He hears my cry

Last week I shared with you that in this current season of my life The Lord has called me to be like

the dove that brought Noah the olive branch. This olive branch was literal proof of new life and hope for a new way. While spending time with The Lord this last week He led me to a verse that really touched my heart and fueled this new hope.

Psalm 116:1-2
I love the Lord, because he has heard my voice and my pleas for mercy.
Because he inclined his ear to me, therefore I will call on him as long as I live. 

I just love the thought that The Lord is not only listening to me but leaning in to hear me when I call out to Him. He listens like He is waiting for me to speak to Him...wanting me to talk to Him.

I feel so filled with gratitude by the compassion and love this verse incites in me that I must respond. I want to love Him back and listen to Him. Funny, but as I look further into Psalm 116, King David felt the same.  Look at verse 12 

"What shall I render to the Lord for all his benefits to me?" And, then David gives us the answer in verse 17; "I will offer to you the sacrifice of thanksgiving and call on the name of The Lord forever!"

What does It mean to offer a sacrifice of thanksgiving? I think it means to thank Him when it's a sacrifice, when it's hard, when I don't feel like praising Him because I'm hurting and would rather do and feel anything else. Look at a few verses that use the same term, "sacrifice of thanksgiving (praise)".

Hebrews 13:15 (ESV)

"Through him then let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that acknowledge his name......(instead of rehearsing the problem)"

Psalm 107:22(ESV)

 "And let them offer sacrifices of thanksgiving, and tell of his deeds in songs of joy!"

There are tons more verses in the Bible that use this term!  I feel like it's one of those mysteries The Lord reveals to His children as we lean in and desire to grow up into Him. (Ephesians 4:15). Then I remember Romans 12 about offering my whole self as a living breathing sacrifice to The Lord. Oh my, what God could do with my life if I offer Him all of me and at all times!

Romans 12:1 (ESV)

"I appeal to you therefore, brothers and sisters, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship." I am thinking that "presenting my body" to God, includes my mouth...what I say, and my mind..."think on these things"(Phil 4:8).

There are two voices inside me, the Holy Spirit and my own. Who do I want to listen to? He is teaching me to hear His voice over my own, over my pain, my issues and the noise they create in my head.  I would prefer to follow His voice and leading than my own finite understanding. Jesus gave me the Holy Spirit because He knew I needed Him to live victoriously.

John 14 (MSG)-The Spirit of Truth

“I will talk to the Father, and he’ll provide you another Friend so that you will always have someone with you. This Friend is the Spirit of Truth. The godless world can’t take him in because it doesn’t have eyes to see him, doesn’t know what to look for. But you know him already because he has been staying with you, and will even be in you!" 

ESV 16 "And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever"

With all of this in mind, Why not practice offering Him a sacrifice of praise right now? We did this together in Bible Study on Monday night and Tuesday. I think it was a transformational moment for many of us.  Pull out your journal and turn on your favorite worship song and just write out your heart on the pages.

1. Tell Him your stuff ...your hard stuff and how it leaves you feeling
2. Ask Him for help and guidance, for His perspective on your difficulty 
3. Now practice finding something you can offer, the sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving for while in the midst of your trouble....the gift. One of a thousand!

Keely