GOD'S LOVE - GOD'S VOICE by Cindy Burger How do we know God loves us? How can we trust His love? We pray for healing; we often find pain. We pray for peace; we find struggle. We pray for a job; we find unemployment. The question so many people ask today begins with the words, "If God REALLY loved me..." We have become a nation of independent people. We assume we know what is best for us, so we pray. We ask for what WE want, and then we are disappointed when our prayers appear to be unanswered. The TRUTH is, God DOES love us! He provides for us at ALL times. He gives us what HE KNOWS we need most. Yet, the deaf ears of His people cannot hear His voice. Their eyes do not see GOD'S answers to their prayers. They find it too difficult to accept His love. Love is TRUST. _T_ rust BEGINS with the cross of our Lord. We may THINK we know what's good for us, but our Heavenly Father knows what is BEST for us! We know God loves us because He gave his ONLY Son as proof of that love. The gift He gave is everlasting! Unfortunately, we have hardened our hearts to His voice--and His love. God is reaching out to His people. Once again, the words of Isaiah ring true: Pay Attention, Israel, for you are my servant; I made you and I will not forget to help you. I've blotted out your sins; they are gone like the morning mist at noon. Oh return to me, for I have paid the price to set you free. Isaiah 44:21-22 (The Living Bible) Our Lord will not forsake us. THAT is His promise! Why then do we question the answers to our prayers? Why do we assume He has not heard our cry for help when He gives us what we need? Our Lord heals in ways that no human mind can truly understand. The most important part of our relationship with God is just that--THE RELATIONSHIP! He WANTS us to pray. He WANTS to meet our needs. He WANTS to have a conversation with us. Prayer is not just TALKING to God. Prayer is also listening to HIS VOICE! We must come before Him, asking forgiveness for our sins. We must ask that our hearts and minds be opened to HIS will, not ours. We must be willing to be quiet and wait upon His Word. Amazing things happen when we pray in this way! God does answer our prayers; we just need to be in the right relationship with Him in order to hear and see his answers! Pain and suffering can provide a gift more blessed than we could EVER have asked for. It is a gift our Lord gave to the world--compassion. When we struggle, we turn to God in frustration. We ask for His help and He provides. We must have faith, trusting that God will see us through our trials. We must give thanks for the gift He is giving us, the gift He gave to the world--patience. We also find peace beyond all understanding when we can trust in Him through our struggles. The Bible teaches that we must be willing to listen and obey. God recently told me I needed to leave my teaching job. I trembled in fear when I thought about letting go and risking financial insecurity, but I have learned to hear my Master's voice. He said, "FEAR NOT, FOR I AM WITH YOU. I WILL LEAD YOU." I asked God to show me what to do. He said, "I DON'T WANT YOU TO DO ANYTHING; I WANT YOU TO LOVE ME." I started to protest and say, "Of course I love you!" He knew my heart and in the silence of my prayer, I heard His voice: "IF YOU LOVED ME, YOU WOULD TRUST ME." Tears began to flow. I learned as a child in an abusive family that love meant betrayal. Pain and suffering were all I ever saw, so THAT is what I expected from love. Today, God has taught me the real meaning of love. TRUE LOVE can bring me gifts that I never dreamed could be mine! TRUE LOVE is having a Father who protects me, looks out for my needs, holds me through my trials and shares HIS life with me. Love is TRUST--and it BEGINS with the cross of Christ Jesus! May you have blessed communion with our Lord. May you hear His voice when you pray. May you follow His will and know that He loves you more than words could ever tell!