Tuesday, March 31, 2009

For The Distressed But Praying Soul...

Psalm 56:8 (New Living Translation)
"You keep track of all my sorrows.
You have collected all my tears in Your bottle.
You have recorded each one in Your book."
Whether you're in the middle of a disaster, greatly distressed or disturbed, disappointed or dealing with the burdens of others, know that God ALWAYS hears your prayers. I pray this excerpt from Charles Spurgeon's "Strengthen My Spirit" Devotional explains it better to you than I ever could. And may it give your heart the same comfort it gave mine today:

"Prayers are instantly noticed in Heaven. Here is comfort for the distressed but praying soul. Often times, a poor broken-hearted one bends his knee but can only utter his wailing in the language of sighs and tears; yet that groan has made all the harps of Heaven thrill with music, that tear has been caught by God and treasured in Heaven. 
'You put my tears into Your bottle' implies that they are caught as they flow. The suppliant whose fears provide his words will be well understood by the Most High. He may only look up with misty eye, but 'prayer is the falling of a tear.' Tears are the diamonds of Heaven; sighs are a part of the music of Jehovah's court and are numbered with 'the sublimest strains that reach the majesty on high.' 
Think not that your prayer, however weak or trembling will be unregarded. Our God not only hears prayer, but also loves to hear it. He regards not high looks and lofty words. He cares not for the pomp and pageantry of kings, He listens not to the swell of martial music, He regards not the triumph and pride of man; but wherever there is a heart big with sorrow or a lip quivering with agony or a deep groan or a penitential sigh, the heart of Jehovah is open. He marks it down in the registry of His memory; He puts our prayers, like rose leaves, between the pages of His book of remembrance, and when the volume is opened at last, there shall be a precious fragrance springing up from it."

"But we are hoping for something we do not have yet, 
and we are waiting for it patiently. 
Also, the Spirit helps us with our weakness. 
We do not know how to pray as we should. 
But the Spirit himself speaks to God for us, 
even begs God for us with deep feelings that words cannot explain. 
God can see what is in people's hearts. 
And he knows what is in the mind of the Spirit, 
because the Spirit speaks to God for his people in the way God wants.
Romans 8:25-27 (New Century Version)


***This post is dedicated to ones I love undergoing great burdens and hardships. Laury, Jenny & Aaron, the Bensko family and Bent Tree Bible Fellowship staff, Christa & Matt, Emily & Katie, the people of Fargo and North Dakota residents, Chris and Stephanie. I'm praying for each of you and love you dearly.

***Should I add your name to this list? Please take a moment to share your burden, and I will pray for each one. I'm certain my friends in the Christian blogging community will pray as well.



If you find yourself in the position of being a burden sharer right now, I read a post today that blessed my soul. The Heart of a Pastor's Wife is the place you want to be today if you need to know more about loving and comforting those who are hurting.

18 friends shared a comment:

elaine @ peace for the journey said...

Such powerful words from the Word and from Sprugeon. It's enough some days to let the Word of God just speak...is it not? Thanks for posting this strong encouragement toward prayer. Thanks, also, for putting it out on "facebook." I have an inkling that in doing so, you are bringing the truth of Jesus Christ to a much wider audience.

peace to you~elaine

Joanne Sher said...

Oh, dear Laura. I needed this. You know I'm praying.

Laury said...

Too many tears to respond. Thank you for praying, Laura. I know you are a true prayer warrior and I so appreciate that.

I'm praying for your other friends on here too. You carry such a burden yet you know what to do with it - hand it all over to our God.

Love you...

Denise said...

Bless you for being so willing to share others burdens my beautiful friend. I love you.

Terri Tiffany said...

Thank you for this. What would we ever do without hope? And you offered more today!

Esthermay Bentley-Goossen said...

These words of Spurgeon could have been written yesterday and the beauty of the devotion is that it applies just as aptly today to you and me and those we love as it did to Spurgeon and the people and circumstances surrounding him. God's Word is like that. It is ALL-SUFFICIENT! Amen?

Weeping with those who weep is not an easily accomplished thing. It takes a heart that thirsts after God.

I'm blessed to have bumped into you in blogworld and my prayer is that you bump into untold many others who need the WORD you share so faithfully and the burden you present so humbly.

God Bless!
~esthermay

Debra Kaye said...

Lalee,

After reading this I paused and prayed for those here and then prayed for you.

I feel honored to know you and thank you for the times you have prayed for me.

Blessings to you!

Billy Coffey said...

You have no idea how much I needed this. Today, this minute.

That God keeps a record of our tears in a book means it must be a thick one. But one wrapped in His grace.

Karen Hossink said...

Thank you for this LauraLee. Yes, He hears our prayers, and I am so thankful that He knows what we need, even when we don't know what to ask. Or we just can't.

Thanks for reading my testimony today. Yes, that is the one I meant for you to use if it fits with your Easter posts.
This year my husband's birthday is the same day as Easter. After I wrote that post I decided I am going to write it out on nice paper and read it in front of the whole family - as his birthday gift. To honor him, and express again how thankful I am that God gave him life.

amy & lisa said...

Thank you for your prayers for my family and all of the people in Fargo/Moorhead. You asked for names...my daughter is Amy ~ age 26, my niece is Destiny ~ age 20. They seem to be doing better now that the flood waters are receding. My daughter didn't want to stay alone (and I REALLY didn't want her alone) IF things got really bad so she was able to stay with my niece and that was good for both of them. Your praying means alot to everyone. Thank you.

You mentioned your friend...Pastor at the Bethal Church in Fargo. The girls have been attending that church for a few months. They have not yet gotten too involved, but I know that they would like to. Your Pastor has been a blessing to them in his sharing of God's word.

I love your post today too. Sometimes I feel like my prayers are so small, so unfinished. I was so glad to read today that God hears every prayer. I don't even have to say it. The tears...are prayers too!
God is just so good!!

Sit A Spell said...

This is my first visit here...I love seeing Blogville used for prayer! I am a pray without ceasing kinda gal...yes, He hears us!

Bless...shell

Alleluiabelle said...

Thank you so much for this post. It really touched my core. My husband had open-heart surgery in December 2006 at 49 yrs. of age. He had an exceptional memory. He suffered what is called Post-Pump Syndrome during the surgery. Only 1-2% people get this. It's a brain injury that occurs from the pump machine during surgery. His long term memory is not good at all. His short term memory is somemtimes okay, sometimes not. Our lives totally flip-flopped that day and we have learned that we have to life within today. He doesn't remember our wedding, honeymoon, so many special times. God is covering us with so much grace and I am thankful that we still have each other. I do ask for your prayers for a miraculous healing for my husband. Through God, all that is impossible is possible. I would appreciate your prayers as well. I suffer from Fibromyalgia, severe Osteo-arthritis and an inflammatory thing going on in my body that doctors just can't figure out.

I am a powerful prayer intercessor and will be praying for those here on your site.

You are blessing to so many dear one, and I thank Him for people like you.

Hugs & blessings,
Alleluiabelle

Peter Stone said...

Romans 8:25-27 is such a comforting verse. So often when I pray my words seem so inadequate, and fall so utterly short of what needs to be said. Like in the flood situation your friends are in the midst of. How could we possibly know exactly what needs to be prayed for? So what an encouragement that the Holy Spirit prays for us, and He knows exactly what to say.

Kathryn said...

LauraLee, the Lord had us tracking on the same proverbial page! I also recently wrote on the power of prayer, and the strength that the Lord provides us through our prayers. My heart is beating in rhythm with yours. Thank you for your Godly encouragement.

Lori Laws said...

What a beautiful truth! I always think of how He collects my tears in bottles. Yes, I meant to say bottleS. There must be more than a few dozen bottles up there with my name on them!! LOL!! Blessings!!

Melanie said...

Oh, this is so beautiful! How thankful I am for prayer.

Laurie Ann said...

My burden is too personal to share but I do have one that I'm not sure if I will make it through. Knowing God cares is enough and your post really put in perspective how He understands what I am going through. Reading these words this morning helps tremendously. Bless you, LauraLee. You are a jewel.

Josh said...

Praying in the Spirit is such a powerful gift given to us. I often find msyelf at a loss for words when I go before the throne. The Holy Spirit knows exactly what to ask fot, and it gives me comfort to know that some of the best prayers I have ever submitted to God were ones I didn't even pray.