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Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, 

so that we may receive mercy and find grace

to help us in our time of need. 

~Hebrews 4:16

 

Good morning dear sister!

It’s been a busy new year week here at HCF, so if some of my note to you sounds familiar, it means that you were paying attention at the Wednesday evening prayer meeting! I hope you won’t mind thinking about these things again!

Pastor G’s topic at the opening of the New Year prayer week was simple, yet profound.

“Communication is key to a relationship with God.” Imagine, how can we get to know anybody if we don’t communicate with them?

Today, my desire is to reflect on what an awesome privilege it is to be able to commune with the One and only God who not only fashioned us in the womb, but watches over us, protects and provides for us! He doesn’t just wind us up and let us go like we’re a child’s toy, but lovingly cares for each one, giving us life and desiring to have fellowship with us!

Some of us grew up learning to call on God with deep respect and reverence, praying official, sanctified prayers, and trying not to bother Him too much… after all, He has a universe to run, perhaps several! But God knows our hearts, and human emotions and deep desires are not always expressed in the stifling confines of reverent, respectful ritual. Anyone who has ever been around children learns that pretty quickly!

Relationships deepen when communication is free-flowing and honest. God is so honest with us that He’s written the heart He has for us in His Word that can never be changed! We are only fooling ourselves if we don’t express our whole heart to Him. He knows us and loves us, in spite of our flaws and gaffs, He can take it!

Pouring our hearts out to God in truth leads to many different characteristics of prayer, that runs the whole gamut of human emotions. Victorious prayers of praise, deep joy, thankfulness, worshipful and glorious!! There are prayers of the curious, timid and questioning kind. At other times, penitent, fearful, heart rending, desperate, groanings too deep for words, frantic, shouting, broken prayers come forth.from our hearts.Such is the human condition.

That being what it is, how can we be sure that God even wants to hear from us or have a relationship with us? In the book of Acts, we read about God’s invitation to come to Him, talk to him, and share our hearts with Him!

Acts 17:24-28 “The God who made the world and everything in it is the Lord of heaven and earth and does not live in temples built by human hands. And he is not served by human hands, as if he needed anything. Rather, he himself gives everyone life and breath and everything else. From one man he made all the nations, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he marked out their appointed times in history and the boundaries of their lands. God did this so that they would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from any one of us. ‘For in him we live and move and have our being. 

He already knows our situation, our hearts, our ways of thinking, yet He longs for us to come to Him! And, He has already made a way for all who are lost or wandering to come to Him, by the precious blood of Jesus, who took our punishment upon Himself.

Hebrews 4 says

Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has ascended into heaven, Jesus the Son of God, so let us hold firmly to the faith we profess. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet he did not sin. Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need. 

All human relationships need communication to flourish. Our relationship with God needs to flourish. Prayer, communicating with God, builds our relationship with Him. He is always with us, we will get to know Him by spending time with Him in His Word.

My prayer for you, dear sister, is that your confidence in the Lord will be increased as you practice communicating with Him, getting to know Him more and more!

God bless you as you grow! Keep loving Jesus and moving forward!

With love, your sister, Celeste