4/5/2024
The Only One Who MattersI was asked to pray over my daughter-in-law at a recent baby shower our family held in her honor.
Talking out loud to God used to be an issue for me. In group settings I would focus more on what I was going to say when it was my turn to pray, than on the prayers already being said. I’m embarrassed to admit that because I worried so much about how others perceived me, I avoided praying out loud. I always ended up calling on someone else to pray during my ladies Bible studies at church. God gently showed me that I was making prayer all about me. I wanted to be perceived as a godly prayer warrior, and too often I was going through the motions instead of simply talking to my God. Once my eyes were opened, praying in public became sweet because I knew Jesus was sitting right there with me, and that was all that mattered. I was talking to Him alone. And so, the baby shower… If you have been here a while, you know that my son and his wife could not get pregnant for years. It was a sorrowful heaviness that was almost too much to bear. But God!! God performed breathtaking miracles in their lives, and our precious baby Noelle is due in May. A myriad of emotions were felt as I began to pray for my daughter-in-law, and attempted to glorify God in that moment. My mind knew what I was trying to communicate, but my mouth did not. Suddenly I was the blubbering, tongue tied mother-in-law. The tears came and to be honest, I don’t even know what I prayed. What I do know is this. As I struggled to mouth the words my heart felt, I paused and remembered I was talking to my heavenly Daddy. In that moment it was as if it was only He and I, and I felt His love wrap around me, and Shannon, and baby Noelle. I had a complete peace that God knew my heart. He knew my thoughts. He knew the love I felt for Him in that moment and the joy He had given me. He knew I wanted to glorify. And so, I let the tears fall and I just talked to Him. If you have ever felt like I have when it comes to public prayer, or maybe you have even felt that way in private, please let me assure you that our amazing Heavenly Father does not want you to feel that way. Jesus is alive and real. Our Heavenly Father isn’t some far away, out of touch God up in the sky. He is right there next to you. In your midst and in your heart. You are talking to the Kings of Kings. What a beautiful thing that is. Our God, who holds the oceans in His hands, yet bends down to listen to the small cries of our pleading souls. The Creator of the stars. The Father who keeps every one of your tears in His bottle. Who knows of every sand on the sea shore yet every hair on your head. He is the Father who is talking to you!! Hearing even the thoughts you cannot utter. Laughing with you. Crying with you. Feeling every emotion, and reassuring you of His love. So sweet friend~Just talk to Him. Nothing fancy. Just you and Jesus. Because when you’re talking to Jesus, He is the only one who matters. ❤️ SCRIPTURE READING: Matthew 18:20 Ephesians 3:17-19 Philippians 4:7 Psalm 44:21 I Samuel 16:7 Psalm 139:1-2,4,6 Psalm 16:11 Isaiah 40:12 Luke 12:6-7 Psalm 139:17-18 Romans 8:26-27 John 10:29 Psalm 56:8 Hebrews 4:15-16 I John 4:16, 18-19 Jeremiah 29:12-13 Psalm 116:1-2 |
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