Day 22: Jesus, You Answer My Heart’s Cry

Do you need to hear from Jesus today? Have you ever had a day when you could use just a word of encouragement, instruction or guidance from the Lord who has complete knowledge and understanding of your need? This morning the Lord answered my heart’s cry. And He will answer your heart uniquely and specifically for you. I love the fact that Jesus just KNOWS our hearts. He knows where we are, what we’re thinking, and how we’re feeling. So He answers with His Word. Here I am this morning sitting in Corner Bakery Café, my favorite breakfast place, in Costa Mesa. There are Bibles everywhere here. Three guys are meeting together for Bible study. Another woman is sitting at another booth with an open Bible. And then there’s me. I have 2 Bibles with me (the OC Daily Devotional Bible & the Discovering God NLT – I LOVE LOVE this Bible by the way), my quiet time notebook, Passionate Prayer – QTE, OC’s My Utmost For His Highest, and Daily Light On The Daily Path. So I’m ready to hang out with the Lord here, having breakfast together, and feasting on His Word.

Here’s how the Lord answered my heart today. My heart is burdened this morning with some concerns. So I began my quiet time by writing out my thoughts in my journal trying to articulate what was in my heart and mind. Well, immediately the Lord brought two verses to my mind. Amazing when He does this and the Holy Spirit is faithful to speak to our heart for He knows it well. First, the scene at the end of John where Jesus meets alone with Peter came to mind. Peter had just questioned Jesus about the future of John. Basically, Peter took his eyes off of Jesus and began looking around at other things and people. Jesus said, “…what is that to you? As for you, follow Me” (John 21:22). Oh, that speaks to my heart today. In fact, I have been hearing these words from Jesus over and over again in recent days. “Follow Me.” He is saying, in response to my questions, in response to my lack of understanding at times, in response to everything it seems, “Follow Me.” No matter what happens, He wants me to focus on following Him. The second verse that came to mind today was Hebrews 12:2, “Fix your eyes on Jesus….” In answer to my heart today, I am clear in what the Lord is saying to me. He is answering my heart’s cry with Follow Me and Fix Your Eyes On Me. He doesn’t want me to worry or try to figure out what He’s doing. He wants me to “follow” and “focus”.

Then I opened Oswald Chamber’s devotional reading in My Utmost For His Highest. The title was (don’t laugh – but you can smile – I admit I did start laughing) – “What Am I Looking At?” Okay Lord, I get it. I’ve got wandering eyes distracted by worries and the world. I need to fix my eyes on Jesus. Period. OC put it this way: “Narrow all your interests until the attitude of mind and heart and body is concentration on Jesus Christ.” I like that. I’m encouraged. Again, Jesus answers the cries of my heart.

Then I read in Daily Light On The Daily Path – these are the words that stood out to me: He will guide us forever (Ps. 48:14). He leads me…(Psalm 23:3). You guide me…(Ps. 73:24). And then, Psalm 138:8 – “The Lord will work out His plans for my life…” What great words of promise for every servant of the Lord! You know, when you’re in the midst of ministry, those words encourage you to persevere and continue to do your work heartily for the Lord.

Finally, I studied in Passionate Prayer – AQTE in the Psalms of Ascent – specifically Psalm 130. And the Lord gave me a new prayer today: Lord, take me higher. I love that prayer. The picture I have in my mind is a majestic and magnificent mountain with beautiful trees, streams of water, and all kinds of animals surprising you along the path. And I’m standing at the lower levels of the mountain. I’ve seen some magnificent views, but realize there are many more that are beyond my wildest imagination. So I want to go higher. But the only way is to follow Jesus and focus on Him. Here’s a quote from the study: “…through God’s divine empowerment through the Holy Spirit, the Lord’s pilgrims are enabled to look beyond the temporal to the eternal. Their eternal home is just beyond the mist, past the dim mirror of this world…You never want to settle for an earthly perspective, but instead want to always go higher with the Lord.” The words I’ll think about all day today are follow and focus. And then, the prayer: Lord, take me higher.

My Response: Lord Jesus, I so love Your word. Thank You for faithfully answering my heart’s cry and showing me my need to follow and focus. So today I pray: take me higher. I can’t wait for all that You will show me as I follow You. In Jesus’ name, Amen.