Cry out to Him and He will answer - Daily Devotional December 2, 2009

Daily Bible Reading - Job 1-2, Jonah 2-3, Hebrews 8-9

Cry out to Him and He will answer

In our reading yesterday we saw Jonah attempting to run and hide from the Lord and the plan of God for his life. Jonah heard the word of the Lord but chose not to follow it, he decided to go his own way. We realized that as it says in Psalm 139:7-8 we can run but we can not hide from the Lord.

Today as we read our chapters in Jonah we see that when we cry out to the Lord He hears and He answers. Jonah 2:1-2 says "I cried out to the Lord in my great trouble, and he answered me. I called to you from the land of the dead, and Lord you heard me!" Jonah realized that going his own way leads to death but following the Lord leads to life and peace. (Romans 8:6) The mercy and forgiveness of God is seen as He hears Jonah and answers, causing the fish to vomit Jonah out on dry land. If the Lord can deliver Jonah from the belly of a fish, He can certainly deliver you. The parable of the lost son in Luke 15:11-24 also shows us the heart of our heavenly Father.

At the age of 20 I came to know the Lord Jesus. Up till that point in my life I had made a lot of decisions that were wrong and were sending me down a path that led to death. I will never forget the night I gave up on life. I had made decisions that caused so much pain and I simply could not live with myself. I was angry and mad at God, though I did not know if He existed. I swallowed a bottle of pills and was done with life. Someone found me and told me to leave. This is an indication of the kind of people I was surrounding myself with. With a bottle of pills in my system I got in my car and began the hour and a half drive to my studio apartment. I woke up the next morning on the floor of my apartment with my keys and purse by my side completely unaware of how I got there. I knew immediately that I should not have been alive, yet I was. I look back now and I realize it was only by the mercy and miracle of God that I did not die that night.

Several months later when I came to know Christ Psalm 3o became so dear to me. In verses 2-3 and 5 it says "O Lord my God, I cried to you for help, and you have healed me. O Lord, you have brought up my soul from Sheol; you restored me to life from among those who go down to the pit...5 For his anger is but for a moment, and his favor is for a lifetime. Weeping may tarry for the night, but joy comes with the morning".

So today as you reflect on these scriptures I encourage you to cry out to the Lord because He will answer. He is ready and waiting to heal you, restore you and give you the life He has always intended for you. David did in Psalm 51 and so can you.

Tomorrow's Bible Reading - Job 3-4, Jonah 4, Hebrews 10

Dream Big,
Katie