Then shall ye call upon Me, and ye shall go and pray unto Me, and I will hearken unto you. And ye shall seek Me, and find Me, when ye shall search for Me with all your heart. And I will be found of you, saith the LORD. (Jer 29:12-14)

The are times when we become frustrated in life because there seems to be no answer to our call. Retail stores have a “call button” located on their aisles that patrons may call for assistance when needed. The button is pressed, but no one comes in the moment as we desired. In the fast-paced society we live in, energized by technology, filled with convenience and immediacy, we have grown accustomed to no waiting. Our scripture passage today reminds us to call on God and He will hear our call to Him. “Call upon Me…I will hearken unto you.” God awaits to hear from His children. He is ready and able to answer. His resources are endless. His power and might are greater than all and exceed all that we could ever think or image. So why does talking to God seem so difficult? Why can’t God just answer my prayer? The answer is simple. God does not share His glory with any other. His answer to your prayer will not only supply your need but strengthen your relationship with Him. He wants to reveal Himself to you that you may know Him and proclaim Him “O Lord…my God” (Ps 18:1-2). God wants your time and conversation with Him to be special and unique from all other conversations. He wants you to seek Him sincerely and come to Him according to His word. First, “go and pray.” Pull away from your affairs and set aside time completely to for God. “Enter into thy closet” (Mt 6:6) where God awaits to hear from you. Secondly, He says “seek Me…search for Me with all your heart.” Single your thoughts upon only God. Silence all the other voices that call for your attention. The single mindset is not easily accomplished at first but keep trying and trusting God. He will honor your devotion and sincere desire to “seek…and find” Him.  When He answers, you will know it is He who speaks, and His answer satisfies and is sufficient for all you ask or think. My friend, God does not hide from His children. He bids us to “come boldly to the throne grace, that we may obtain mercy and grace to help in time of need” (Heb 4:16). When you come in the manner for which He has designed, you will receive God’s answer with an assurance founded upon His eternal love through His Son, Christ Jesus. Father, thank You that You know my secret place and await to hear my call and cry in times of need. In the blessed Name of Jesus. Amen.

“If thou wouldest believe, thou shouldest see the glory of God” (John 11:40)

There is a culture today that wants what it wants, and they want it now. Waiting is not an option. Especially when impending trouble is on the rise, when help is desperately needed or need direction is desired. Waiting for many is like the kiss of death. Our scripture passage today Jesus reminds Martha of her profession of faith when she came to Him desperate for help while her brother Lazarus lay dead and buried in a tomb (vs. 20-27). Martha was aware of the healing power that Jesus possessed. She had heard His teachings and maybe even witnessed some of His healing miracles. Martha even believed in the resurrection of the Jewish faith. But she was in a desperate time and needed help for her grieving heart. It was a helpless time for Martha because she believed Jesus was too late. When her brother lay sick and ill unto death, she believed Jesus could have helped him and healed him. Had He not delayed, she believed her brother would be alive. The hope of the resurrection of the dead that Jesus spoke to her was not the reality she wanted to hear. She thought, only had He not delayed this would not have happened. But Jesus delayed that her faith could be made a reality. He used the opportunity of Lazarus’s death to glorify the Father and deepen her faith to a greater reality. He would transform her faith from knowing that Jesus could, to believing that Jesus is. The four days of helpless silence had prepared her to receive Christ as her reality. My friend when God seems silent know that He is still working to bring your faith to a new reality. God’s silence is not to dishearten you but to bring you to a new level of intimacy with Him. Keep the faith. Keep looking to Him to show up and answer your desperation. “If thou wouldest believe, thou shouldest see the glory of God.” Father, thank you for the deep abiding love that You have for each of Your children. Help us to wait patiently and faithfully, with the assurance “that He who begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ” (Php 1:6). Father, do Your good work, even when we don’t see it and prepare our hearts for the greater reality that is in Your Son, Jesus Christ. In the blessed Name of Jesus. Amen.