Thursday, October 22, 2015

10-23-2015



Good Morning All!!
         Psalm 71:2; “In your righteousness deliver me and rescue me; incline your ear to me, and save me!”
     It has been an interesting change in attitude.  When our first grandson was born, he had an uncle who would look at him but really didn’t want anything to do with him.  That slowly changed but took a big jump when, on my grandson’s second Christmas, he toddled over and asked his uncle to” read me a book.”  Now they are best buddies.  My grandson likes to come to grandma and grandpa’s house but he gets excited when he knows his uncle will be there.  We have a picture of them standing together waiting for church to start.  My grandson saw that his uncle had his hands in his pockets so my grandson did the same.
    When he talks to his uncle, his uncle stops what he is doing and bends down to listen to what he has to say.  My grandson is now 3½ so he is still a little hard to fully understand.  If it is a little noisy, you have to listen very closely.  His uncle gives him his full attention, leans down to carefully hear each word and pick up each nuance. 
    In many ways this can describe our faith walk.  God inclines his ear to hear us.  When we pray to God, when we come before him with our cries and our worries, with our fears and our doubts; God inclines his ear to hear us.  He listens closely to our words but even more closely to our heart and soul.  He hears the deep longing cries and sighs of a soul that is suffering.  God longs for us to come to him and to unburden our spirits and to free us from the weight of worry that we do not need to carry.
    Many like to view this as the kindly, loving grandfather who is sitting in his rocking chair waiting for his grandchildren to climb up in his lap.  While most will find this a heartwarming vision, we can see throughout Scriptures that God is a seeking God, that he searches for us, finding us in some of the most painful and sorrowful conditions.  He seeks us out with the Gospel message and brings us back into his family with the forgiveness that we receive because of Jesus’ all atoning sacrifice.
    As he seeks us out, he invites us to speak to him.  He invites us to give up the extra weight of fear, pain and sorrow and to free ourselves of this burden.  His invitation is gently offered to us.  His invitation is one of a loving parent who has sought out a hurt and wounded child who is lost in this broken world.  He delivers us and rescues us from the power of the devil.  He rescues us from our own poor decisions.  In his mercy, he gives us hope.
Father, you listen to my cries and pleas.  You hear me even when I can only groan.  Rescue me from the pain and the sorrow around me.  Lift me from the depths of sadness and bring me to your ear.  Hold me close in your loving arms.  Hear those who are in deep pain.  Comfort them with your Spirit.  In the precious name of Jesus we pray, amen.
God’s Peace,
Pastor Bret 

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