Satisfied

Today I'd like to tell you a story.  It's called "Here Today, Hear Tomorrow."  It's when something comes up one day and you hear from the Lord about it another day.  Sometimes we actively pursue an answer from the Lord on a thing, but other times He just delivers without us having to do much work at all.

Here Today:

Last evening my Praying Wives Group was in discussion after the teaching.  We're praying for a different aspect of our husbands' needs each week and one woman brought up the fact that each week's prayer seems to have elements that are in previous prayers.  Specifically, she was reminded of prayer that our husbands would be satisfied with what the Lord gives them.

Many men (and women too) work and work and work for what they need or want, but God prefers they receive from Him and be satisfied with His goodness, so they don't have to work so hard.  In other words, God wants us to let Him lavish good gifts on us rather than having us work ourselves silly to get them on our own.  I'm not saying God doesn't want us to work!  The Father does not want to raise spoiled children.  He just delights in giving us things and they are always good.

We searched through the material from previous weeks and found references that were close to that, but for some reason never did find the place where the word "satisfied" was used, even though we all remembered hearing or reading it.  After looking for awhile and talking about it some more, we moved on and finished up our session for the night.

Hear Tomorrow:

During worship at church today while I wasn't thinking of anything other than the usual - can my mic cord stretch just a little farther to give me some slack, do I have enough room so I don't hit the singer next to me with my tambourine, am I far enough forward so I don't back into the drums (stuff like that) - I began to focus more and more on the awesome God I was singing to.

When you actively focus on the Lord, you will hear His voice.

We began singing the song No Other by David Ruis and I was praising the Lord with every word:

          There is no other friend
          There is no other friend like You, oh Lord
          No other brother
          No other brother like You

          There is no other love
          There is no other love like You, oh Lord
          No other sweeter
          No other fountain but You

And there it was.  In the very next line I heard it:

          And how long until I'm satisfied?

Suddenly, the Lord began speaking to me while I continued singing the song:

          I must have more of You

          For I was born in Zion

          Awakened love is crying out for You

          It must be You

"Yes," He was saying, "it must be Me.  It must be Me that you draw your satisfaction from.  No human can offer what I can.  Not your husband for you or you for your husband.  Not your kids for you or you for your kids.  Not your pastor for you or you for those you minister to.  You can't get real satisfaction from your job, your home, your money, your ministries, or anything else.  But you will find you are satisfied with all those people and in all those things if you draw your true satisfaction from Me"

Aha!  Revelation!  The more I sang, the closer I wanted to be to God.  The lyrics completely expressed my hunger for more of what He desires to give every day:

          And if I’m healed by

          Just one touch

          of your garment, Lord

          Then how much more

          of Your love is for me

          than I’m tasting, Lord?

          Draw me, take me and I will run

          Over the mountains and down into the valleys

          I will run with You

          All, all my fountains are in You

I haven't quite figured out the fountain part yet.  If it means that everything I need to pour out of me - my time, attention, love, energy, creativity, etc - is in the Lord, that's what I want.  I want Him to be the source of everything I do.

          All, all my fountains are in You

If it means that everything I draw upon to determine my self-worth is in the Lord, that's what I want.  I want Him to establish my value.

          All, all my fountains are in You

If it means that my refreshing is in the Lord, that's what I want.  I want Him to wash over me with His cleansing and life-giving water.

          All, all my fountains are in You

Lord, I pray today that I will be satisfied with You.  Forgive me for counting on others to be my source of satisfaction and ignoring Your gifts to me.  I want to dive in deeper each day to take hold of all You have to offer me.  I can hardly believe there is more than what I've tasted so far, but I know there is and I want all that is mine through Your Son, Jesus Christ.  Thank You for talking to me... I'm glad I listened.  Amen.

Today I am satisfied.

(No Other - David Ruiz - http://www.worship.co.za/tfh/tfh-2912.asp)