24
Nov '18
Love and Prayers
24
Nov '18
Come and listen, all you who fear God,
and I will tell you what He did for me.
For I cried out to Him for help,
praising Him as I spoke.
If I had not confessed the sin in my heart,
the Lord would not have listened.
But God did listen!
He paid attention to my prayer.
Praise God, who did not ignore my prayer
or withdraw His unfailing love from me. Psalms 66:16-20
and I will tell you what He did for me.
For I cried out to Him for help,
praising Him as I spoke.
If I had not confessed the sin in my heart,
the Lord would not have listened.
But God did listen!
He paid attention to my prayer.
Praise God, who did not ignore my prayer
or withdraw His unfailing love from me. Psalms 66:16-20
Lately, I have been in an unusually thankful mood. It is not because the world has become a more certain place. It has not. It is not because I have no feelings of anxiety and concern in my world for there are plenty. There is a feeling that God is preparing to rock my world, and not in a way that will make me comfortable. That being said, I have felt such an outpouring of love toward others. I am reminded of the incredible love my wife has for me, and she has simply been the best! She has not done anything special or changed something that has made me notice her more. It’s just that the spirit has tapped me on shoulder to remind me there is this fascinating and amazing woman who has loved me for most of my life. God also provided me with great parents that have raised me in such a way that I knew beyond a shadow of doubt who He was.
Love is not limited to those who I am thankful for. As I wrote previously about gifts from God, love is a gift to be shared with others. It pushed a gentleman to share the fears we have for our children, and a young lady to find common ground in love for God even as we disagreed about other things. Sharing struggles in our lives made us not only more connected with each other but also God. I’ve prayed for others more this week than I have in a while. There is so much pain and anguish out there, one cannot help but be prayerful hoping God will guide and protect strangers as well as close family and friends. I prayed that He not only lay His healing powers on them but also use me to provide inspiration, warmth, comfort, and anything He feels I can offer. Furthermore, I prayed for awareness that I respond in a way that truly honors Him.
Our connection with God should be an intimate one. In reading today’s verses, you have a sense of the closeness David has with God. David acknowledged his imperfections and sinful nature. Furthermore, he was repentant and filled with praise for God, and reveled in God’s attentiveness to his prayer and ‘unfailing love.’ There was sincerity in the words and genuine affection that he shows for Him. It is an example of what our walk of faith should resemble. We are not only speaking of God’s word but also acting out in deeds. We see people as God does, and we are compelled to act as if He is with us every step of the way. Therefore, David’s message to those who fear God is impactful; it is an example of a Christ-centered walk. It is a message that we all are to hear and respond to.
God is always with us whether we recognize it or not. David understood this, and Paul, as one fearing God, reiterated this fact stating, ““But God removed Saul and replaced him with David, a man about whom God said, ‘I have found David son of Jesse, a man after my own heart. He will do everything I want him to do.’” (Acts 13:22) When we both acknowledge our own sin and show adoring affection for God, He not only responds. He delivers. Let us embrace this example of who we aspire to be; responding to God’s calling and delivering as He has for us so often. How intimate is your prayer life with God? How does God’s love for you prompt you to act on His behalf? My prayer is that our relationship with God is very active, filled with love and prayers. Amen.
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Kent
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