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Cause Me to Hear You, Lord
Andrea Lende • October 10, 2020
Psalm 143:8
Cause Me to Hear You, Lord
You can also listen to the meditation and prayer at: https://anchor.fm/andrea-lende/episodes/Cause-Me-to-Hear-You--Lord-ekrgct
Psalm 143:8
“Cause me to hear Your loving-kindness in the morning, for on You do I lean and in You do I trust. Cause me to know the way wherein I should walk, for I lift up my inner self to You.”
King David wrote these words as he was pondering the difficulties in his life.
He was being pursued by the enemy.
He wrote, “Therefore is my spirit over-whelmed and faints within me [wrapped in gloom]; my heart within my bosom grows numb.”
As I read this psalm, I found that my spirit resonated with King David and how he was feeling.
The enemy continually tries to pull us down into the pit of destruction just as he did with David.
Even when our future looks bright, the enemy tries to give us a gloomy outlook.
A darkness wants to envelope our lives.
However, there is nothing that can separate us from God’s love.
There is nothing that can stop us from our hope in God.
David prayed that the Lord would cause him to be able to hear and feel the Lord’s love and kindness.
He told the Lord that He leaned on and trusted in Him.
When we cannot stand, we need to lean on God.
He is Almighty.
He is Strength.
He is our Savior.
He saved us two thousand years ago and He continues to save us today.
David prays that the Lord would guide him and lead him.
He gives his inner being to the Lord.
I continually surrender my inner self to the Lord.
I pray that His Holy Spirit will fill my spirit and consume me.
The Lord and His Light will light up the darkness within.
The last verse in this is psalm says, “And in your mercy and loving-kindness, cut off my enemies and destroy all those who afflict my inner self, for I am Your servant”.
David asks the Lord to destroy all the enemies who affect his inner being.
We can ask the same of the Lord.
Today I pray the Lord fill my spirit with His Spirit and destroy the enemies’ advances against my inner being.
May you find that the Lord will fill you with His Light and Love and hold back all the enemies’ advances against your spirit.
Daily Prayer:
O Lord, my God, thank You for showing me that the enemy fights against me. Thank you for showing me that You win every battle. Thank You for causing me to feel Your loving-kindness toward me. Lift my spirit to You, Lord, and allow me to sit at Your feet for a few precious moments today. Keep my mind on You and not the problems I face, Lord. Thank You for working on all the circumstances of my life. Help me know that You have beautiful and wonderful things in store for me as Your servant, Father. Your beauty is all around me as nature changes its season. Help me see Your beauty and sense Your magnificence so I don’t miss You, Father. It helps me know You are able to do all that I need. However, my needs are so small when I consider the needs of this world. May You wrap this world in Your Almighty hands and bring us all to You, Father. Help us hear You and heed Your call. Help us love one another as You have asked of us. May we be led to Your Word so that we may be encouraged by the Scriptures that teach and inspire us. Keep us Yours, Lord. Keep us Yours. Help me bless someone this day. Thank You for hearing my prayer.
Answer: I AM the Light in the darkness, My child, and I will fill your spirit with My Light and Love.
Response: Thank You, most gracious and loving Father.
We start a New Year! How exciting! Paul had just finished telling the Ephesians to put off their old nature. They had been run around by their feelings and desires. He told them to be renewed in their spirit. The Amplified Bible defines this to be “having a fresh mental and spiritual attitude.” As we say goodbye to this year, let us put on the new and leave the old behind. We have an opportunity to reflect on what to bring forward into this New Year.
This is a great message for the New Year. We can be in control of our own words. As a mother, I used to tell my children to use their words to explain what was happening in their minds. I tried to help them find the right words. Words that would help the situation and not make it worse. I must do the same thing when talking to them. It’s important to use words that do not damage their spirits. Words that lift up instead of tear down. Even though my children have grown, I still want to be careful how I speak to them because my worlds will impact them for the rest of their lives.
As we approach the New Year, it is a perfect time to take inventory of what part of our lives, our hearts, and our souls are not bearing fruit. What can we give up as this year comes to a close? What do we need to give to the Lord for His cleansing and pruning? The answers to these questions take time. Time with the Lord. We are creatures of routines and habits which serve us well. But we can also change our routines and habits to serve us and the Lord better. So, we can ask God to show us what He wants us to give up so that He can have more of us.
I cannot think of a better verse to meditate on as we approach the New Year. Jesus said, "the kingdom of God is within you [in your hearts] and among you [surrounding you]." For so many years I believed I had to wait to go to heaven to experience the kingdom of God. I have longed to step into heaven and meet the Lord and His Son. However, as we read the Gospels and study Jesus and all that He said, we begin to understand the kingdom of God is all around us. The kingdom of God is within.
Paul wrote to the Colossians and told them he was praying for them. He prayed they would be refreshed, renewed, and invigorated. He also prayed they would be strengthened. May his prayer be heard by the Lord God Almighty on our behalf today just as it was received two thousand years ago. God is the Source of all things beautiful and wonderful. There is no shortage of renewal, refreshment, or inspiration in His kingdom. And as the Creator of this universe, He continues to pour all good things into His people. Paul wrote that refreshment and strength are needed so we may have endurance.
This verse is the perfect verse to reflect on as Christmas comes to a close. The Lord sent His Son to us. He sent Him to this world as a babe. Jesus was given the task of growing up. A difficult one for all of us. He endured the awkward stages we all go through as we grow past them. I look back at old picture and cringe, yes, I cringe. This life provides plenty of opportunities to feel awkward and just plain weird, but our Father loves us as though we are perfect every day of our lives. This is why Jesus came. He came to make us perfect in God’s sight.
God made Himself flesh so He could take away the sins of the world. The story of the very first Christmas was humble, yet the most powerful and loving birth ever recorded in history. All humanity changed in an instant. When Jesus was born, love filled the earth. Love came down and lifted us up. The angels came to tell the shepherds of this beautiful birth. The stars in the heavens also told the story. As we do all tasks that we do to ensure a beautiful Christmas day, may we remember the miracle that God sent long ago. The miracle of all miracles.
The first Christmas was going to be documented, so that it could be read many times over for all Christmas’ to come. It was also documented so the prophecy of the Messiah’s birth would be known to be fulfilled. Prophets of old foretold Jesus would come from the house of David. They also prophesied that He would be born in Bethlehem. And all this came to pass. Even though Jesus would be known as a Nazarene, His beginning began in Bethlehem. God’s divine plan was set in motion with the first census while Mary was at the end of her pregnancy.
What a wonderful passage to read during Christmas week. Our passage touched my heart as I read it through the lens of Jesus’ birth. “It was God [personally present] in Christ, reconciling and restoring the world to favor with Himself.” We have so much to be thankful for in these few short words, “restoring the world to favor with Himself.” So undeserved and yet so graciously given. We are offered favor with the Lord. Imagine having favor with the almighty God, the Creator of the universe. Jesus chose to leave heaven’s door where all was perfect. He chose to be born into this dusty messy world.
Jesus had just spoken to a fig tree and deemed it unworthy to live because it had no fruit on it. His disciples were amazed when they saw the fig tree wither and die. Then the Lord talked to them about prayer and belief. He told them that whatever they asked for, if they had the faith and belief, they would receive it. I remember the day I started hearing music and lyrics. I had just bowed my head at the piano and asked if the Lord would bless praise and worship music. As soon as I prayed that prayer, the Lord bestowed the gift of song writing upon me.