BOB CRAINE DAY III
Deuteronomy 28:1-14 NIV
“If you fully obey the Lord your God and follow all his commands, he will elevate you above all the nations on earth. All these blessings will come on you and accompany you if you obey the Lord your God:
You will be blessed in the city and blessed in the country.
Blessed will be the fruit of your womb. Blessed too will be your crops and livestock—the calves of your herds and the lambs of your flocks.
Your basket and your kneading trough will be blessed.
You will be blessed when you come in and blessed when you go out.
The Lord will grant that the enemies who rise up against you will be defeated before you. They will come at you from one direction but flee from you in seven.
The Lord will send a blessing on your barns and on everything you put your hand to. The Lord your God will bless you in the land he is giving you.
The Lord will make you his holy people, as he promised. This is if you keep his commands and obey him. Then all the peoples on earth will see that you are called by the name of the Lord, and they will fear you. The Lord will grant you great prosperity. It will be in the fruit of your womb, the young of your livestock, and the crops of your ground. This is in the land he swore to your ancestors to give you.
The Lord will open the heavens, his storehouse of bounty. He will send rain on your land in season and bless all your work. You will lend to many nations but will borrow from none. The Lord will make you the head, not the tail. If you follow the commands of the Lord your God today, you will always be at the top, never at the bottom. Do not stray from my commands today. Do not follow or serve other gods.”
What a powerful scripture to begin the third and final day with Bob Craine! I must confess, it didn't resonate with me then. But, as I revisit these old journals, I am overwhelmed by God's goodness and faithfulness. I can apply every line of this scripture to our lives. Thank You Lord God.
Bob Craine encouraged us to be quick to forgive those who speak ill of us. He brought a large rubbish bin into the classroom, along with a table, a bucket, some towels, and big jugs of water. He was amused to see our wide-eyed expressions, wondering what he was up to next. He urged us to search our hearts. Then, to write down, on the provided papers, anything that needed forgiveness. He patiently waited as we took time to reflect.
Once we were ready, Bob asked us to approach the fire in the wood burner in the corner of the room. He wanted us to burn our pieces of paper. After the burning, we had to pass a big rubbish bin. We had to stretch our hands, palmside up over the bin and he poured water on our hands into the bin as a sign of cleansing. Some students fell, overcome by the power of the Holy Spirit, as they received God’s forgiveness.
After our morning session, two men drove the bin away on a truck. They emptied it at a distant corner of the ranch's rubbish dump. It was a very powerful session.
Before Bob left us, he prayed for each of us and offered a blessing. When he stood in front of me, he prayed, “Thank You Lord for the hearing heart You have given her.” Then he told me, “The Lord is giving you a new name in the spiritual realm, and your name is Torch-bearer. You will carry a torch in the area where you live to show the works of God.”
For a moment, I felt a bit confused. I had expected a name like Hephzibah or Beulah (Isaiah 62:4). But, that name would be confirmed later at the ranch. I am deeply honoured to have received such a beautiful, meaningful name.