If Only We Knew

We do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have One who has been tempted in every way, just as we are — yet He did not sin. Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need. — Hebrews 4:15-16

Here is my prayer for you: May you catch even the slightest glimpse of the tender mercy of our Lord Jesus.

For one drop of the Lord’s mercy is better than an ocean of the world’s comfort.

The situation that seems impossible.

The finances that never balance.

The hope so deferred it makes your heart sick.

The anxiety over a child bent on a wayward path.

The diet you are sick of.

The broken promises of a friend.

The lack of true friends.

The constant messiness always distracting from the peace you want in your home.

The impatience and frustration, anger and disappointment of losing it — again.

If only we knew how deeply Jesus understands and cares for us. If only we could see the wonder of His love. The skies He paints, the flowers He blooms, the world He arranges just for us. The love letters He’s written to us throughout the Bible.

These are all mercies from Him.

The world will offer us comfort in the form of escapes. We escape to movies, magazines, malls, chocolate, vacations, affirmations from friends. Not that any of these things are bad. They aren’t. But they are very temporary. They make us feel good in the moment, but that good never stays. We need more and more.

Trying to fill our aching hearts with these things is like trying to fill an ocean with a tablespoon. It’s never enough. So we clench our fists and keep trying to find something to comfort us.

If only we knew how to stop clenching our fists so that we could open our hands and catch the drops of His tender mercy. If only we knew how to release the weight of trying to fix it all ourselves. If only we knew to stop in the midst of it all and whisper, “Jesus… help me.” Just a whispered breath formed in the wholeness of His Name carries all the power and mercy and wisdom and grace we need to handle what we face.

If only we knew. If you find yourself wanting to escape today into one of the world’s comforts, first invest some time in asking Jesus to help you, show you, and direct you. Hebrews 4:15-16 reminds us of how approachable He is, how He understands our struggles and graciously offers us help and hope:

We do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have One who has been tempted in every way, just as we are — yet He did not sin. Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.

Specifically, ask Him to help you see and notice His tender mercies. Then you will see that, indeed, one drop of the Lord’s mercy is better than an ocean of the world’s temporary comforts.

Jesus, I don’t want to spend another day chasing after things that will never satisfy. Instead, I pray that I would begin to truly see how high and how deep is the love You have for me. Help me catch the tender drops of Your mercy, and teach me how to fully embrace Your love. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Excerpted with permission from Embraced by Lysa TerKeurst, copyright Lysa TerKeurst. Published by Thomas Nelson.

 

Hear from Lysa about Embraced

Embraced 100 Devotions To Know God Is Holding You Close by Lysa TerKeurst In Embraced, Lysa shares her own struggles and doubts while pointing to the Ultimate Embrace: Jesus opening His arms wide on Calvary so that He could pull us close for eternity.        List Price: $19.99 Sale Price: $12.99 (35% off) BUY NOW

Do you long for freedom from the struggles that have held you hostage? Do you want to learn new ways to experience God’s love? Do you want to surrender your deepest hurts, and process them in a Godly way? Are you seeking an honest friend who understands your pain? In Embraced, beloved author and Bible teacher Lysa TerKeurst invites you into her own struggles to guide you on an intimate journey with the Lord. Through 100 devotions, she'll help you seek His direction by opening your heart up to God. By spending intentional, guided time with Him each day, you can feel embraced by God too.  With an exquisite cloth cover, highly designed interior, ribbon marker, and stained page edges, Embraced will be a treasured keepsake for you as well as a meaningful gift for those you love. If you enjoyed Lysa's bestselling book Uninvited about dealing with rejection (which has sold over 1 million copies!), this devotional will serve as a constant reminder that you are never rejected or forgotten by God.   "If you ever feel like it’s hard to hear God’s voice about all the chaotic noise competing for your heart’s attention… the struggles, the worries, the hurts, the betrayals… I understand. Sometimes we underestimate how much courage it takes to release our desire to fix it all and make the choice to fix our eyes on Jesus. That’s exactly why I pulled together a collection of devotions from my recent books, blogs and personal journal for my new book, Embraced: 100 Devotions to Know God Is Holding You Close." — Lysa TerKeurst on Embraced   Learn more and save