MUSING ON BENDING GOD'S EAR

"Bending God's Ear in Times of Trouble" *was Allen Bible Church's sermon yesterday!

Pastor, Buddy Liles, assured the Texas congregation and those of us listening via livestream, that King David's, Psalm 86 "pressure cooker prayer," can give believers a vocab to express our trust even as we are troubled.

From our lips to God's ear. Whether he bends down to listen to my cry for help, (MSG) or inclines His ear as it says in Psalm 116:1, I know that when My anxious thoughts multiply within me, it's His consolations that delight my soul." (Psalm 94:19) Sounds like comfort to me.

How thankful I am that because of his goodness, God is eager to bend his ear to hear our cries for mercy and offer comfort. Whenever I'm in trouble (or distress,) I pray, knowing you will listen. (Psalm 86:7, CEV)

As we pour out our hearts to him in times of suffering we can trust Him to be our refuge.(Psalm 62:8).....an ever present help.

*link will be provided when it becomes available of YouTube

"locali-TEA"

Honor and majesty are [found] in His presence; strength and joy are [found] in His sanctuary. (1 Chronicles 16:27, Amplified)

Entering the psalms this year in a "fresh" way has added vitali-TEA to my times of prayer and scripture meditation.  Med-TEA-tation might be a bit of a stretch for a "tea" word, but it's what my "Tea with Thee" time has become. It's all about thinking through & pondering old favorite psalms in a new way with both a cuppa and my Bible close at hand. More of a heart connection. Tho, the prayer chair is still the location I'm drawn to for quiet times.  My locali-TEA of choice. My sanctuary, of sorts. I realize the true location is "in His Presence" (Psalm 16:11) and reading & praying thru the Psalms seems to propel me there more quickly. Scriptural focus helps me to be fully present.

The psalms have proven to be my sanctuary of prayer---a place where my heart is nourished. Where I can bring the realities of my life in to His throne room and cry out for help as the psalmist did. Fears. Doubts. Grief. Physical struggles.....knowing that He hears. (Psalm 34:17 & Psalm 116:1)

It's still a quiet time and yet in ways it's become a BIG adventure because God is there waiting to meet me right where I am---and I'm not always in a "pretty" place. But God....stirs my soul.

His word begins teaching me, once again, not to repress the emotions that are plaguing me. His word offers hope as well as comfort. Just read the psalms to see how often those words are used.
I just finished meeting God at my prayer chair with an open heart & a cuppa Harney and Sons Organic English Breakfast----a rich black tea brewed in a cup that evokes great memories of a favorite British locali-TEA---The Shop on the Corner in Royston, England.

Time with Him seems to carve out space in my soul, not only for more of Him but for prayer for others in my life as well.

His Presence---a locali-TEA we can always take with us.