Pull Up The Weeds
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This week the doctor said that Floyd is doing well. On one of her checks he was in his chair and gave her a big smile. That warms my heart to hear that. We're having some bitter cold winter weather so I’m grateful Floyd is doing well.
I have unexpected things come up from time to time that I have to deal with. I'm dealing with one of those at the moment. I've been trying not to stress, but the potential implications of this particular matter are quite huge......so I've been concerned. Of course I've been praying daily - many times a day.
On Wednesday evening I was talking to the Lord again about it all. My heart was stirred about the miracle working power of the Lord! I thought of all the miracles I've seen in my lifetime. I KNOW that God intervenes in situations with His miracle power. I began to pray for a miracle with the matter I'm dealing with. I went on to pray for family and friends, but I was particularly burdened to pray for the current situation. I went to bed after praying with a fresh peace in my heart.
The next morning I got an email from the person I've been dealing with. She explained to me about some consultations she'd had, and the end result is that the situation was resolved!!!!! It was truly a MIRACLE. There were so many other ways it could have gone - more likely ways. It's also the kind of thing that could have dragged on for months and months. There's still some follow up, but the issue is settled. I was so, so, so relieved! I had a wonderful time of worship in thanking the Lord. I'm still thanking Him!
This experience has given me fresh faith and hope in my heart to pray for more miracles. I think sometimes when I don't see miracles, don't see immediate answers to prayer - I get "laid back" in my prayers. I still pray, but not with the same fervency. I have fresh fervency after seeing this miracle!!
I know that each one of you reading this has things on your heart that you need answers for - you need miracles for. Let's stir our hearts to ask and believe for answers. I know God hears. He listens to each prayer. He sees our hearts. He feels our pain in the difficult situations. Let's keep asking God for miracles - for ourselves, for our friends and loved ones, and for our nations.
"I am the Lord, the God of all mankind. Is anything too hard for me?" Jeremiah 32:27
"Jesus replied, 'What is impossible with man is possible with God.' " Luke 18:27
"If I were you, I would appeal to God; I would lay my cause before Him. He performs wonders that cannot be fathomed, miracles that cannot be counted." Job 5:8,9
"Taking the five loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven, He gave thanks and broke them. Then He gave them to the disciples to distribute to the people. They all ate and were satisfied, and the disciples picked up twelve basketfuls of broken pieces that were left over." Luke 9:16,17
"I will give thanks to you, Lord, with all my heart; I will tell of all your wonderful deeds." Psalm 9:1
We can't demand, but we can ask! I'm asking afresh.
One day this week I was looking out at our small garden, our driveway, our fence with vines on it - and everything looked neglected, overgrown, and rather sad. There are whole "forests" of weeds! I usually hire a young man to help me with upkeep in pulling up the weeds and keeping things in good shape. But, of course, he hasn't been here in 5 months. It's amazing how quickly it gets out of hand if not constantly tended.
I couldn't help but think of what I was looking at being a reflection of my heart. It, too, needs continual care or "weeds" come and things get neglected. I need to constantly be in communication with the Lord to keep my heart close to Him. I can never let my heart grow untended. Thinking about this brought to mind something that happened to me early in my life.
I have loved the Lord since I was a young girl. My very earliest memories are of talking to Jesus, kneeling beside my bed in prayer, and waking up in the night with an awareness of the Lord's presence. But in my early teen years I became frustrated. I had so many questions. I loved the Lord, but I couldn't understand the legalism in the church I grew up in. So many rules! They didn't even make sense to me. I felt like my heart was dying.
Right around this time I became very sick. I ended up in the hospital with lots of tests being done. The results were that I had a serious illness - one that could impact my whole life. The doctors were puzzled by some things, however, and wanted to run all the tests again the next day to confirm what they'd found.
I lay in my hospital bed talking to the Lord that day. I cried out to Him. As if a light bulb was suddenly turned on, it became clear to me that because of my questions and frustrations I had lost a lot of the joy in my walk with the Lord. I told the Lord how sorry I was about that. I told Him if I was going to be sick the rest of my life, I didn't want to lose my joy!!!
The most amazing thing happened! It felt like a fountain was turned on inside of me and was bubbling up. I could feel my joy returning. I lay in that bed laughing because I felt so incredibly joyful - light almost. The heaviness I had been carrying was gone. The questions and frustrations didn't matter as long as I had the joy of the Lord in my heart! The "weeds" were pulled up in my heart.
The next day all the tests were run again. The doctor came in to talk to my parents and me and said he didn't know what had happened, but all the tests came back negative. There was nothing wrong with me. I could go home. It wasn't long after that that I heard about YWAM and went on my first outreach. The Lord answered the cry of my heart in helping me find freedom and direction in life. And, wonderfully, in ways only God can orchestrate - it's where I met Floyd and another sweet direction in my life began. God had a plan all along!
The number of cases of the virus have been declining in South Africa. Today we were able to go to a lower level of lockdown restrictions. The day will come when my garden will get attention and the weeds will be pulled up. "Joy" will return to my garden - just as it did to my heart all those many years ago.
"Instead of the thorn bush the cypress will come up, and instead of the nettle the myrtle will come up, and it will be a memorial to the Lord, for an everlasting sign which will not be cut off." Isaiah 55:13
"Jesus presented another parable to them, saying, 'The kingdom of heaven can be compared to a man who sowed good seed in his field....." Matthew 13:24
"Neglecting the heart is never a good thing. Our hearts offer the wellspring of life and we must, above all else, protect and guard it." Proverbs 4:23
"The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control." Galatians 5:22
God doesn't want us to have hearts full of "weeds." Some weeds can quickly have deep roots if not pulled up. The same thing can happen in our hearts if we don't keep watch. God will help and protect us if we'll stay close to Him. As we keep tender, soft hearts before Him - He'll bring beauty and new life. He'll fill us with His joy!