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You’re Going to Need a Jug

Psalm 56:8 NLT You keep track of all my sorrows. You have collected all my tears in your bottle. You have recorded each one in your book.

I’ve been crying a lot lately – grief from the loss of my sweet Daddy, pain from the physical and emotional health needs of my dear mother, my own health issues, job stressors…I’ll say it- It’s a lot! So I have cried a lot. How much the Father cares for us that my evening study was Psalm 56.

The scriptures say He keeps track of all (my emphasis added) of my sorrows (v.8). He knows what I have been through – my entire life. He knows the things that no-one else knows and he keeps track of my sorrows. He knows when I have cried – thinking no one else was around – my private tears. You know the “ugly cry” that you cry when you don’t want people to know that your faith might be shaken?? Or when you sinned again because you fell into the trap? I love it that the scripture doesn’t say he cares why I’m crying – it could be grief, pain from someone else or some self-induced problem that I created. Just like the hairs on my head are numbered (Matt. 10:30), He knows each time we have sorrow.

He notices – He remembers – He keeps them in a bottle (v.8) and records them in His book. Not just any book, but His book. Malachi 3:16 says he keeps a book of remembrance of those who are faithful to Him. That’s me! That’s you! In His perfect timing, he will allow us to experience joy for all the tears we’ve cried.

Thank you Lord…I’m thinking one of those cute lachrymators won’t do – we’re going to need a large jug!

Prayer: Lord thank you for seeing me, noticing my sorrow and attending to my needs. Thank you for your faithfulness to me. Help me to continue to be faithful and trust you in everything – even when I cry. Amen.

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Emerging From the Winepress Uncrushed

“The angel of the LORD came and he sat under the oak that was in Ophrah, which belonged to Joash, the Abiezrite. His son Gideon was threshing wheat in the winepress in order to hide it from the Midianites. Then the angel of the LORD appeared to him and said: “The LORD is with you, mighty warrior.” Judges 6:11-12 (HCSB)

This first post has been four months in the making. There have been several attempts to start writing because I’m confident that the Lord has called me to be a Christian communicator. Upon rising that morning, it was as if He knew I was going to need a message from Him. I couldn’t just be any old message. It needed to be boldly written; on neon green paper- with a bright orange highlighter. Just as Gideon asked for confirmation in Judges 6:17 , so did I and our Father faithfully provided it. Yet; even with that I still couldn’t get these anxious fingers to type on this public website – go figure! Professionally, I have spoken, written and educated on healthcare related issues for more than 30 years as a nurse, but THIS seemed too lofty for me.

So back to safely writing in the journal in my winepress – I mean prayer room. In spite of my disobedience, God placed timely truths in front of me every day that blessed me tremendously. During this pandemic, He has lovingly brought me through some difficult times. Don’t get it twisted – He’s also taught me some things I didn’t want to know about myself. The word of God has rebuked, corrected, trained and is still equipping me to do what he has called me to do 2 Tim 3:16-17. During some of those journaling sessions, I also wondered if those messages could have helped someone else. But I didn’t share them and I repent for that. The desire was to make sure that everything was perfect before publishing. Then I realized – that was MY desire. That’s why I was afraid – I was making it about me. I was afraid because I didn’t think I could do it alone. The scripture clearly says that the Lord “came” and then it says the Lord “appeared”. The reference to the angel of the Lord in this scripture is the Malak Yahweh – the very presence of the Lord. So He was already there with Gideon! Gideon didn’t notice Him until he appeared and he isn’t the only one who needed to be reminded of that. Ouch and Amen!

Gideon was in a winepress- threshing wheat – hidden away. Threshing wheat should be done out in the open so that the wind can help blow the useless chaff away – not in a small, closed room like a winepress. Gideon was doing the right thing in the wrong place because he was afraid. His work (and ours) made so much more difficult at least partially because of fear. But Gideon’s story reminds us that when the Lord calls us, then we can be assured that we need to go in the strength we have (v.14) for He will be with us (v.16).

He has strengthened us for the task to which we have been called. Now – Go Forward!! And unless you’ve got grapes in your hand…Get out of that winepress!

Father, I thank you for placing your Spirit in us to strengthen us and I thank you for making your presence and your purpose for our lives known to us. May we continue to walk in your will. We love you and honor you. In Jesus Name. Amen.

Why Won’t You Listen?

O Israel, …if you would listen to Me! Psalm 81:8 (NASB)

In learning to study the Word, I saw a method that indicated one should repeat a scripture verse placing emphasis on a different word. So I decided to give it a try. Boy was that an experience with this verse. I’m not starting with O or Israel, because that took me all morning to process! Trust me, it got deep and you don’t have the time.

IF – implies there is a choice to be made. God will not force His will on me or you. We have to choose to be obedient or not.

YOU – directly speaking to an individual or a collective group of people. Since I was reading this, and I’m feeling guilty about not writing…I know this is written to ME. You = Veronica…(insert sigh)..

WOULD – is there a willingness on my part? Will I be obedient in the future? Can I look forward instead of looking back to the past – which can’t be changed, by the way.

ONLY – this could go a couple of ways. ONLY listen to God’s voice – none other. Or He could be saying I just need to trust Him. Can I just do that – without questions, without worrying, without disobedience…If you would ONLY…..

LISTEN – listening is not only done with your ears, your whole person is involved in listening. Be Still….Hear His voice..Let him lead and guide you.

TO – I’ll admit I looked this one up – the definition of to – expressing motion in the direction of a particular location…Go in the direction He tells you. And by YOU, I mean ME!

ME – Only listen to Him…Only God. He’s enough.

God: IF YOU WOULD ONLY LISTEN TO ME.

Me: Speak Lord, your servant is listening- 1 Sam 3: 10