream, you approached this task with Me bereft of any thoughts or of any concentration of mind. The motivation is here from your commitment… and from the brief rereading you have done. You are glad that you have produced what you have, but as you moved and brushed your teeth you posed the question, which I give you in the First Person, “What would I have you be?”

What you did embodied the most important quality that I desire – faithfulness. You have committed yourself to Me for the time, and no matter what the conditions… of sleepiness or lack of brain functioning… you faithfully come. I would have you be faithful to Me, no matter what, and there shall be some times ahead when you shall have to declare and act in ways that show your faith… before others who may scoff.

I also would have you trust. Beyond the faith in My sovereignty and in Me as the True Spirit of the Lord God and of Jesus, the Christ, you trust that in this place, at this time, with this pen and this paper that you shall receive a worthwhile teaching from Me. It has happened many times before, so there is a basis for the trust, but it was pretty “raw” this morning. Yes, I would have you trust.

I would have you be expectant. As you were immediately awake you were almost devoid of expectations, but past experience “filled in the gap”. You had the seeds of expectation , and by the time you began writing your expectations were high. You came to Me expecting to be used in this way, and hence you are open and ready. Some critics could claim that your expectations have a “placebo effect”… there is no such thing as the Holy Spirit Who communicates directly and personally to you, but if this is what you expect, then your mind produces it. The idea has merit, for the mind is a powerful instrument. But it just happens, in this case, that this is a real encounter, with your mind and spirit as the “meeting place”. You have expectations of Me, and I fulfill them.

I would have you be humble about these times of instruction. This can include being personally proud of the six books before you and pleased with the learning that is happening. But you need not be out proclaiming and forcing reluctant listeners to hear of this unlikely relationship. Just humbly hear, write, profit, enjoy. Be not cocky or overconfident. Be gently humble.