Longing Hearts

"...he has broken my covenant"

Those words from the Seventeenth chapter of Genesis caused my heart to ache.  They were spoken by God to Abraham.  He was explaining that when someone does not follow His instructions they have broken covenant with Him.

A covenant is an agreement, a promise or a pledge.

The Living God has laid out the guidelines that make for a rich life.  With them comes His promise of a relationship.  By desiring to adhere to them we demonstrate a faith in Him and honor Him.  By ignoring them we show a lack of faith and reverence for the LORD God.   This choice is one for relationship or not with our Creator.
Many are not conscious of the choice they are making.  It is a choice between life and death. 
It is not a matter of earning the relationship.  It is a matter solely of faith. 

Many do not stop to think about God.  Many simply seek to gratify their desires.  The desire of their heart is for Him, though they do not often recognize it.  Life has deadened them to the truth. 
Our God has placed a longing for Him in each one of our hearts.  Numerous things distract and conceal this desire.  We are lied to and told that something(s) else will satisfy the emptiness we experience.
It never works.

Last night I was in a deep sleep when I was awakened by a sound.  It was midnight. Someone in my neighborhood was wailing.  At least that is what it sounded like to me.
I got up and investigated. 
The sound stopped.  Yet, the neighborhood was far from quiet.  Many lights were on in a number of homes and someone was banging around in their yard.
The natives were restless.
I believe the emptiness of their unsatisfied hearts was at the root of the turmoil out there in the night.

Such a contrast to my experience earlier in the evening.

We sat peacefully on our porch with friends. 
No emptiness.
No dissatisfaction.
No turmoil.

Why?
Because none of us have unresolved issues?  Or struggles?
No.
His Presence made the difference.  Our awareness of His Presence and our desire for and delight in that Presence.

As I sat on the same porch this morning enjoying the fresh new day with Papa, my phone rang.  The caller ID said that it was a private number.  A friend's number shows up that way so I answered it.  I hadn't spoken to her in a while and she has been on my heart.
It wasn't her.

At first I thought it was a bad connection, but quickly realized it was bad for certain because of the intention of the caller.
It was an obscene caller.
I could not believe it!
Once it registered with me I disconnected the call.
A minute later the caller tried again, but I did not answer.
At least they didn't leave a message!

In a way I did want to speak to the caller.  I wanted to urge him to not cheat himself out of all that can be his in Jesus.  I wanted to tell him that all that he is seeking to satisfy...won't.

This afternoon I visited my friends at the drug/alcohol rehab. 
Tension...frustration...disharmony filled the air.
More restlessness.

This time I got the opportunity to speak into the situation.  My friends willingly sat and listened.  I think it is because they know I love them.

There lies the key.

All Papa does is out of love and a desire for relationship with each one of us.  When we get that, then we are willing to listen.
If we want to reach others.  If we want to make a difference in others' lives, then they need to know that we love them.
How can we love them?  How could I love that caller?
Only by receiving Papa's love for ourselves.
His love has a way of multiplying.  It grows exponentially and ends up overflowing our lives.
Then all the dear ones that are in our lives will not only know we love them, but will begin to believe that our God does too!