All About GOD - Growing Relationships with Jesus and Others

All Roads Lead Home

All Roads lead Home. July, 2019

listen to podcast:

https://www.pastorwoman.net/podcast/episode/25263d94/all-roads-lead...

She is gentle of heart, sweet of spirit and broken, or at least that is how she described herself. What do you say to someone who is in a prolonged season of sorrow? Seldom am I speechless, but in this case, I am. Besides touching her softly, letting her know I am for her and with her, then I go to my prayer closet in my mind, lifting her before my Father.

Similarly, yesterday I got a phone call from one of my children, completely overwhelmed, distraught and I guess you would say, totally out of control. 'What do I do, God?' asking for wisdom, [because the Bible makes it clear that if we ask God for wisdom, he will give it to us~ James 1.5]. And this time I physically went to my closet to pray. As I have so many times before, I asked God to come and do what only he could do - step into my son's path, calm him and draw him back to Himself.

Two hours later, I met a young woman at the airport who told me she was going home to safety (to Denver). 'What do you mean ... are you okay?' I asked. And then I listened to Christina's tale of woe in Los Angeles and her season of lostness. What I could do practically speaking was limited, so I asked her if I could pray for her. 'Yes, of course . . . please-' So I put my hand on her white-sleeved arm and prayed that God would lead her, protect her and give her wisdom - oh, yes, and show her his purpose for her.'

All roads lead home for me... to prayer, so I can access the power of God. Because even though I think I'm quite tough, compared to these things - I' got nothin'. Even though I think I'm quite capable, and I am, compared to the creativity of God in looking at situations and at the future, I' got nothin'.

Yup, because I know God is good, because I know he is faithful (truly, I can look back over my shoulder and remember how he has come through), and I know his love is never-ending, going to him is my immediate response-whether I need direction, wisdom, forgiveness, peace, or healing for a loved one, I know God hears and answers prayer.

Speaking of God's goodness, have you read Psalm 136 lately? Holy cow.

Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good!
His faithful love endures forever. I can picture the cantor singing this refrain in Hebrew!

Give thanks to him who alone does mighty miracles.
His faithful love endures forever.

Give thanks to him who made the heavens so skillfully.

His faithful love endures forever.

Give thanks to him who placed the earth among the waters.
  His faithful love endures forever.
Give thanks to him who made the heavenly lights-
His faithful love endures forever.
  the sun to rule the day,
His faithful love endures forever.
     and the moon and stars to rule the night.
     His faithful love endures forever...

And here's the thing - can you hear me? Reaching out to the God of the Universe has nothing to do with religion. Oh, Friend, we are a people who feel wounded by the Church, (whichever one that is), but that Church is oft so far afield from the God whose name is professed. So, let's go Home, and reach out to the One who is home.

And if you're just turning around, (my new friend from Chase)considering whether there is merit to such an endeavor, could we at least be real enough, courageous enough to say, 'God, if you're there . . . would you show yourself to me?' I believe that is where God wants each of us to be - real. Well, as my friend "Tex" a Crip from the streets of Long Beach used to say to me, 'Past-ah, keep it real, raw and relevant.' Honestly, I don't know any other way.

And that's it, right? When someone is raw enough to tell you she is in a season of sorrow, how much more real does it get? Only then can we truly connect that one with the One whose faithful love endures forever. And sometimes it is only when we are in a season of sorrow that we can truly connect with that great love. Hmmm.

Great song for you: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=StiERsJFj1w

Christine

PastorWoman.net

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