Magnificent Madrid
Opening a glorious door as only He can, the Lord ordered our steps this month leading us to Madrid.
The city of Madrid is a magnificent medieval city packed tightly with grandiose buildings towering over ancient streets and pathways traveled by moderate crowds of locals and tourists. The city is well patrolled and extremely safe so visitors are free to gaze all around and get lost in the splendor. As you know, Spain sent Christopher Columbus to America and The American Museum in Madrid contains various fascinating artifacts from his expedition.
After touring the extremely opulent palace, which still houses the royal family, seeing the extravagant banquet hall and even the actual throne room which on special occasions seats the current king and queen my sights were set on Heavenly places knowing that these scenes were divinely inspired. Can you imagine the banquet hall and throne room of Heaven? Maybe these photos will inspire your imagination.
Filled with the largest collection in the world of historic bizarre lavish clocks from ages past all in working order it was a constant reminder in every room we entered of lateness of the hour we are living in! Time continues marching on.
3,418 rooms are contained within this palace. The king wanted to sleep in a different room every night until his death. Unfortunately he died before the palace was finished. As in scripture, one man’s dream became the next man’s reality.
We toured a massive lavishly decorated cathedral climbing the unending, winding staircase all the way to the dome at the top which overlooked the city. As we made our way through the cathedral the floors were brimming with display cases filled with gold and silver threaded robes as well as church relics offering visitors a gaze into the past. The message of the cross is still being presented but there are so many other competing forces at work to distract attention from Jesus. You can discern such confusion in the atmosphere of the city.
Jesus is portrayed either as a baby, walking through the events of the cross or in the actual crucifixion. My Jesus is strong, almighty, and filled with joy. Throughout our days I found myself praying for individuals or the groups of people in the city asking God to open eyes and hearts and reveal Himself to the people here. Know that everytime you pray for someone you turn the attention of Heaven to that person!
Like swallowing a handful of vitamins is every meal enjoyed in Europe. Words like: “processed”, “pasteurized” and “preserved” are not found accompanying our meals here. After finishing your first meal you feel a burst of health and freshness.
Upon awaking on the third day of our visit a worship song began to pierce my spirit. First I heard part of the song “I will rise, I will rise, He holds the time I will rise…” then Holy Spirit shifted to the militant cry of the song: “Jesus rise! Jesus rise! Through my life be glorified!”
Immediately at the beginning of our first tour I met a new friend from Turkiye. Having visited many cities in Turkiye in the past my heart swells with the Fathers love for the Turks. Excitedly I dashed over and began a conversation with her in Turkish. I watched the love of Christ gush from my heart to touch her spirit as we spoke. Immediately her face lit up when she heard her native language. I’ve found speaking the language of the people to be a highly effective method of demonstrating the love of Christ. We made an instant connection. Knowing the current political atmosphere in Türkiye, I asked her opinion of the newly elected president. With a heavy heart she confirmed my suspicion that the leadership did not reflect the hearts of the people. Discerning her sorrow over the state of her beloved country I communicated my understanding. After our tour ended with exchanged contact information and parted with a deep hug as old friends. Jesus rose that day giving me a unique opportunity to pour out His love to a Muslim. We went on to learn more about Madrid.
During the Spanish Inquisition the Muslims were removed from the country except those who converted to Christianity. Their conversion was tested by offering them pork. Those who ate the pork were allowed to remain in the country. Interestingly ham is still largely associated with Madrid, you see ham offered everywhere, in every form from tiny high quality slices to giant legs hanging in the windows of local “mercados”.
We stood in front of the oldest restaurant in the world Sobrino de Botin Horno de Asar, dating back to 1725. Hemingway visited the restaurant and named it in his first novel: “The Sun Also Rises.” This was one of 8 historical businesses in the city adorned with a bronze plaque honoring 100 plus years in business.
Our evening concluded with a traditional Spanish bull fight! Watching it unfold one can easily see it is rigged in favor of the matador. The bull runs out in a powerful display of strength and vigor running around the arena seeking a target to charge! Then the rider on horseback (like our Jesus on His white horse) comes out and as the bull seeks to wound the horse the rider delivers 2 stabs with the sword to the tender part of the back wounding the bull. After this the matador faces off with the bull. This experience reminded me of an instance where I was walking someone through deliverance and the Lord told me to have her imagine a bull. Then picture grabbing its horns and pushing it to the ground. At this point she coughed up the demon and was free.
“Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour. Stand firm against him, and be strong in your faith. Remember that your family of believers all over the world is going through the same kind of suffering you are. In his kindness God called you to share in his eternal glory by means of Christ Jesus. So after you have suffered a little while, he will restore, support, and strengthen you, and he will place you on a firm foundation.”
1 Peter 5:8-10 NLT
For every battle there is an ordained, rigged, season of breakthrough! Body of Christ it is time to believe the battle is rigged in your favor. It is time to press with all your faith toward the restoration, support, strength and the new, firm foundation that has been established in the season you are leaving!
