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O God, listen to my cry! Hear my prayer! Psalms 61:1
Have you ever been in a situation where you are trying to explain something to someone and you can tell by body language and other clues that they aren’t listening to you? Oh, they hear your words and see your lips moving, but the information is failing to make any inroads at all.
Or, perhaps you are like me. While I hate to admit it, there are times when I’m being talked to and my attention is elsewhere and I miss part, if not all of the message. You may even try to call the person out or even touch their shoulder and say something like “Are you hearing what I’m trying to tell you?”
Some people are hard of hearing. While they try to hear information, they simply can’t because of a physical disability. Must most of us, at least at some point in our lives, have a listening problem, not a hearing problem.
Do you ever feel like God is like that in your prayers? Do you ever want to say, as the Psalmist, “O God, listen to my cry! Here my prayer!” Notice the emotion in David’s words. In our 21st century vernacular it may come across as “ARE YOU LISTENING TO ME? HELLO!”
Theologically speaking, we know God hears our prayers, but theology and practicality don’t always mix. I like this verse because it reminds me that I can be honest with God,
It reminds me that when my prayers don’t seem to get past the ceiling, I know they have been heard even though emotions tell me differently.
It encourages me to know that others struggle as I do, even King David, the ‘man after God’s own heart’!
Is your heart heavy in prayer today for a son or daughter, a struggling marriage, a past that seems to haunt you, fear of the future. Let your Father know how you REALLY feel. He can handle it and he may reward you for your honesty!
The Father and I are one. John 10:30
If you want to know what God is like, see Jesus.
Throughout history there has been an effort to define God. If you read through the Old Testament, and believe it to be the word of God, you may be inclined to see a God of anger and wrath, a God that warns that disobedience will bring swift and deadly consequences.
Yet if you read deeper into those passages you see that the times of ‘God’s wrath’ were natural consequences of human behavior or the refusal to heed God’s warnings.
Jesus not only came to die for our sins, he came to show us the Father. Jesus makes the statement in John 10:30 that he and the Father are one. Not that they are the same person, but the same in essence and purpose.
Want to see what God is like?
He’s the good shepherd that seeks you out when you have wandered off.
He’s the one person you can count on to get down in the dirt with you when you’ve been caught in adultery (or any other sin).
He’s the one that will reach out and touch you when society rejects you (as he did with the lepers of his day).
He’s the one that calls you to himself with the storm is raging around you, and lifts you up when the walk across the water is too much.
Want to see God? See Jesus!
What other pictures of the Father do you see in the life of Jesus?
I always thank my God for you because of his grace given you in Christ Jesus. 1 Corinthians 1:4
Two of the most powerful words in language are ‘Thank You’. You learned it as a kid. Always say ‘please’ and ‘thank you’. That’s the way life works. Sometimes it’s easy to say thank you. When someone opens a door for you, lets you in to traffic, offers you a cold drink on a hot day, ‘thank you’s’ are in order.
But what about those other times. Do you say thank you to the rude store clerk. Do you say thank you to the person who cuts you off in traffic? Do you say thank you to the person who, once again, is critical of you or how you do your job? ‘Of course not’ you say, right?
But Jesus would. So would the Apostle Paul. Paul wrote a very difficult letter to one of the churches he planted. The church in the city of Corinth started strong in grace, mercy, love and generosity. But sin and conflict broke out and in concern for his spiritual children, Paul was forced to write a letter to this group of struggling ‘Christ followers.’
It’s interesting that at the very beginning of this difficult letter, Paul expresses his appreciation for them. He didn’t appreciate them because they were people of character. He didn’t appreciate them for the way they held to God’s word. He didn’t appreciate them because of their high moral standards. Those things weren’t praiseworthy to First Church – Corinth.
Yet Paul appreciated them because of the grace they found in Jesus. There will always be people who annoy us. There will always be people who ridicule us or don’t meet our expectations. There will never be people who are outside of the reach of God’s grace. Appreciation of others doesn’t mean we agree with them, it simply means we value them because Jesus values them.
Who do you need to show value to today? Showing appreciation to others is a great way to show the grace Jesus offers everyone.
For since the world began, no ear has heard and no eye has seen a God like you, who works for those who wait for him! Isaiah 64:4
Unrealized dreams. Unfinished work. Unmet expectations. Disappointing results. You’ve been there. We all have. Those times when, hard as we try, life doesn’t work out as planned.
Our efforts, or the efforts of others we put our trust in, turn out to be an epic fail. It’s easy to get caught up in the negative.
The voices of criticism and mockery tend to remind us of ways in which we fall short. Have you ever noticed that the harshest voices tend to come from your own mind? I do. I’m my own worst critic.
Maybe it’s time to step back and remind ourselves of what’s really important and who is really holding this all together.
Isaiah reminds us that while our human efforts may fail, the works of our God last forever. He’s never late. He’s never overwhelmed or surprised.
When we’re learn to wait on him, we’ll see his power unfold in front of us.
Ask for his leading. Wait for his timing. Act in his power.
The Lord is good, a strong refuge when trouble comes. He is close to those who trust in him. Nahum 1:7
Where do you turn when trouble comes? Who do you call on for help?
When relationships go south, some turned to new relationships, hoping to find relief.
When finances are hard, some borrow money which only increases their debt load and anxiety.
Loss of a loved one can lead to years of grief, depression, and mental health issues.
God has never promised that life will be easy. In fact, He promises us that we will have troubles. He also promises us that he will always be there to work with us through every storm we encounter.
The closer you draw to him, less impact the storms in life will have on you. You can trust in him in whatever storm comes your way!
What storm are you in today? What struggle is keeping you from seeing the good things in life? Lean heavily on God and he will bring you a peace that passes all understanding.
Mike Fisk & Built with Grace 