Emptiness

Memorial Day weekend 2013
The weekend I emptied my house as the next step in the process of moving to Korea.
Everything is gone aside from knick knacks and hordes of clothes I'll have to go through.

Empty.

The living room is deserted. Bedroom looking bare.
Such a weird stage-this thing called moving.

I'm thankful for a place to move on to as a temporary dwelling before moving overseas, but this step is that awkward "where do I fit" phase.
I'm trying to keep my eyes on Christ and what He has called me to do. However, my mind gets overwhelmed at the many changes I'm going through and a sense of emptiness or loneliness tries to overtake me.
My God is bigger than my feelings, bigger than the emptiness that tries to creep in.

There are times that the Christian can get discouraged or overwhelmed at whatever is before them to do. I know that I get like Peter walking to Christ on the water and when my eyes stray from him I sink and cry out for help.

Psalm 42:5 says, "Why are you cast down, O my soul, and why are you in turmoil within me? Hope in God; for I shall again praise Him"
This verse is one I turn to in the midst of discouragement, emptiness, or frustration.

But God in His mercy and wisdom, knew that I would need repetition of his comfort says in Psalm 42:11, "why are you cast down, O my soul, and why are you in turmoil within me? Hope in God, for I shall again praise him, my salvation and my God"

Someone repeats something twice and we're more prone to pay attention. But God likes the number three so in Psalm 43:5- "Why are you cast down, O my soul, and why are you in turmoil within me? Hope in GOD; for I shall again praise Him, my salvation and my God."

Isaiah says that perfect peace comes when our mind is completely focused on Him.  There will be times that I get my eyes off of Christ and focus on the transitions, the temporary, and not what He has called me to. I've got to have the right focus. That can only be Jesus.

Thoughts on prayer

The news I have been excited to share with friends and family lately has been met with several responses.  Most have had some reference to keeping me in their prayers as I'll be close to North Korea with all of its recent drama. I'm appreciative of believers keeping me in their prayers; I know I will be no where without the prayers of the saints.

However, I've had some concern about the wording or cliches of prayer that seems to be prevalent in what we rattle off in prayer time. I see a lot of things in my own prayer life that concern me and wonder if I understand what it means to pray and what exactly that is.

Matthew 6:9-13 gives direction from Christ on how to pray: "Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread,  and forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil." 


At the National Day of Prayer service last week, I heard a really good definition of what prayer is and what it does. The question: "Why do we pray when God knows everything already?" comes up. Something I hadn't considered lately was given as an answer-that our prayers put us in a humble position before God. We put ourselves in a sacrificial position of complete dependence on God, trusting Him for what we are asking.

There is nothing that can surprise Him. If something could, He is not God. He knows the end from the beginning along with the myriads of possibilities.  

Sometimes things I hear out of the Word I know I've heard them before, and I'll be smitten with it once again-almost like for the first time.  The way God does that with me gives me encouragement that He is not done with me. He is still teaching me.

Philippians 1:6 still rings true. "And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ."

Prayer is communication between the believer and the Father. Why shorten or cheapen it? Communication needs to be honest and genuine. Simple shortcuts to prayer to "get the job done" or "check it off for the day" or even treating God like he is our genie in a bottle to call on when we have some need or want is demeaning to what it ought to be.

Our God is so worthy of all our time and attention. Draw me nearer Lord to your precious bleeding side.


"If you don't feel close to God, guess who moved?"