Prepare my hands to receive your blessings

Day 28

Someone shared with me that when we pray we should stretch out our hands. First with our palms down, symbolizing that we have a light grip on the things of our life. When your hands are palms down we're offering things back to the Lord and giving him everything.

Try it! It is amazing how it changes your focus. Instead of give me, give me. It's Lord, here is what I have, I offer it to you.  Then in an attitude of humility, 

"I'm ready to receive whatever you have for me."

 The Lord has a lot but he wants to give us.

Ask and you shall receive seek and you will find knock and the door will be open to you.

There are so many blessings that He wants to give to us if we would only sit in a seat of submission and humility waiting to receive.

Prepare my hands to receive what you have for me

Blessings come in many ways

happy blessings 

monetary blessings

friendship blessings 

emotional blessings 

comforting blessings 

joyful blessings 

There are also blessings that come in the midst of suffering. Those painful moments in our lives that we would love to wish away, God wants to bless us in the midst of them. He desires that we would know him more and to understand the pains of others. He is the God of all comfort who want to comfort us so that we might be a comfort to others. 

In time of suffering we are challenged to hold onto him like never before.

Right now my mom's dementia is manageable but it's hard and there are days I would wish it away. In fact just this morning I was praying Lord heal her mind, replace what's been taken, give me back my old mom and yet I've learned so much about how to care, how to be patient, how to let things go, how to live in the moment and how to find joy in suffering.

There have been blessings even though there has been pain

Take a moment to stretch out your hands palm down and give to the Lord those things in your life that are difficult. Try and give it all to him.

Now turn over those palms face up and declare, "Lord I am ready to receive whatever you have for me."

Prepare our hands to receive from you amen

Prepare my eyes to see suffering

Day 24

Prepare my eyes to see the hurting.

No matter where I have gone in the world there are people suffering, hurting, in need.

Desperate, struggling for the most basic of needs- shelter, water, food, clothing and medicine. While others are hurting because they have been shunned by society simply because of their skin color or class system or gender.

Some are hurting because they've made choices in their life and the consequences of those choices have become too much to bear. Nevertheless, all of these people are seen by God, loved by God and cherished by God.

He has a plan and a purpose for them, so please God prepare my eyes to see the hurting. Not just so that I may see them, but that I might act on God's behalf.

Last year we took a team from our church to Colombia you can read more about that here.

 One girl stole my heart. As we were walking up the side of a hill   that was not paved, My eyes took in the completely dusty, dirty  trash littered area. It was pretty desolate and bleak .We saw many types of people; young and old, male and female, healthy and sick. They were all hurting one way or another. Each of them had a story and as we looked at them there was a common thread- pain, hurt, and need.

Just as I was at my breaking point because my heart was so full of emotion for these children of God who were in desperate need of love. God gave me a gift.

A girl that I had worked with just the day before came running out to greet me from her very modest home. We had a connection from the day prior as I had the privilege of loving her in Jesus name by washing her hands and feet, washing her hair and combing out the nits. We connected in the power of Jesus love, it bound us together.She came to greet me and shower me with a hug and a gift. I was so humbled because her eyes saw me as someone in need.

Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Matthew 11:28

Who needs to be seen by you today? How can you reach out in Jesus name to them?

Prayer
Oh Jesus the one who sees us and our need, you beckon us to come to yourself when we are tired and hungry and needing rest. Give us eyes to see those who need that as well. Give us words of comfort to share with them. Guide us in our decision to love them and touch them in your name. We ask that you would remove any scales from our eyes that we might see them clearly