Oh

Oh 

by David Brenneman 

We really do not consider how deep the love of Christ is to us.  We really do not consider how far into our hearts that He searches. 

We don't and we wonder what's going on in our lives.  

When we come to Christ it's not to be "business as usual" the days and weeks to come afterwards. 

We're not to consider Him as one whom we invited in and only have Him sitting in the entryway or living room of our hearts. 

Jesus doesn't need those keys to all those secret rooms of your heart and mind.  He has already seen everything behind every door.  

He's waiting for you to let Him do His work in you. 

Prayer has been defined by many.  Prayer is our innermost person talking with Jesus about absolutely all things.  

There's nothing to fear in prayer.  He already knows every single detail before the synapses of our brain cells formed a single thought.   

We read in many places where the Lord Jesus says clearly that it is He who searches the hearts. Jeremiah 17:9-10.  We read of how He’s near to the broken-hearted. Psalm 34:18.

We read of the results of His searching the hearts of the children of Israel.  He repeatedly tells them what's going on in them...and note that they don't dispute His claims.

I do pray in earnest on my morning drive to work.  My heart is poured out.  As complicated as life is for me, my prayers are not.  Sometimes my prayer is oh so simple "Lord, my heart hurts!"  Nehemiah, we read, only had time to shoot a simple prayer to Heaven before answering the King.  We read of King David going in and simply sitting before the Lord to talk to Him.  

My current situation in life is only confusing to me.  There's nothing at all confusing to my Savior.  My heart hurts more than people who even think they know me realize.  I hurt for myself, I often have an aching heart for what my Wife goes through.  Having confusion distresses me greatly in my heart.  Not having a close friend nearby as I once had causes my heart to ache.  

Jesus knows all of my strengths and my struggles.  Knows me better than I know me. 

As long as my heart is His to do with as He pleases, life will be what it needs to be.  I may not, in fact I probably won't, understand just what is going on.  He’s the author and creator of my faith.  He’s the one doing a work in me that even if it had been explained to me I wouldn't have believed it.  He’s the healer of my heart.  He’s the one who knows exactly where the hurt is and what to do about it.   At no time would it ever be heard from Jesus "Let's try this and see how it goes.  We may need to adjust it later.".

Your heart is an open book to Jesus. 

You're not knowing you as well as He knows you. 

You're not seeing your potential because your eyes can't see His full plans.

As the hymn writer said "only trust Him only trust Him now. He will save you He will save you, He will save you now."

Believe it or not, it had taken most of my life to come to a peaceful conclusion of not needing to understand everything in my life.  I am a troubleshooter when it comes to problems.  Figuring things out is what I have been gifted by God with.  I often get "wrapped around the axle" in finding solutions or completing solutions. 

But its been a late lesson in my life to be ok with not understanding.  Do whatever He’s put in front of me to be doing until He directs my steps elsewhere. 

"Man’s steps are ordained by the Lord, How then can man understand his way?" Proverbs 20:24

"Trust in the Lord with all your heart And do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He will make your paths straight." Proverbs 3:5-6

My life is often loaded with anguish and anxiety.  My sin nature likes to keep reminding me that it's still there.  My Savior keeps reminding me that I am still forgiven. That His victory at the cross still is as good today as it was when I first was saved. 

So you don't need a complete understanding?

So you now see what you might not have seen before?

Oh

It's a wholesome comfort that my life, as often as it's been feeling like a shipwrecked vessel, is still hidden in Christ Jesus. 

I don't know why I am still where I am as far as work goes. 

I don't fully understand what my purpose is here in this new to me hometown. 

I don't understand what things that I have been through were about. 

I don't understand where my life is going. 

And it's ok.  My Savior knows. My heart aches are not my own.  He’s working on them.  The same goes for everyone who's in Christ Jesus.  We who are in Christ are in His hands...the best place to be. 

All NASB 1995 and NASB Scripture Excerpts used by permission. (C) Lockman Foundation.