"That evening the disciples came to him and said, 'This is a desolate place, and it is getting late. Send the crowds away so they can go to the villages and buy food for themselves.'" Matthew 14:13-15
"......this is a desolate place, and it is getting late. Send the crowds away....."
WOW! Imagine! The crowds were in need of being SENT away. They must have been hungry, otherwise the disciples wouldn't have mentioned the need for food.
As we approach the last week of the fast are you feeling that you have been in a desolate place longing for the comfort of familiar food? Have you noticed that it's getting "late" so why not cheat a little now? Personally, I have never looked with longing on a pretzel before, but today I sure did....several times! However, as I contemplated what the crunch of the twisted pretzel would be like, I learned something from "The Crowd" that surrounded Jesus! They weren't going anywhere even if they were hungry! They were so hungry and thirsty for what Jesus had to offer that it was more than enough to keep them grounded in one place. They were so resolute with their stance of staying before Jesus that the disciples told him to "Send them away!"
If anyone in the crowd had walked to town to pick up a "burger" they would have missed one of Jesus' most talked about miracles--the feeding of the 5000!!!!! BUT...they didn't WANT to leave! They remained where they were!!!
Let's stand together as a crowd and press in to Jesus these last few days and perhaps we will receive our own little miracle! Even if we don't, I've realized that I would rather have HIM than a twisted pretzel!!!!
Praising HIM, Pressing IN, and Pondering His words!
Thursday, February 01, 2007
Monday, May 29, 2006
Sowing in Tears = Reaping a Harvest of Joy
"Those who sow in tears will reap with songs of joy. He who goes out weeping, carrying seed to sow, will return with songs of joy, carrying sheaves with him." Palm 126:5-6
She sat alone in church, weeping. Her mouth moved, but sounds did not pour forth from her lips. The church leader thinking she was drunk approached her and tried to remove her from the sanctuary. He was startled to find out that her actions were a result of deep anguish. Hannah laid bare the pain of being childless to this man of God. With renewed understanding, he blessed her and sent her on her way. A year later, Hannah, filled with joy, held her new born baby boy in her arms!
Has your soul ever been in deep anguish where life seems to come to a complete halt? You can't think straight, you don't function well and tears seem to be your best friend. In the Bible we hear many that have asked God, "Why is my soul so downcast?" It is a valid question! "Lord, why is my soul so downcast?" For years it seems that I have asked the Lord that same question and many times it went unanswered.
What I have discovered is that the areas of anguish, where I lay bare my pain and requests to the Lord are actually what the Psalmist says in Psalm 126, "Sow(ing) in tears." I now see that each tear, request, place of brokenness and pain are actually seeds placed in the soil of God's love! When I look back a year or two or ten, I find joy in the harvest of seeing what God grew out of those seeds of dispair. Somehow it encourages me to continue to sow in tears. It brings hope to know that someday I will see a harvest in place of this barren place! When I see the harvest, that is when I get to shout with joy to my God for bringing me through!
She sat alone in church, weeping. Her mouth moved, but sounds did not pour forth from her lips. The church leader thinking she was drunk approached her and tried to remove her from the sanctuary. He was startled to find out that her actions were a result of deep anguish. Hannah laid bare the pain of being childless to this man of God. With renewed understanding, he blessed her and sent her on her way. A year later, Hannah, filled with joy, held her new born baby boy in her arms!
Has your soul ever been in deep anguish where life seems to come to a complete halt? You can't think straight, you don't function well and tears seem to be your best friend. In the Bible we hear many that have asked God, "Why is my soul so downcast?" It is a valid question! "Lord, why is my soul so downcast?" For years it seems that I have asked the Lord that same question and many times it went unanswered.
What I have discovered is that the areas of anguish, where I lay bare my pain and requests to the Lord are actually what the Psalmist says in Psalm 126, "Sow(ing) in tears." I now see that each tear, request, place of brokenness and pain are actually seeds placed in the soil of God's love! When I look back a year or two or ten, I find joy in the harvest of seeing what God grew out of those seeds of dispair. Somehow it encourages me to continue to sow in tears. It brings hope to know that someday I will see a harvest in place of this barren place! When I see the harvest, that is when I get to shout with joy to my God for bringing me through!
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