International Shoppers: For international orders please use the following links.
Shiloh Place Blog « See all posts
Vantage Point - Trisha Frost
Higher Vantage Point.
One of my favorite things to do is have leaders in my home. I love being a host. I love making people feel that they are the most important person in the world. So when my friends come up to visit me or when I am having guest in my home I spend a little more time and energy on preparation for their visit. I want to host them in such a way that they feel honored and valued just because they are my friend. I love my friends and because of this I have over the years become friends with many people. For me, friendship comes in all sorts of packages and all sorts of levels. I have those girls that are my real “BFFs”. They know who they are. I feel safe with these ladies to just be me and pour out my feelings, knowing they won’t judge me. I have guy friends that I feel that way also about, and they know who they are also. Then you have other friends who maybe are not “BFFs” so to speak, but they are people you love. I spend much energy on becoming familiar with those people that I have grown close to over the years. If you are Trisha’s friend then you have my utmost honor and respect. I will go way out of my way to spend time and have relationship with you. Why? Because you are at a higher vantage point in my life relationships. You have proven your loyalty and trustworthiness in our relationship. The word vantage defined means: a position, condition, or opportunity that is likely to provide superiority or an advantage. The word advantage means: the quality of having a superior or more favorable position. I give you a higher vantage point to see into my life because of trust that has been built through relationship. I probably am going to share more of my life secrets and true deep feelings with you because you are my friend. Abraham was known as a “friend of God”, Jesus had the twelve, the three and the one!!!!! Wouldn’t you love to have been the one, the one who was without any fear and able to lye his head on Jesus chest and listen to His heartbeat or heartache!!! I wonder how long it took, how much obedience it took to build enough trust for John the beloved to be the one.
You see it is not a matter of performance to be a friend of God but it does require obedience on our part. John 15:14 says, “You are my friends if you do what I command you.” Jesus wasn’t looking for control. He was looking for faithfulness in relationship. He was carrying out the plan of the Father. The plan that will prosper us and not harm us in any way. That is the obedience that Father wants us to have; to trust that He is in this for our longevity and the fulfillment of His design over our lives.
But what about those times when disappointment seems to overshadow our feeling that our friend is really there. What about in those moments? It is in those times that we really find out if what we preach is actually going be what we believe. It is in those moments of having to make choices in the face of disappointments that we remember and respond to what we know of Him, or we cave and fall down. When you are able to rise above the fear, anger and control that these opportunities bring into your life you have just made a choice to live at a higher vantage point with Him. He knows now just like he knew with Abraham that here is a true friend that is not going to look backwards but move into that higher place of friendship by living out the trust that has been promised. As you choose to live from a higher vantage point with Him you choose to obey what He wills for your life. Yes disappointments will come but remember He has given you a better vantage point to see His heart cause He has discovered in your relationship with Him that you can be trusted to hear and obey His voice.
When life hands you disappointments what you do with them will determine what you really feel about how the Father feels about you. It will determine your level of relationship with Him.