Open Ears

It was time to go! Go . . . again! Over the highways we went to yet another family camp. This one happened to be just a few miles from the place I spent nine of my “growing up” years. One afternoon we journeyed to town to look around. We drove by the place where we stopped to pick up my friend for school. We went up into the driveway of the house where I used to live. And . . . my mind took its journey too . . . back over the years to when I was a little girl . . .

My dad had been president of a small Bible college. Since our home was across a field, I would sometimes have to walk the distance across the yard, down past the apple tree, and through a very “scary” path with weeds on each side, past some neighbors houses and on up to the road that the college was on. It was quite a distance — for a little girl — and the path between the weeds was what I disliked the most.

After all, who knew what was living in those weeds — just ready to come out and get me? Snakes were the one things I feared most — at least until one fateful day. A friend was waiting for me over at the school — we were going to have such fun playing together. Dad was mowing the lawn, and mother was busy in the house . . . so, I was supposed to make my “trek” over to the college and we would walk back together.

Now just after the path through the weeds was a house. A ranch sort of home, and whoever was living there had two of the biggest Doberman pincher dogs ever known to man. (At least in my opinion!) They were big . . . and they were mean. . . and not usually out. But this day was different. As I entered the path of the “scary weeds” charging up the path from the other direction came a very UNFRIENDLY Doberman. I turned and ran . . . screaming at the top of my lungs! I must have screamed pretty loud — because here came Dad! He had heard me above the tractor/lawn mower and immediately came to help his daughter.

That did it! Mom had to drive me over to meet my friend. Nothing would lead me back over that particular path that particular day!

We have a Heavenly Father whose ears are OPEN to hear our cry! When we need forgiveness — He listens earnestly and will come the moment we open our mouth! He is waiting. If we are in trying circumstances — He hears our cry. He knows where we are. Whatever our need — His Father heart delights to hear us, and He is ready to provide what we need.

He knows what is best. He may not always give it just when or how WE think it needs to be done, but His loving heart will answer — in the way HE sees we need when we call on Him. He is a loving Father. One with the best interest of His children at heart. His ears are ALWAYS open!

 

Take it with You

“Finally, all of you be of one mind, having compassion for one another; love as brothers, be tenderhearted, be courteous; not returning evil for evil or reviling for reviling, but on the contrary blessing, knowing that you were called to this, that you may inherit a blessing. For, ‘He who would love life and see good days, let him refrain his tongue from evil, and his lips from speaking deceit. Let him turn away from evil and do good; let him seek peace and pursue it. For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, and His ears are open to their prayers; but the face of the Lord is against those who do evil.”

I Peter 3:8-12