Jillian Jones, Junior M.Div. Student at Pittsburgh Theological Seminary

Scripture

Psalm 130

1 Out of the depths I cry to you, Lord;
2 Lord, hear my voice.
 Let your ears be attentive
 to my cry for mercy.
3 If you, Lord, kept a record of sins,
 Lord, who could stand?
4 But with you there is forgiveness,
 so that we can, with reverence, serve you.
5 I wait for the Lord, my whole being waits,
 and in his word I put my hope.
6 I wait for the Lord
 more than watchmen wait for the morning,
 more than watchmen wait for the morning.
7 Israel, put your hope in the Lord,
 for with the Lord is unfailing love
 and with him is full redemption.
8 He himself will redeem Israel
 from all their sins.

Devotional

You cry, you beg, and you scream trying to make God hear you.

It’s all in vain; He already does. He listens when you whisper. He listens when you don’t say a word. He listens when your heart breaks or when you can’t make a sound or even form a coherent thought.

He listens, He hears, He knows. He knows every thought, feeling, and sin. There is no hiding or covering up. We are all naked before Him. Yet he doesn’t have a long list in his back pocket of all we’ve done wrong and all the ways we’ve messed up. If He did, we’d all be done for. Instead, He forgives us our wrongs, teaches us what we can learn from our mistakes, and comforts us when it’s all too much.

So instead of crying, begging, and screaming for attention, breathe and wait. Inhale, exhale, and wait at his feet.

Prayer

Abba, thank you for being my Immanuel, my God with me. You’re with me through the good and the bad. Thank you for being my El Roi, my God who sees me. You see me when I bring you glory and when I bring you disgrace and love me the same. Lord, teach me to wait in your presence. Amen.

Jillian Jones, Junior M.Div. Student at Pittsburgh Theological Seminary

Scripture

Psalm 130

1 Out of the depths I cry to you, Lord;
2 Lord, hear my voice.
 Let your ears be attentive
 to my cry for mercy.
3 If you, Lord, kept a record of sins,
 Lord, who could stand?
4 But with you there is forgiveness,
 so that we can, with reverence, serve you.
5 I wait for the Lord, my whole being waits,
 and in his word I put my hope.
6 I wait for the Lord
 more than watchmen wait for the morning,
 more than watchmen wait for the morning.
7 Israel, put your hope in the Lord,
 for with the Lord is unfailing love
 and with him is full redemption.
8 He himself will redeem Israel
 from all their sins.

Devotional

You cry, you beg, and you scream trying to make God hear you.

It’s all in vain; He already does. He listens when you whisper. He listens when you don’t say a word. He listens when your heart breaks or when you can’t make a sound or even form a coherent thought.

He listens, He hears, He knows. He knows every thought, feeling, and sin. There is no hiding or covering up. We are all naked before Him. Yet he doesn’t have a long list in his back pocket of all we’ve done wrong and all the ways we’ve messed up. If He did, we’d all be done for. Instead, He forgives us our wrongs, teaches us what we can learn from our mistakes, and comforts us when it’s all too much.

So instead of crying, begging, and screaming for attention, breathe and wait. Inhale, exhale, and wait at his feet.

Prayer

Abba, thank you for being my Immanuel, my God with me. You’re with me through the good and the bad. Thank you for being my El Roi, my God who sees me. You see me when I bring you glory and when I bring you disgrace and love me the same. Lord, teach me to wait in your presence. Amen.