needs | Catching a Vision by Viv

“Sons and daughters, come and listen and let me teach you the importance of trusting and fearing the Lord.” Ps 34:11 This passage reminds us to look to God to understand what is of greatest significance in life. It is so easy to become discontent or dissatisfied with where we are in our lives. Dear Christians perhaps we have forgotten what is of the greatest value. Being loved and cared for by God is the highest fulfillment in life and is free to all who receive His love and will trust Him. “…abiding love surrounds those who trust in the Lord.” Ps 32:10 Does it not make sense to have our closest relationship be with the One who alone can help us when others simply are unable?

Being only human we can’t comprehend the perfect kindness, gentleness, and love of our Heavenly Father who meets every desire of our heart. “Oh, put God to the test and see how kind he is. See for yourself the way his mercies shower down on all who trust in him; for everyone who does this has everything he needs… those of us who reverence the Lord will never lack any good thing.” Ps 34:8,9 The truth is our needs are often just too great or too complex to be met by another person. However, God offers us a source of confidence and help that is truly out of this world. “For all God’s words are right, and everything He does is worthy of our trust.” Ps 33:4 “I will instruct you and guide you along the best pathway for your life.” Ps 32:8 God is our perfect leader because he sees all of our life, what has happened in the past as well as what is coming in the future.

Would you agree that life is defined by our relationships? God is offering an intimate friendship to every person where we are secure, accepted and cared for. All other relationships are like cream off the top. We need to be careful that in all our doing and living we don’t forget the most important thing in life, a relationship that honors the One with whom we will spend our eternity. Friends, we will give an account to God for how we use our time, our energies, and our inspiration. True happiness will be found in trusting and reverencing the Lord. “No wonder we are happy in the Lord! For we are trusting him. Yes, Lord, let your constant love surround us, for our hopes are in you alone.” Ps 33:21,22 May we invest our lives in our closest relationship, loving God first and always.

“Your Father knows what things you have need of before you ask him.” Matt 6:8 Dwight Moody wrote “The sweetest lesson I have learned in God’s school is to let the Lord choose for me.” In our blessed hour of prayer our highest aim is to come to the Father with complete confidence that He will do the very best for me and for those I pray. “Beware in your prayer, above everything of limiting God, not only by unbelief, but by fancying that you know what He can do.” -Andrew Murray

People all through history have experienced times of trouble, insecurity, loneliness, confusion, and great spiritual want. Today with God having been taken out of our culture we are left empty and deficient in grace. But for the Christian there is a hiding place, a refuge and a high tower. It is our time of prayer. “God is our refuge and strength, a tested help in times of trouble and so we need not fear even if the world blows up, and the mountains crumble into the sea.” Psalms 46:1,2

Come away, come away to a quiet place where you can receive all the love that you need from the Father. Come to Him, He’ll hold you close, in His perfect love we boast. Meet with your heavenly Father who is the only lover of your soul. Only in the sweet hour of prayer can you find what you have been seeking all along. This is the place of acceptance where I am known and loved unconditionally. My greatest need is met and I am ready to talk to the Father about my cares- I am ready to listen and learn. Like Mary I too sit at His feet and hear what is truly important and then arise to resume my duties.

O how our hearts cry out in prayer for our loved ones as well as for those we don’t know personally. We desire His answers yet often they are far greater than our faith. One believer wrote “…sometimes God delays the answer to our prayer in final form until we have time to build up the strength, accumulate the knowledge or fashion the character that would make it possible for Him to say ‘yes’ to what we ask.” Dear Christian, encourage your heart in God knowing you will meet together once more in your own sweet hour of prayer. In this quiet place we go prepared to face a new day with greater faith and hope than ever before. Christian, God is waiting now to meet with you.