Tuesday's Tidbit

^{1 Samuel 1:10-13}

¹⁰ And she was in bitterness of soul, and prayed unto the Lord, and wept sore.

¹¹ And she vowed a vow, and said, O Lord of hosts, if thou wilt indeed look on the affliction of thine handmaid, and remember me, and not forget thine handmaid, but wilt give unto thine handmaid a man child, then I will give him unto the Lord all the days of his life, and there shall no razor come upon his head.

¹² And it came to pass, as she continued praying before the Lord, that Eli marked her mouth.

¹³ Now Hannah, she spake in her heart; only her lips moved, but her voice was not heard: therefore Eli thought she had been drunken.

Good morning - 'Tis Terrific Tuesday, family and friends!

I love the story of Hannah and her prayer to God for a son; a prayer that came from deep within her heart that, even though her lips moved and no voice was heard by Eli, the priest, GOD HEARD HER HEART! Her pain and bitterness were unbearable but she found her way to the sanctuary where she laid it all on the altar. God heard her, and God answered her request. 

Life is difficult and life is very unfair. Some of my friends and family members have battled cancer, while some of my friends have lost their mates, and even others have suffered other losses. Sometimes we just don't have the words to say when we pray, but there is a God who alone has the power to mend all the brokenness of our spirits and lives. He hears what no one on earth can hear, and He is the ONLY ONE who can and will answer prayer.

Sheri Easter, a well-known Southern gospel singer, is a cancer survivor. Recently, I heard her talk about the battle she went through with all the chemotherapy. As a songwriter, she was accustomed to writing yet she found herself staring at a blank page during this dark time of her life. She called in a few writer friends, and together they searched through her notes and composed a beautiful song, Hear My Heart. Regarding the one line, "This is hard...", she said, "You can't pretty up cancer......." .

No, we cannot "pretty up" the bad things we go through in life, but we can, even in our quietness, get across to our loving God just how we feel. Here's the words to that beautiful song:

Verse One

Sometimes I feel no one's ever been in this place before

This is hard and I'm not sure that I can do this anymore

I know someday I'll look back

And all this won't seem real

Lord, right now I need You to know just how I feel

Chorus

When there are no words to say

And no prayer that I can pray

Hear my heart

When I don't have strength to try

And I've cried all I can cry

Hear my heart

'Cause You know every fear and every doubt I cannot speak

You know all the ways I need You

And all the ways I'm weak

So I'll be quiet, so You can hear my heart

Verse Two

Every now and then I recall a simple phrase or melody

It comforts and quiets, lifts me up and then it carries me

Far above the pain and hurt I think will never end

The song speaks words I cannot and it calms the fears within

I hope and pray that your Tuesday is blessed abundantly by God, and if you are going through a deep, dark struggle in your life that you will find a quiet place to lay it all at His feet, and let Him hear your heart.

Until tomorrow, Lord willing.............