Apr 25, 2010

The Long Truth

Last week at clinic I prayed...nothing spectacular, you know...just a prayer before a normal day at clinic. Or so I thought. Sometimes, you get what you pray for, and it takes you by surprise. Sometimes, your spirit prays for something that your mind doesn't even recognize is for you.

I have been at the computer for the past two weeks. Planning the summer team schedules, brainstorming on new ideas for the education programs we will host, making brigade fliers, posting newsletters on the HHG website... and a zillion other things, like trying to plan a wedding in 3 weeks. I have been there so long that my feet are swollen from sitting in one spot, haha...sad but true.

But the prayer...the prayer was that we would taste just a little bit of how God longs for His people. That we would be moved to love them like He does. That somehow...in this mess of a world we would be able to really love.

Tonight, I am broken. Tears fall from my face, as I realize how much he longs for His people. How he waits for them. Isa 30:18 says, "Therefore the Lord longs to be gracious to you, and therefore He waits on high to have compassion on you." (NASB)

That word, doesn't mean longing in the way most of us know it. This word doesn't refer to love, or waiting on a marriage, or the way humans love each other. No, it is much deeper than that. This word paints a picture of someone all tied up in knots. Have you ever had that feeling? Sure, I think we all have...but the difference here is that He is all tied up in knots waiting to be gracious to us! Gracious - show pity, direct favor to, or have mercy on...unwarranted compassion.

The Creator God is all tied up in knots waiting to direct favor, have mercy on, and show pity to His creation. He waits on high for opportunities to show us this godly love...and so often I would rather sleep than to accept it. So often...the things on my to do list over take the Maker...they press into the margin of my life.

Tonight, what if we chose to accept? What if we sought Him out, and gave Him the opportunity He's been looking for. I pray that you all taste this longing. This bittersweet, painfully smooth, all tied up in knots feeling that our Father has for His children.

Would you choose to long?

My greatest peace comes from the fact that I know the longing will end in such sweet surrender...when He comes to claim what is His. Oh, what a day that will be!

1 comment:

kayhaynes said...

Oh, Heather, you are so right....it brings me to my knees in repentance to realize my own trivial pursuits and my "what about me attitude", I need to tank and praise Him more and remember just what He has done for me and through me and continues to do everyday, that sweet surrender! Thank you for that, God seems to know what I need to hear or read in my circumstances to jolt me back to what the circumstances are really all about, HIM!