Empty containers

"We have many cares - our children, our business, our homes. Frequently, we do not bring these cares to God, feeling that they are too little to mention to Him. This is absurd! Have nothing else to do with such a sinful silence. Tell it all to Jesus. The Lord tells you to cast all your care upon Him, for He cares for you (1 Pet. 5:7). Tell Him! Why carry your sin, your need, and your care? Why not have greater desires and broader expectations? After all, Jesus says, 'According to your faith let it be to you' (Matt. 9;29).

There are times when the angel of mercy flies around the homes of God's people and brings an abundance of precious blessings. Sometimes while we sleep, the angel of mercy hovers on soft wings, but there is no empty container in which to pour the blessing. Later the angel visits another home, where in their prayers the residents set out a number of empty containers. The angel fills the containers from the supply of overflowing mercy, and when the petitioners awake they find an abundance supply of rich grace.

Some have feeble wishes, small desires, and slender prayers, or hardly any prayer at all. 'You do not have because you do not ask' (James 4:2). Others have large desires, earnest prayers, great faith, and large expectations. God gives according to your faith." - Spurgeon

This was a good read for me this morning. This week Dave is away on a business trip, Selah has come down with a fever and baby has been doing what newborns do best - waking up lots to eat! I love holding and cuddling her, but it is exhausting when it's in the middle of the night :). All that to say it's been an exhausting and very demanding week. As I read this Spurgeon quote, I realized how much I run from one thing to the next, often without praying and petitioning the Lord for help. He wants to hear me, he desires to help and wants me to lift up in prayer, even the most mundane of requests. He cares about the housework I have to do and wants to give me strength to do it, he cares about my lack of sleep and desires to give me rest of soul and mind and body, he cares about our house that I am seeking to keep warm (with our wood stove) and will provide the help to load wood, he cares about my little one who is sick right now and desires to give me the grace to care for her. How often I forget this. I want to be one who has set out lots of empty containers for the Lord to fill with grace. I want Him to be glorified through me and my dependance on Him, as evidenced through many prayers being lifted up.

I was convicted this morning of how quickly I ran to the medicine cabinet last night to get tylenol for Selah and didn't even take a moment to pray for her. I want to rely more and be humbled by the fact that I need the Lord for EVERYTHING.