Daily devotional, May 2, 2024 Transparent
"'Thus says the Lord: 'Cursed is the man who trusts in man and makes flesh his strength, whose heart turns away from the Lord.He is like a shrub in the desert, and shall not see any good come. He shall dwell in the parched places of the wilderness, in an uninhabited salt land.'"
Jeremiah 17:5-6
I remember back in my elementary school days, we were encouraged to use transparent bags. According to our teachers, it makes it easier for them to see if we brought to school items that we should not be bringing. Since they could see through the contents of our bags, they no longer need to take the time to open and inspect each bag.
Our Heavenly Father does not need us to have transparent hearts and minds so that He could see through us, since He already knows everything. He even knows what will happen in our lives even before we were born. BUT, like my teachers, He wants transparency when it comes to what we are carrying. He wants to hear us pour our hearts on Him. He wants to hear our thoughts directly from us, and He wants us to bring over our fears, anxietties, and worries over to Him. In fact, He is even willing to listen if we have resentments towards Him.
"Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” Matthew 11:28-30
Our Lord wants to hear from us. Yes, He knows what we need even before we ask Him, but He wants us to confide in Him. He wants us to declare our full dependence on Him.
“Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, whose trust is the Lord. He is like a tree planted by water, that sends out its roots by the stream, and does not fear when heat comes, for its leaves remain green, and is not anxious in the year of drought, for it does not cease to bear fruit."
Jeremiah 17:7-8
In the Old Testament, there was a woman named Hannah who prayed so hard for a child. She was barren for the longest time yet she did not give up in prayer. She was taunted for her inability to conceive, and is saddened by all the vexations she received. Through it all though, she remained prayerful. She poured out her heart, her anger, bitterness, sadness and resentments before the Lord’s feet as she prayed in His temple. One time, she was so carried away in prayer that she caught the attention of the priest, who in turn thought that she was drunk.
"But Hannah answered, 'No, my lord, I am a woman troubled in spirit. I have drunk neither wine nor strong drink, but I have been pouring out my soul before the Lord. Do not regard your servant as a worthless woman, for all along I have been speaking out of my great anxiety and vexation.' Then Eli answered, 'Go in peace, and the God of Israel grant your petition that you have made to him.'"
1 Samuel 1:15-17
While Hannah’s prayer took some time to be answered, she immediately responded in faith to the promise she received. Her countenance improved and she was happy again. As followers of Jesus, we are being encouraged to hold on to the Lord’s promises, and joyfully wait on Him. Trusting that whatever the way He plans to answer our prayers, it will be all for the best.
"And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, whohave been called according to his purpose."
Romans 8:28
So how do we pour out our hearts to Jesus? We seek Him in prayer. We read and reflect on His words. We humble ourselves before Him, confess our sins and repent on them. We worship Him with others, and spend quiet time with Him daily. When we know that the only one who can help us is Jesus, we will have the peace that only He can give.
When we put all our trust in our own efforts and strength, we tend to get frustrated, anxious, and even very depressed. We need to realize that we have a God who waits for us to call on Him, because like any Father, He delights in giving the best for His children.
Thank you for reading through our devotional today. I invite you to ponder on Jeremiah 17:5-8 and 1 Samuel 1:1-20 to dig deeper on today’s topic.
Reflection Question: Are you transparent with your feelings towards God?
Conversation with the Lord: Heavenly Father thank you very much for wanting to have an intimate relationship with me. Thank you for calling me to confide in you, and leave my worries by your feet. Thank you for calling me to fellowship with you. I am forever grateful that you allow me to draw near Your presence. Amen.
