He's Listening

I'm often telling people that "it matters" when we pray, when we gather together in His Name.

I know this on one level and therefore I speak it out.
Because we all need to be encouraged in this midst of this strange and "otherworldly" battle to keep on keeping on.
Even when our lives sometimes feel insignificant and our prayers at times feel powerless.

He is listening and watching and responding.
The Great I AM.
And THAT is just incredible.

But we don't really "see" Him doing this listening and watching and responding if we're just looking in the natural realm.  So we need to exercise our faith muscles and we need to rely on others to help us in this battle when we are feeling weak.

So I've got this great friend who is a servant heart if I've ever met one.  She humbly pours out her life for others, not expecting any accolades, and gives generously of her time and energy and resources to all sorts of people, all the time.  She's truly incredible and somehow God gifted my life with her.

This friendship kind of surprised me as it grew out of our daughters attending the same grade in the same high school, and there wasn't a whole lot else that connected us other than that.

And God of course.  That's the best part, really.

So we have met, mostly in my vehicle, for visits over coffee that we pick up at a drive through.  Sometimes we find a pretty place to park so there's "coffee ambiance" but our last stop was in front of a mountain of snow in a parking lot. We're pretty flexible like that.

First our daughters were the common link, but of course when God's involved there is always a whole lot more that comes up and for some reason this dear soul has carried me in prayer and in a whole lot of other practical and beautiful ways over the past 7 or 8 years.  Her compassion towards me (and others) astounds me and I am so grateful to have someone who cares for me on the level that she does.

She sent me a note of encouragement the other day and it provided a powerful infusion of courage and faith into my spirit.  I'm hoping that it's ok that I post excerpts of her note here because we all need to be reminded that it matters that we intentionally worship God, at all times and in all circumstances.

"The last couple of times we've gotten together I've wanted to tell you this impression or whatever I had recently...  Fact is, in words it doesn't sound like anything new but it was the way it came to me - with such clarity and strong impression...  Anyhow we were driving home from Vancouver this last time and maybe I was in pain or something, but, as my own pain sometimes makes me think of you and pray for you - I thought or prayed - why Lord does Karen have to have this pain in her wrists?  And strongly the answer came - her praises give me glory.  Not a new thought I know, except that it was a definite answer to my question - a thought with such clarity.  And the glory referred to was that God was getting glory and attention by the heavenly population who were so honouring God through your praises.  I am sure that is not a new revelation to you - or to me, at least in theory - i.e. that God gets glory through out praises.  However, it was that the heavens were aware of your praises in spite of your pain, and God was getting attention.  

This is not to say I will not continue to pray that God will make your hands and wrists like new but perhaps it will lend encouragement, as it was instructive to me, to give praise to God in the midst of pain..."

So I'm encouraged.  To praise Him.
All of the time.
Because He's worthy of all of our affection.
He's just simply marvellous.