Sometimes prayer is like a broken record. The kind that are scratched by wear from playing. A fine needle player getting caught in the deep grooves of use. Points getting bumped by the marred surface and replaying the same words. Stuck in the groove like a repeating prayer over and over.
That has been us this past year and seven months. Nine of those months were without my Husband here at home. For job security, stability and just plain love for the company, we agreed he work in places further from home. Knowing this would be temporary because the company had positions closer to home, we just needed one to open up. So we prayed, daily for over a year and a half.
We were stuck in the groove and ready for the needle to move on past this scratchy surface of waiting. Prayerful words felt like repeating nothingness, echoing one on the other. The song in midpause and the needle's weight not quite heavy enough to move past the scuffed spot. If you know how record players worked, a penny placed atop the needle's head tended to move it past the scratch(es) to finish the song. The weight of prayer tends to press us down and allow the needle to dig deeper. The copper cold of pressing tends to make the penny of prayer heave under it's load.
Faithful prayer wasn't mine, in that I can not take full credit. It was my youngest son. My own words wearied me in their scratching of repeat and wait. So some nights I scratched them out and other nights I just couldn't bring myself to them AGAIN.
Eventually faith stepped in and we felt the shift of the needle. We began to transfer all of our doings to the town that was closer to our prayerful job location, the one still unavailable. Within a few weeks, the answer came, the Heavens parted and there with our own eyes we saw the moment arrive. The needle paused in the application of pressing.
He got the job. It's been a long time coming and worth the wait. A nightly ritual prayer was been set free in answer. The needle played on past the scuffed surface to a tune closer to home. Now, nightly prayers will be replaced with the next song of heart. Because life is a melody between Heaven and Earth, where His Spirit loves, even yearns, to harmonize with ours.
"The LORD is my strength and my shield; my heart trusted in Him, and I am helped; therefore my heart greatly rejoices, and with my song I will praise Him." Psalm 28:7 (NKJ)
"..Jesus called them to Him and said, “Let the little children come to Me, and do not forbid them; for of such is the kingdom of God." Luke 18:16 (NKJ)
This Tuesday, I'm unwrapping the gift of answers. For more unwrappings visit Emily's place at "Chatting At The Sky".
what's invisible is visible in all of creation and this is where I speak of the supernatural among the natural. (Psalm 19:1-4, Colossians 1:15-16, Romans 1:20)
Ahhh my dear friend, I really am rejoicing with you. I can't say that I have been faithful in praying the same request every night...I just get tired of voicing it *again*!
ReplyDeleteGod knows even our sighs and groans though.
I have missed you lately...thanks for stopping by, and I'm glad I got to be blessed with this post tonight.
Love ya...hope you had a sweet date with your man.
xoxo
congratulations to you both, and so beautifully written~
ReplyDeleteThis is loveliness....I know it's painful too; but those deep ravines etched by a faithful life will bear fruit.
ReplyDelete