When our own sufferings rise to our necks, or begin to constrict our hearts, it makes an indescribable difference to know that others have brought their prayers before God on our behalf. I have friends, I think I have many friends, who have and will pray for me; I have probably very few who would pray until my need brought them to tears.
Do I need their tears? No, I need their faith above all. Make no mistake. We are not looking for emotional gadgetry to twist a stubborn lid from the jar. We must stay mindful of this, that God is not moved by our posturings and posings and pretences.
Nevertheless, our God has compassions that can be kindled, that have been kindled, and often by those who managed to hold Him and not let Him go … even to fight through the crowd to touch the hem of His garment. Is it possible that some of our everyday busy-nesses and distractions and dissipations have become the throng through which we must push and shove? For this moment I must speak for myself … I think in my life, it is very possible.
Not busy-nesses alone, but diversions and entertainments and interruptions galore, not just the ringing phone or instant messages, oh no! If only! I provide my own.
Oh dear. Rats! Just now, this instant, as I am writing, I am forced to realize (though not to confess; I do that because I owe honesty,) that I had a canceled appointment this morning that afforded me at least three or four hours free, unencumbered, already carved out, that I might have spent before the Lord. I did not.
I think I’d rather not write further today. I was going to introduce a bit more information from Scripture about “crying out” to the Lord, but I just can’t/won’t. Tomorrow. I cannot redeem the time … and we will certainly talk about that at some point … but I have an hour or two to give if I will stop here. I am inclined to weep FOR ME … I am sorrowing right now that I would so surrender the time I was given right in the middle of this blog series on “caring deeply” … but I won’t. Friends in trouble, wounded, hurting, in prison, wretched, sick, widowed, I will grieve for them … and today, for any of us who are making ourselves superfluous, for that is truly, horribly grievous.
I had best not flood the pasture, but I will choose one or two as the Lord directs, and pray.
Eugene Onegin Illustration
“A Superfluous Man” – Elena Samokysh Sudkovskaya,1908
Wikipedia, by permission
Marketplace Monastics 