Give me YOUR eyes . . .

"Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour."

Satan is in the business of devouring our

pretty homes . . .

Satan is in the business of devouring our

pretty marriages . . . 

Satan is in the business of devouring our

pretty children . . .

Satan is in the business of devouring our

pretty lives . . .

Satan knows just where to "hit" us.  He knows where each and every one of us has a weakness, or weaknesses {food, gossip, addictions, need for self worth, anger, bitterness, grudges . . . }.  When he sees a crack, in the workings of your home, in the covenant of your marriage, in the relationship with your children, in the tapestry of your life, the subtle prowl becomes an all out attack.  A war on all that you hold dear.  Satan does not play fair and Satan wants to win.  

It is so sad.  I have seen so many pretty homes destroyed.  I have seen pretty marriages that seemed to be "matches made in Heaven" crumble.  I've seen pretty children raised in pretty Christian homes, loved dearly by their parents wander.  I've seen pretty lives fall apart, being given over to fears, insecurities, addictions . . . all things Satan has used to lure us away from the riches of God's grace.

There are times when it seems there is nothing we can do, but pray, and often times, that is all that we can do, I understand that.  But, can we, as the body of Christ do more?  

Can we come alongside our brothers and sisters in the good, the bad and the ugly and "be there for them"?  I mean, really "be there for them"?

When I think on this question, it makes me wonder, how many times has there been someone in my life who was just {hanging on} and I did nothing more than offer my prayers for them?  I am not questioning the power of prayer by writing this.  I am just reflecting upon times when I was {hanging on} and what my heart longed for!

Way too often, we hide behind the masks of our pretty homes, pretty marriages, pretty children and pretty lives and don't let others in to see our pain.  Sometimes this is a learned behavior because on those few, rare occasions that we have allowed ourselves to be vulnerable, we felt rejected, judged, or worse yet, made out to be a "bad" Christian.  We have been made to feel that if we just trusted God more, realized that He was the only one we could count on, leaned on Him more, we'd be o.k.  I, for one, know those things to be true.  I was born to two amazing Christian parents, I grew up in the church.  I had a loving, safe home.  I was your typical mid-western "good girl".    I know that I need to trust God more, I need to realize that He's the only one I can really count on, I know I need to lean on Him fully.  I KNOW all of the "right" church answers, really I do!  And I believe them.  But, I'm still human.  And I know that God created us for "community"!  Genesis 2:18 says, "It is not good for man to be alone" and Galatians 6:2 says, "Bear one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ".  God knew that we needed human companionship! 

Even though I know the right "church girl" answers, there are still times where I want {need} more.  So, the question becomes, If I KNOW the right answers, what is the more that I want when I'm just barely {hanging on}?  What do I want {need} instead of putting on my mask and pretending that everything is o.k.?  If I'm honest, I want {need} to be able to run to someone. I need to be held by someone who will let me scream or rant or cry.  I need to be loved without judgement and to be "heard" not just "listened" to.  I need them to {be there}.  I need the one who is handing me a tissue to dry my tears.  The one that says, call me, any time, day or night, I LOVE YOU!  I am not saying that this person has to justify my actions, reactions, anger and rant.  I'm more happy actually if they will bring me back in line with right thinking.  I'm {needing} them to point me back to my first true love, Jesus.  I need their accountability, but the point is, I need them to physically be there.

Therein lies MY dilemma . . . how often have I NOT been that kind of friend {or wife, daughter, mama}?  How often do I flippantly say "I'm praying for you".  "Oh, honey, God knows your hurt".  "Oh, I've got this really good book you could read".  "I just heard this amazing song and it spoke to my heart, here listen to it".  "If you need anything, just call" {Seriously the WORST statement ever in my opinion.}  "God gives the toughest battles to His strongest warriors".  "God won't give you more than you can handle". {Oh how I dislike that one . . . God DOES give us more than we can handle because it's only in those times that we learn to lean completely on HIM!}  I need to remember that just as I "can't.do.it.all.by.myself." neither can my husband, parents, children, friends.  I need to remember that it is o.k. to be weak. To make mistakes {even BIG ones}.  To have a "safe place" to run to where NO MATTER WHAT sins have taken over, there is LOVE.   I need to remember that there aren't always easy answers.

As I look to be filled on the {in}side, so I can spill {out} God's love, this is an area that I need to work on.  

I need to be able to be available, anytime, day or night.  I need to be those arms that will hold during the screaming, ranting, crying.  I need to love without judgement and not just "listen" to what is being said, but I need to "hear" the deeper, heart issues.  I want to "be there".  I want to be the "hander" of tissues and the one who says call me anytime, and means it!  I want to listen and offer wise counsel, love, prayer and Godly advice.  I want to be there.

Oh Lord, I am so caught up in my own world.  I'm so committed to my own commitments and busyness that way too often I overlook the needs of others.  Please help me to slow down and not just listen, but to hear.  "Give me Your eyes for just one second, give me Your eyes so I can see, everything that I keep missing.  Give me your love for humanity.  Give me your arms for the broken-hearted, the ones that are far beyond my reach.  Give me Your heart for the ones forgotten, give me Your eyes so I can see!"**  Amen.

**Brandon Heath "Give Me Your Eyes"