Do you hear Him? Just a whisper, but stronger than any noise around us. "I'm here, My child. I am with you." We can hear Him amidst the clutter. We can see Him beyond the fog. If the noise around us would just stop. Just give us a moment to catch up. Just a calm for a bit to allow us to breathe. But that isn't so much how life truly is, is it? We are wounded and in anguish, but the world keeps spinning. Life around us still continues even though our life has halted as we once knew it. What happened? Is God angry at us? Why doesn't anything seem to make sense anymore?
God has woven a masterpiece of love between a Father and His children. There's nothing that can come between us. Nothing in this world can separate us from our Father's love. The fact is that we are not going to understand everything that happens. This life isn't going to make a lot of sense to us. See, this world isn't our home. We aren't suppose to be comfy cozy here. Perfection isn't in the cards. We are to long for heaven, our home, our Father. The truth of the matter is that this life throws so much unbelievable at us that we are to run to our Savior. We are to trust Him. Surrender all to Him. Even in the midst of our turmoil, when nothing makes sense at all, when understanding just doesn't come, we turn to Him, letting the world around us spin, but in Him we know there is total control. Nothing touches us without first going through the hands of our Father.
"We know that all things work together for the good of those who love God: those who are called according to His purpose." Romans 8:28
"We know that all things work together for the good of those who love God: those who are called according to His purpose." Romans 8:28
This world would have us believing their lies that God isn't present. For those of us who know Him we know better than to fall for their unbelief. This life isn't easy. There is pain, burden, and unimaginable heartache around us. But we know the hope of Jesus. We know His whisper of love. Each and every day He calls us to Him. He woos us with a whisper. Even in the most crowded room, noise to the rooftops, Jesus can be heard, if we will just focus on His whisper, ready and willing to listen.
There's a storm on the horizon. We are not exempt from trial and tragedy. It touches us all. It can come in the middle of the night when all seems quiet and content. It can brew as the sun is shining down warmth upon our cheeks. We hear that first crack of thunder and we shutter to the core. Lightning snatches our vision from focus. We are terrified as it pounds down around us. We brace ourselves. "When will it end? My God, will it be soon?" But the storm isn't ending. It's brewing stronger than the last. How can we endure more pain? The fear paralyzes us to complete stillness. The noise is deafening. Louder than thunder in a tornadic thunderstorm. Louder than the roar of a lion hovering over sheep.
"They cried out to the Lord in their trouble, and He brought them out of their distress. He stilled the storm to a murmur, and the waves of the sea were hushed. They rejoiced when the waves grew quiet. Then He guided them to the harbor they longed for. Let them give thanks to the Lord for His faithful love and His wonderful works for all humanity." Psalm 107:28-31
"They cried out to the Lord in their trouble, and He brought them out of their distress. He stilled the storm to a murmur, and the waves of the sea were hushed. They rejoiced when the waves grew quiet. Then He guided them to the harbor they longed for. Let them give thanks to the Lord for His faithful love and His wonderful works for all humanity." Psalm 107:28-31
Landmines are all around us. Pain and suffering is so very present in our lives and in the lives of those we love. We wonder when the rains will stop. They fall like sheets of pain. The rains pour so hard we can't see through them. We have no idea what's on the other side, but we hope.
"For I am persuaded that not even death or life, angels or rulers, things present or things to come, hostile powers, height or depth, or any other created thing will have the power to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord!" Romans 8:38-39
"For I am persuaded that not even death or life, angels or rulers, things present or things to come, hostile powers, height or depth, or any other created thing will have the power to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord!" Romans 8:38-39
A building collapses. Rescue workers fight the rubble in hopes of hearing a life, just a whisper of hope. So much noise going on around them as they search. Their ears are in tune ready for any sound of a beating heart. There, one yells for everyone to stop. They listen intently and wait. They hear the whisper of, "Help me. Help me". They rush to the new hope.
"The eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, and His ears are open to their cry for help." Psalm 34:15
"The eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, and His ears are open to their cry for help." Psalm 34:15
Our God created women with ears of love to be in tune to hear a baby's cry. We can be walking through the grocery and hear a child cry and immediately turn. In our tiredest moments we can still be awaken to the sound of our baby in the night. Just a whisper but its echo is loud to the heart.
Are you crying out today, my friend? Is your pain more than you can bear alone? Have you been waiting for the storm to end? My heart breaks to hear the stories of so many hurting. So many waiting to breathe again. To know that there is more in life than the horrendous pain they are enduring. I know, sometimes it feels as if it will never come to an end.
I don't know the depths of your pain today, but I know One who does. He sees you, friend. He is One who not only knows your pain but has experienced your agony.
"The righteous cry out, and the Lord hears, and delivers them from all their troubles. The Lord is near the brokenhearted; He saves those crushed in spirit. Many adversities come tot he one who is righteous, but the Lord delivers him from them all." Psalm 34:17-19
"The righteous cry out, and the Lord hears, and delivers them from all their troubles. The Lord is near the brokenhearted; He saves those crushed in spirit. Many adversities come tot he one who is righteous, but the Lord delivers him from them all." Psalm 34:17-19
Each tear we cry can be heard in heaven. Jesus hears our cry for help. He's present with us. Jesus hears. Jesus sees. Jesus knows. He's there in the midst of the storm. No matter how violent the winds are whipping. No matter how shuddering the thunder. Jesus is with us. He is our hope. He is our Everything. He's the calm in the storm. The peace that comforts us. The arms that hold us as all shakes around us. He is ever-present in our lives. Never forget that. He isn't leaving you to this life alone. He is always moving, always working. Weaving new life into us, breathing strength and grace into our lives. This is how we continue to breathe even when we no longer feel we can. We place our focus on His whisper that's louder than anything we will ever endure on this earth.
We can find peace in Christ's whisper. We are never out of His sight. Forever is His eye upon us. He is our grace. He's our mercy and hope. Just one whisper, "Jesus. Jesus, help me". He is the God who can give life beyond the rubble.
"You rejoice in this, though now for a short time you have had to struggle in various trials so that the genuineness of your faith-more valuable than gold, which perishes through refined by fire-may result in praise, glory, and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ. You love Him, though you have not seen Him. An through not seeing Him now, you believe in Him and rejoice with inexpressible and glorious joy, because you are receiving the goal of your faith, the salvation of your souls." 1 Peter 1:6-9
"You rejoice in this, though now for a short time you have had to struggle in various trials so that the genuineness of your faith-more valuable than gold, which perishes through refined by fire-may result in praise, glory, and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ. You love Him, though you have not seen Him. An through not seeing Him now, you believe in Him and rejoice with inexpressible and glorious joy, because you are receiving the goal of your faith, the salvation of your souls." 1 Peter 1:6-9
When storms are surrounding us with vengeance they seem like they will last forever. In only minutes they are gone from the horizon. The sun shines, but there around us lies the rubble. The storm may have subsided, but behind it is left a trail of unimaginable. What do we do? How do we move forward?
"How in this hope, we were saved, yet hope that is seen is not hope, because who hopes for what he sees? But if we hope for what we do not see, we eagerly wait for it with patience. In the same way the Spirit also joins to help in our weakness, because we do not know what to pray for as we should, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with unspoken groanings." Romans 8:24-26
"How in this hope, we were saved, yet hope that is seen is not hope, because who hopes for what he sees? But if we hope for what we do not see, we eagerly wait for it with patience. In the same way the Spirit also joins to help in our weakness, because we do not know what to pray for as we should, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with unspoken groanings." Romans 8:24-26
We cry out to Jesus. We give Him our all. Everything in us, every emotion we feel. We open our hands to Him in surrender. He is our answer.
"Jesus answered them, "I assure you: If you have faith and do not doubt, you will not only do what was done to the fig tree, but even if you tell this mountain, 'Be lifted up and thrown into the sea,' it will be done. And you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer." Matthew 21:21-22
"But He said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness." Therefore, I will most gladly boast all the more about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may reside in me. So I take pleasure in weaknesses, insults, catastrophes, persecutions, and in pressures, because of Christ. For when I am weak, then I am strong." 2 Corinthians 12:9-10
"Jesus answered them, "I assure you: If you have faith and do not doubt, you will not only do what was done to the fig tree, but even if you tell this mountain, 'Be lifted up and thrown into the sea,' it will be done. And you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer." Matthew 21:21-22
"But He said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness." Therefore, I will most gladly boast all the more about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may reside in me. So I take pleasure in weaknesses, insults, catastrophes, persecutions, and in pressures, because of Christ. For when I am weak, then I am strong." 2 Corinthians 12:9-10
