#67 - "Tell them, I will hear their cries."

Good morning. It is definitely turning fall here in South Carolina. It's nice. :) Summer has been great... but the breeze of fall is welcoming and refreshing. Can you believe that Christmas is not far away? In the meantime, Tyler and I have been discussing and trying to plan a trip for our 10 year anniversary. 5 days. Will it be Vail? Aspen? Northern Michigan? Vegas? Or the Caribbean? Cold or warm? Well...we are just thanking God for giving us wisdom and letting us know the perfect place. Quaint. If it was a ski place. A chalet would be nice.... or a suite in the lodge. Where we could just ski out of the back door, not have to drive anywhere.  Coffee. Good food. Hot tubs. Pools. Just nice, yah know? Or... warm... the feeling of Venice or Italy. You walk out and enjoy lunch outdoors, drinking in the smells.... enjoying authentic spaghetti, tastes you have never experienced in such a rich fashion. Wrap your hands around a mug, while sitting in a cafe, drinking in the taste and aroma of good coffee. Though I doubt this time we will go as Italy or Venice, you get the idea. So... we are excited about what it will be, knowing God has the perfect place, the perfect price and the perfect experience. :) 


Ok... let's see what He has to say today...


Reading Schedule: Proverbs 31:10-31, Proverbs 13, Psalms 13, 43, 73, 103, 143

Proverbs 13:10 - By pride and insolence comes only contention, but with the well-advised is skillful and godly Wisdom.

Psalms 13:2a - How long must I lay up cares within me and have sorrow in my heart day after day?

Psalms 73:16-17, 28a - But when I considered how to understand this, it was too great an effort for me and too painful. Until I went into the sanctuary of God; then I understood... But it is good for me to draw near to God...

Psalms 143:1a - Hear my prayer, O Lord...

Proverbs 31:15 - She rises while it is yet night and gets (spiritual) food...

Pride.... here are some of the definitions and synonyms given in the dictionary:

• a high opinion of one's own dignity.... a high opinion of one's self. 
• imply an unduly favorable idea of one's own appearance
• a lofty and often arrogant assumption of superiority

And... contention is another word for strife. So we could say, "with pride comes strife... esteeming yourself higher than you are causes strife....being arrogant or self-centered brings strife."

How long must I lay up cares within me ... 


Have you ever felt like the following? Why do bad things happen to me? Why does my life seem like such chaos? Chaos. Annoyed all the time. Frustrated. Always in a hurry. If it's not one thing, it's the next. I'm always busy, in a hurry. No time for me. Arguments with my spouse. My friends aren't very good friends. Troubled relationships. Specific people who are a major 'thorn' in my life. AHH! Everything is just so annoying! I live in a constant world of frustration. 


Have you considered that maybe nothing will change until YOU go into the sanctuary of God ? That strife in your marriage, strife in your work, strife in your relationships, strife with your kids, strife in your life.... that you will continue to live in a state of strife until something changes? Until YOU decide to get before the throne.... to take that 1st, awkward time and actually approach God? Like Julia Roberts in the movie Eat, Pray Love, "Hi God. Nice to meet You. I'm sorry it's taken me so long to talk to You. But, I need your help. I really need your help. I need answers." She cried. Have you ever considered that NOTHING changes until SOMETHING changes? 


In reading the verses today... I asked the Holy Spirit what His thoughts were about all this... this is what He told me: 

There are people Amy, who do call themselves Christians but really do not know ME. They go about filling their lives with everything BUT ME. They fill their lives with idols & other gods, with hobbies. They murmur & complain and then wonder why their life "sucks." Amy those very people don't even ask or acknowledge Me for help. They are to busy doing everything else, while parts of their life is in turmoil. Yes, they are going to heaven, but why live this hell on earth with chaos & turmoil when if they just turned to ME, I WOULD give them direction. I would answer their questions. I would help. There are some that will just continue in life, being miserable, complaining, and not every truly knowing Me. Help these people. Help awaken the few who will change & turn to Me. Who will make Me #1 in their life above all else. You can't save them all. They have to choose to save themselves. They have to choose to change. Tell them I will answer their cries. 

Yah... the first time may feel really weird. The first time when you come to God. Like Julia, you may be in your bathroom in the middle of the night, get on your knees and begin to cry. You may be in your car. You may bring your Bible and go sit on your porch..... and there, you begin with, "Hi God. I'm sorry it's taken me so long to come talk to you. Hi." You feel awkward, you feel weird and maybe even silly. You look around and kinda hope that no one is watching or listening. This introduction, all the while, you know that HE knows who you are, and HE knows everything about you, but He is a complete stranger. And... there.... there you begin. You begin a relationship. One that you want to grow. You desire to KNOW, really KNOW Him. You desire to have direction. You desire to really, truly BE happy and find happiness. You desire to be fulfilled and not continue having that empty feeling inside. The void that you have been trying to fit EVERYTHING else in it's place. Soccer practice, the mom's group, running, working out, craft projects, your children, your spouse, obsessively cleaning your house all the time, staying at work late, taking on extra projects just to stay busy, or brainlessly sitting in front of the TV while life itself drifts away... you not making even a dent of impact. The VOID. You begin to fill the void with the ONLY Person who can really fill it to the full, until it overflows and is running over. You begin to crave this spiritual food in a relationship with Jesus. That just like breakfast, lunch and dinner... and fasting from those would leave you hungry and extremely famished.... that the same would be true in your time with Jesus. That not having it, not getting that food would leave you hungry and unsatisfied. 


I pray if this is you, that you will decide to take the first step... and then that you continue with the 2nd and the 3rd... that you work past the introductions, and awkwardness of a new relationship, and that you would work to a friendship, a love, a peace, fulfillment, a wholeness that you have never experienced in your life. 


It is there for you. And like He said to me, "Tell them I will answer their cries."


Will you make Him #1. Put down the idols. Let the dishes wait. Will you let HIM fill the #1 place in your life? 


Start today.