Pray it Off~

Tuesday greetings,

A few months ago my husband played a mean joke on my daughter-in-law, Lis.  She was weighing herself on the scale, and Jorge moved in stealthily behind her and also stepped on the scale.  It increased her weight by 20 lbs, and sheer panic set in for a few horrifying moments.  We all got a good laugh out of it, but man o man, I would have killed him.  Truth is I have never met a single person who would welcome extra weight.

Some of us carry it physically, but way too many of us carry it in our hearts.

Proverbs 12:25 “Worry weighs down the heart…”

Anxiety, heaviness, grief, sorrow, call it what you will, but all the aforementioned are part of life, and they weigh us down, bring us low, depress us, and trouble our hearts.

What can we do? The second part of Proverbs 12:25 says, “…but a kind word cheers a person up.”

Other versions of the Bible say “a good word”, an “encouraging word”, or an “appropriate word” brings joy.

The anecdote for heaviness of heart is found in the quality of the words we receive, and it’s instant.  Most importantly, we should be reading the Holy Bible every day because it is the kindest, most encouraging Word on the face of the earth.  I know that when I have those times that I feel the pressures of life, reading scripture provides a powerful lift.  Praying with a buddy also infuses my soul with hope.   And of course, over the course of my life, there have been so many life-giving words shared with me that I treasure to this day.

There is no need to carry around that extra weight today; let's pray it off right now!

PRAYER: Dear Lord, Thank You for knowing that worry weighs us down.  You never ignore us or pretend our feelings aren’t real.  But we also thank You for providing a way to lift our spirits. Remind us to fill ourselves with Your Word everyday so we can soar above the problems of life.  Also, remind us that the words we speak can affect the quality of someone else’s life.  In Jesus’ name, AMEN. 

Let Him Have It~

Casting part two!

1 Peter 5:7 “Cast all your anxiety on Him because He cares for you.”

I am known for tossing things as opposed to gently handing things over.  I have tossed everything from a fork that Jorge asked for while he sat comfortably on the couch to my own nephew during a spirited game of “hot potato”. 

The problem with tossing stuff is that it can miss the intended target.  No, my nephew was not dropped during the game.  But how many times have we thrown a wadded up ball at the garbage can and missed?  However, when we put something directly on or in the target, it has a better probability of staying put.    

Likewise, Jesus asks us to cast our anxiety ON Him so as to assure He has a firm grip on it.  Let’s be honest: Some of us are about to crumble under the pressure and strain of our problems.  Some days, maybe most days, we wonder how we can take even one more step.  The answer is to cast our anxiety on Jesus.  Let Him have it.  Let Him carry it.  Let your problems become His concern.  He can handle anything. 

These are the lyrics to the song we sang at my high school graduation:

There is no problem too big
God cannot solve it
There is no mountain too tall
God cannot move it

There is no storm too dark
God cannot calm it
There is no sorrow too deep
He cannot soothe it

If He carried the weight of the world upon His shoulders
I know He will carry you

Before Christ can carry, we must cast – we must release.

PRAYER: Dear Lord, We gladly let go of the anxiety we feel and toss it onto You.  We want You to carry it, to figure it out, to resolve the mess, pain, and hurt.  Move the mountains, calm the storms, and soothe our sorrows now. In Jesus’ name, AMEN~

Our Sorrow Has a Purpose~

Psalm 56:8

"You keep track of all my sorrows. You have collected all my tears in your bottle. You have recorded each one in your book."

 

Psalm 126:5

"Those who plant in tears will harvest with shouts of joy."

 

I read somewhere once that the Romans had a custom that whenever there was a funeral a friend would go to the one in mourning and wipe away their tears with a cloth and then squeeze the moisture into a small bottle. That bottle was then kept as a precious memorial of friendship and sorrow.

 

I am trying to imagine the tenderness of a moment like this--how thoughtful and comforting.

 

But guess what? Over the years these bottles have been unearthed in ancient Roman tombs and the only thing inside is dust. This doesn't mean the gesture was meaningless at the time it happened. It just means that we humans, in all our human efforts, have limitations.

 

This is why it blesses my heart to know that, (A) The tears that God has collected from me are still fresh, and (B) The more I cry the more joy I will one day have.

 

In other words, not one of your tears has been shed in vain. If you do not see a purpose now, please know, precious one, that at the very least God will turn those tears into joy some day.

 

Oh my goodness! I want to say that one more time. If you do not see a purpose in all the crying you have done, please know, that at the very least God will turn those tears into joy someday!!!

 

That's what these two verses mean. God knows we have sorrow. He is not insensitive to it, but rather in an act of unparalleled kindness He preserves them--perfectly. He is planning on taking every last drop that we have cried for ourselves, our loved ones, our pals, our neighbors, the injustices of the world, the evil--you name it--every last drop and turning them into an abundant harvest of shouts of joy. Amen~

 

PRAYER:

Dear Lord, Thank You that You are paying attention to us. You lovingly collect every single one of our tears, and one day they will be released as joy in our lives! We find it comforting to know that our sorrow has a purpose. In Jesus' name, AMEN~