Take My yoke upon you and learn of Me for I am gentle and humble in heart and you will find rest (relief ease refreshment recreation blessed quiet) for your souls.
At the same time soil churned, seeds created a home, crops waved in the wind
Naomi lamented to her daughters-in-law.
"Even if I thought there was still hope for me—even ifI had a husband tonight and then gave birth to sons—would you wait...?" {Ruth 1}
Perceived destitution bred palpable desperation. Can you feel it in her words?
Return home, my daughters. Why would you come with me? {vs.1}
Her tomorrows were grim. Bleak days awaited till death reached out its welcomed hand. If only she had known: the answer to her Why? valiantly fought to walk alongside faithfully. Ready to reap a harvest of salvation. Yet Naomi kicked scorn and anger around, rejecting Ruth and redemption.
Call me not Naomi [pleasant]; call me Mara [bitter], for the Almighty has dealt very bitterly with me. {vs. 20}
A dust cloud of pitiful and sorrowful blinded her from seeing that the very girl she pushed away was the very means God would use to rescue.
Perhaps you've given up on a hope, a dream, a love. Maybe you sit in the funnel of your fury, bitter the same trials dump heavy on you each day. Can't stand to long for change or rescue.
Don't miss this
So Naomi returned...accompanied by Ruth...her daughter-in-law, arriving in Bethlehem as the barley harvest was beginning. {vs. 22}
The harvest Ruth arrived just in time to glean. In a field where Boaz noted her. And unceremoniously provided above and beyond for her and Naomi...for the rest of her life.
As Naomi urged her daughters-in-law to leave
Hewas working on Ruth's heart to stay
As her broken spirit stared at empty hands, and the end of her life
Hewas filling a field with rain and sun, and bringinglife to a harvest
As she narrowly missed God's provision and love
Hewas guiding her kinsman redeemerincare and concern
When brick walls are hit, ropes frayed, moments blank, remember...though unseen, God works on our behalf always. And rescue may come in unexpected form. Embrace His plan, return to Him and take heart.
The place you fear will be the death of you, may be the place you reap new life.
Going Deeper
Would you call yourself: pleasant or bitter?
Pray for the Lord to open your eyes to see unlikely means of rescue {like Ruth or the barley harvest}. Have you rejected a means of redemption & rescue you deem as impossible, but God knows is possible?
Live out the first part of this verse; believe and ask for the second: Return to me, for I have redeemed you. {Isaiah 44:22}
You may also want to read "Sojourner," about Naomi's journey of grief and hope.
Would you care to join us in our series Jumping off the Train {of negative thoughts}? Click here to see past posts. Praying He rescues you in unexpected ways.
You are a hiding place for me; You, Lord, preserve me from trouble, You surround me with songs of victory and deliverance. Selah [pause, and calmly think of that]!" ~Psalm 32:7
If you're visiting from Melissa Taylor's online Bible study with Stephanie Clayton today, welcome! Thanks for checking in. I've been praying for you.
One of my first jobs out of school was in a nursing home. You could peel the layers of pain in the air. Lined up in the solarium were gray heads. Feeble bodies and souls shut down and checked out. Hours passed as they stared hard at something unseen, responded to nothing. Fully awake, but not alert.
Bells jingled to stimulate hearing. Puppets danced to divert empty stares. Feathers brushed hands in hopes of touching the life inside. A variety of things were used to draw them back from the emptiness.
Truth be told, my soul crawled to a similar void when pain hit. I built a barrier: closed my ears, eyes and heart. Pain and accusations wiggled in the recesses of my mind and lied-God is not enough nor does He care. Fear and shame ran circles round and round till I was sick with wondering where the Lord’s hand was. I couldn’t peel my eyes away from the mistrust and hurt. And eventually I became like the elderly in the nursing home. Dead inside and unresponsive to the voice of love.
Friends, the more days stuck staring, the longer it took for the nursing home residents to come back to the land of the living. I wonder, with all you've endured, have you retreated to an empty space too? Built a barrier? Focused solely on the circumstances?
Please, if you've looked away from Him, can't take your eyes of the harm and pain...
If your ears are blocked and heart turned off--found solace in drinking, sex, the internet, food, busyness--will you consider opening up just one more time? Cast a glance upward, feel His touch. Awaken to the sweet gentle voice of our Maker through His Word. Start by praying these simple words
Lord, thank You for Your healing. Please forgive me for drawing away from You. Here I am. Please open my eyes and heart to hear You as you draw close to me. In Jesus' Name, Amen.
Wait on Him friend...He is near. He sang these kind words over me and somehow, they registered. I pray you hear Him singing over you too.
"Do not fear, do not let your hands hang limp. The Lord your God is with you, he is mighty to save. He will take great delight in you, he will quiet you with his love, he will rejoice over you with singing." ~Zeph. 3:16-17
We've been Jumping off the Train {of Negative Thoughts}. Care to join us? Catch up here!
"He has a single relentless stance toward us: He loves us." ~Brennan Manning
The world's shaking with the love of God Great and glorious, let the whole Earth sing And all You ever do is change the OLD from NEW People we believe that...
(Chorus) God is bigger than the air I breathe The world we'll leave God will save the day and all will say My glorious!
Clouds are breaking, heaven's come to earth Hearts awakening let the church bells ring And all you ever do is change the OLD from NEW People we believe that...
The twins, and my friend's dreams, were birthed June 11!
Rejoicing is now. But hasn't always been. Months of quarrelsome prayers, lofty in humanness, were raised to the heavens on behalf of my friends. Unfair unwarranted questions foamed at my heart... bubbled at my mouth.
I wanted to know why. Why do some whose very marrow aches for arms filled with baby goodness walk around empty-handed? When others who mortify at the remote potential of pregnancy have a crib full of little ones. Why are they last in line? How come others get a "yes" over and over and not them? Doesn't make sense in my mortal rationale.
Today I saw a glimpse of the reasoning behind it all. A recovery of celebrating pregnancy announcements--not theirs. A redemption of baby showers attended--not theirs. A restitution of hospital visits goo-goo gaa-gaaing over newborns--not theirs.
Let's be honest: rejoicing over others' dreams coming to pass can be painful when we're walking 'round with bruised knees and hearts struggling to keep our noses above the integrity line. Others cut us in line, move ahead-- and hearts get hurt. Pesky years of waiting eat the rope of patience, determination to believe, trust and yes, hope. A frayed end is clinched between blistered raw fingers, about to lose hold. Then God....
Then God recovers what's been lost. Redeems what's been stolen. Reconstitutes what's been eaten.
Yes, He does. He does. Believe it...really, truly, unfailing He does. And not just what's been taken. He doubles it. I saw this today when my limp open-handed friends received not one, but two, gifts. From a mama whose nest and heart weren't prepared for these birdies, but was prepared to let them fly to a nest and hearts that were ready.
Let these words blow life into the wee weak spittle of smoldering ashy hope that's left.
I will restore to you the years that the swarming locust has eaten. ~ Joel 2:25
Did you catch that? Double. That's right. Double. Do you feel Him breathing new hope into your fire? I sure hope so.
Going Deeper
It's never too late for Him to restore, redeem and reconstitute. Do you trust that? Memorize and pray out of the two verse above, asking God specifically for what you would seek Him to double.
Do you struggle with bitterness of waiting and/or envy over others dreams coming to pass? If yes, pray for grace and forgiveness. Who can hold you accountable and help carry your load?
I'm waiting with a friend for word if her and her husband's dreams of starting a family will come true. A nod or shake has its finger hovered over the 'dial' button, ready to deliver a 'yes' or 'not yet' on the end of the phone. We find out at midnight.
77 minutes to go.
Italians often answer their telephones, "Pronto!" {"I'm ready"} instead of "Ciao" {"Hello"}.
It's a posture of a prepared heart. Preparation reflects a heart daring to trust for a 'yes.' And hey, that's not always easy. Answers thus far haven't held the cure for the heart stricken ill from hope deferred.
52 minutes.
Pronto! A stance that looks in the Lord's eye, honest. No qualms quiver in her gut. "Why yes," she truthfully elates. "I've done what was asked to prepare to handle this dream coming true. Changes are bound to paint my life.
I have allowed my heart to be
refined {by His Word} defined {by His character} supined {in front of His throne}
to best be equipped to deal with these in grace patience gladness thankfulness wisdom joy."
Pronto! A place of open hands--empty after placing life-long desires of gender, age, name on the altar. Open heart--accepting double doses of love, humility, honor towards others' wishes and dreams. Open head--clear to process paperwork, shopping lists and a new balance of 'normal.'
Pronto! A place where we find
Thy light in my darkness Thy life in my death Thy joy in my sorrow Thy grace in my sin Thy riches in my poverty Thy glory in my valley ~Valley of Vision
Pronto! A place where hearts remain surrendered, come whatever the answer on the telephone is. Fluffed and warmed and nested for baby birds to cuddle cozy. Hand on phone, "I'm ready" falling off edge of tongue.
23 minutes.
Please pray for my friends and the Lord's will to come to pass. They're ready. I'll keep you posted.
Going Deeper
What dream(s) are you praying God will bring to pass?
Seek how He would ask you to prepare, so you can answer "I'm ready!" when He calls. {this may be very practical like waking up earlier or saving money. Or more spiritual like memorizing scripture or setting time aside to pray and worship.}
Write this verse on the tablet of your heart and mind. Tuck it in the recesses to refer to as you prepare. Show me your ways, O LORD, teach me your paths; guide me in your truth and teach me, for you are God my Savior, and my hope is in you all day long. Remember, O LORD, your great mercy and love, for they are from of old. ~Psalm 25:4-6
Some sit on your chest, pressing tenacity and perseverance. They grab your hands, loosening that which consumes and withdraws you from taking hold of them.
Others are wall flowers. Pleading dance card in hand. They dare a glance up, desperate for you to see, "I'm waiting."
There are those you stalk, sleep on their front stoop. Break and enter into their impenetrable fortress.
Still other dreams are miles away, pacing their steps toward you. Upon meeting in the middle, realization hits: you'd know that face anywhere. Every step toward this union finally makes sense.
Some dreams captivate us and come true with little effort Some wait for us to take hold of them Some block us out, making us work for their fruition Some are so private, even we don't know they exist until we enter them
All have commonality of one thing: the Giver. He sees the heart that dares to rush into a dream headlong and rejoices when it comes true. His eye spies the soul a tad shy and scared to go after what it longs for and holds her hand encouraging. Without fail, the weary and frustrated remain in His view and care. And His glance does more than pass by the one who excitedly recognizes a discovered dream...He whispers delighted wisdom her way.
Not all dreams will come true. Not all dreams that come true will equate to easeful joy. That's just the way it can be. But one certainty is and was and will always be true: His eye is on you.
Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? ~Matthew 6:26
Words: Civilla Martin. Music: Charles Gabriel.
Early in the spring of 1905, my husband and I were sojourning in Elmira, New York. We contracted a deep friendship for a couple by the name of Mr. and Mrs. Doolittle—true saints of God. Mrs. Doolittle had been bedridden for nigh twenty years. Her husband was an incurable cripple who had to propel himself to and from his business in a wheel chair.
Despite their afflictions, they lived happy Christian lives, bringing inspiration and comfort to all who knew them. One day while we were visiting with the Doolittles, my husband commented on their bright hopefulness and asked them for the secret of it.
Mrs. Doolittle's reply was simple: "His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me." The beauty of this simple expression of boundless faith gripped the hearts and fired the imagination of Dr. Martin and me. The hymn "His Eye Is on the Sparrow" was the outcome of that experience. ~Civilla Martin
