PERSONAL STORY
He Reaches Out First
He Reaches Out First
"PERSONAL STORY" pages are encouragement to help you realize you are not alone. Others have traveled along the path; others have sought comfort from God Himself; others have found freedom. So can you! We invite you to let the experiences of others encourage you, and to begin to know, understand and feel Comfort directly from our Father in heaven.
Love then, consists of this, not that we have loved God but that He has loved us FIRST.
(1John 4 paraphrased)
The summer before my junior year of college I participated in a service project helping migrants who came to work in the farm fields of Michigan. It could sound as if I was a young woman inspired by a peaceful and noble heart seeking to serve others. Actually, I was a very troubled and lonely young woman seeking answers for my life: is there really a God who loves me, am I worthy of being loved, why do I feel like such a disappointment, why is there so much suffering in my family and in the world? I was crying out in pain for answers. I was, however, not really expecting comfort, rather just wanting a perspective, any perspective, which might bring a little hope.
The pain in my life flowed from the pain I experienced as a child in my family. If you looked at my family from the outside world, it would appear that we were the perfect family. However, if you looked through the windows of our home you would have seen a very ill mother, a very emotionally distant and absent father, and children living in shadows. Through those windows you would see the reality of neglect and abuse. But who would have known or even have been able to intervene? After all, we were so trained and successful at presenting the impression of a loving and happy family. But God was seeing the pain I was experiencing, as others and even I could not. In fact, as most children do in abusive situations, I thought there was something wrong with me.
There was one woman, however, who did see the truth of our family circumstances. She was a maid in our home five days a week from the time I was born until I was eighteen. She had an up close and personal view of our everyday life.
As a child relating to her, I observed this woman’s constant kindness and faith in God in the midst of adversity. One day, after a particularly chaotic and abusive experience, she sat down with me and said, “When you go through hard times like today, turn to God and He will be there for you.” Even though a child, I made “note” of that somewhere within myself. However, making “note” was a far CRY away from receiving comfort and healing.
Back to my Michigan trip, while I was there “serving” among the migrants, the reality is the individuals I met there really served me! I experienced kindness in the midst of poverty and hardness. I also experienced a faith in God that was personal, alive, joyful and full of love. I know now, later in life, that indeed God was CRYING OUT to me: “I am with you, I see you, I love you personally, I care about you, I am loving you.
In fact, the Lord brought a beautiful Christian woman who was the support person for my service team to speak to me about God’s personal love for me. Before I left for home she encouraged me to seek out a deep relationship with God. She said that Jesus would be my source of strength and comfort. She expressed concern for me that I would have difficulty adjusting to being with my family as I returned home. There again, I was making “note” that faith in God was somehow connected to the ability to live in kindness and joy, even in the midst of suffering. God was once again CRYING OUT to me to turn to Him and seek Him. However, I was still just making a “note” of this, only in my mind. I had not yet actually cried out to Him personally.
Shortly after returning home from Michigan, I became ill with mononucleosis. I had to leave school and return home where I was confined to my bedroom for rest. I was staring at loneliness and the reality of my isolation, up close and personal. The physical fatigue of the mononucleosis was nothing compared to the loneliness and unrest within my own heart.
I had received a guitar for my birthday shortly before I became ill. So I decided to use this recovery time learning to play the guitar. One of the first songs I attempted to learn was a song called: “Hear, O Lord, the sound of my call, Hear, O Lord and have mercy.” Little did I know that once again the Lord was CRYING OUT to me to seek comfort and strength in Him. The song went on: “My Soul is longing for the Glory of You, Hear, O Lord and answer”. As I was trying to learn guitar chords, I was singing the phrase: “My Soul is longing for the Glory of You”.
As I was singing, I began to really hear the words and more importantly their intent. More and more during that time my heart turned to Him and I began to experience His presence. I began to be aware that my soul and my heart were longing for His love, His comfort and His truth. I began to invite Him into my heart, a heart that was already was longing for Him. Needless to say He answered. And I had finally come to realize that it was not me crying out to Him first, but rather all along in my life He had been CRYING OUT to me!
I shared this personal story with you so that you could reflect on your own life. Do you have any memories where you can now see that God has been calling out to you to turn to Him? Are you at a place where you have simply taken “intellectual note” of this invitation, or have you personally invited Him into your life?
The most powerful prayer that you could pray right now is a simple: “God help me to hear you calling my name. I invite you into my life. I need you, and I want to know you personally”. That simple prayer is the beginning of knowing Jesus personally and experiencing His comforting love. This new sense of companionship with God is so different from simply knowing about God. And it is the opposite of thinking about God from a perspective of fear of guilt and punishment!
SCRIPTURE REFLECTION
“Come to me all you who are thirsty.” (Isaiah 55, NIV)
“In the same way the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans.” (Romans 8, NIV)
Remember this as you read: God Himself is right now ready, willing and able, and actually longing, to have us meet Him to enjoy everything He has for us!
PAUSE … Invite Him to be with you; let Him quiet you with His Love.
REFLECT… What is God saying to you? What does it mean that He has been calling out to us first? What does it mean that we can call out to Him in safety?
RECEIVE … We are meant to place our entire life and, both past, present and future, on a God Who totally knows us and delights in us.
_________________________________________________________________________________________
PROMISES ..... short Scriptures to build you up and give you hope!
"...my chosen ones will long enjoy the work of their hands. They will not toil in vain or bear children doomed to misfortune; for they will be a people blessed by the Lord, they and their descendants with them. Before they call, I will answer; while they are yet speaking, I will hear." (Isaiah 65, NIV)
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Click HERE to return to "Week 9 Outline"
Click HERE to go to "Week 10 Outline"
(1John 4 paraphrased)
The summer before my junior year of college I participated in a service project helping migrants who came to work in the farm fields of Michigan. It could sound as if I was a young woman inspired by a peaceful and noble heart seeking to serve others. Actually, I was a very troubled and lonely young woman seeking answers for my life: is there really a God who loves me, am I worthy of being loved, why do I feel like such a disappointment, why is there so much suffering in my family and in the world? I was crying out in pain for answers. I was, however, not really expecting comfort, rather just wanting a perspective, any perspective, which might bring a little hope.
The pain in my life flowed from the pain I experienced as a child in my family. If you looked at my family from the outside world, it would appear that we were the perfect family. However, if you looked through the windows of our home you would have seen a very ill mother, a very emotionally distant and absent father, and children living in shadows. Through those windows you would see the reality of neglect and abuse. But who would have known or even have been able to intervene? After all, we were so trained and successful at presenting the impression of a loving and happy family. But God was seeing the pain I was experiencing, as others and even I could not. In fact, as most children do in abusive situations, I thought there was something wrong with me.
There was one woman, however, who did see the truth of our family circumstances. She was a maid in our home five days a week from the time I was born until I was eighteen. She had an up close and personal view of our everyday life.
As a child relating to her, I observed this woman’s constant kindness and faith in God in the midst of adversity. One day, after a particularly chaotic and abusive experience, she sat down with me and said, “When you go through hard times like today, turn to God and He will be there for you.” Even though a child, I made “note” of that somewhere within myself. However, making “note” was a far CRY away from receiving comfort and healing.
Back to my Michigan trip, while I was there “serving” among the migrants, the reality is the individuals I met there really served me! I experienced kindness in the midst of poverty and hardness. I also experienced a faith in God that was personal, alive, joyful and full of love. I know now, later in life, that indeed God was CRYING OUT to me: “I am with you, I see you, I love you personally, I care about you, I am loving you.
In fact, the Lord brought a beautiful Christian woman who was the support person for my service team to speak to me about God’s personal love for me. Before I left for home she encouraged me to seek out a deep relationship with God. She said that Jesus would be my source of strength and comfort. She expressed concern for me that I would have difficulty adjusting to being with my family as I returned home. There again, I was making “note” that faith in God was somehow connected to the ability to live in kindness and joy, even in the midst of suffering. God was once again CRYING OUT to me to turn to Him and seek Him. However, I was still just making a “note” of this, only in my mind. I had not yet actually cried out to Him personally.
Shortly after returning home from Michigan, I became ill with mononucleosis. I had to leave school and return home where I was confined to my bedroom for rest. I was staring at loneliness and the reality of my isolation, up close and personal. The physical fatigue of the mononucleosis was nothing compared to the loneliness and unrest within my own heart.
I had received a guitar for my birthday shortly before I became ill. So I decided to use this recovery time learning to play the guitar. One of the first songs I attempted to learn was a song called: “Hear, O Lord, the sound of my call, Hear, O Lord and have mercy.” Little did I know that once again the Lord was CRYING OUT to me to seek comfort and strength in Him. The song went on: “My Soul is longing for the Glory of You, Hear, O Lord and answer”. As I was trying to learn guitar chords, I was singing the phrase: “My Soul is longing for the Glory of You”.
As I was singing, I began to really hear the words and more importantly their intent. More and more during that time my heart turned to Him and I began to experience His presence. I began to be aware that my soul and my heart were longing for His love, His comfort and His truth. I began to invite Him into my heart, a heart that was already was longing for Him. Needless to say He answered. And I had finally come to realize that it was not me crying out to Him first, but rather all along in my life He had been CRYING OUT to me!
I shared this personal story with you so that you could reflect on your own life. Do you have any memories where you can now see that God has been calling out to you to turn to Him? Are you at a place where you have simply taken “intellectual note” of this invitation, or have you personally invited Him into your life?
The most powerful prayer that you could pray right now is a simple: “God help me to hear you calling my name. I invite you into my life. I need you, and I want to know you personally”. That simple prayer is the beginning of knowing Jesus personally and experiencing His comforting love. This new sense of companionship with God is so different from simply knowing about God. And it is the opposite of thinking about God from a perspective of fear of guilt and punishment!
SCRIPTURE REFLECTION
“Come to me all you who are thirsty.” (Isaiah 55, NIV)
“In the same way the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans.” (Romans 8, NIV)
Remember this as you read: God Himself is right now ready, willing and able, and actually longing, to have us meet Him to enjoy everything He has for us!
PAUSE … Invite Him to be with you; let Him quiet you with His Love.
REFLECT… What is God saying to you? What does it mean that He has been calling out to us first? What does it mean that we can call out to Him in safety?
RECEIVE … We are meant to place our entire life and, both past, present and future, on a God Who totally knows us and delights in us.
_________________________________________________________________________________________
PROMISES ..... short Scriptures to build you up and give you hope!
"...my chosen ones will long enjoy the work of their hands. They will not toil in vain or bear children doomed to misfortune; for they will be a people blessed by the Lord, they and their descendants with them. Before they call, I will answer; while they are yet speaking, I will hear." (Isaiah 65, NIV)
_________________________________________________________________________________________
Click HERE to return to "Week 9 Outline"
Click HERE to go to "Week 10 Outline"