CONCERT OF PRAYER

Pray Week 761

“Heart Sick”

Proverbs 13:12 (ESV)  Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but a desire fulfilled is a tree of life.

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Do you ever get ‘bummed out’ when things hoped for just don’t seem to be happening fast enough?  The calls for a job interview just don’t come.  You get passed over for that promotion at work – again.  Everything used to be on a growth curve until the bottom fell out.  You strive to stay afloat but circumstances just don’t seem to want to turn around any time soon.  All that you hope for seems to be on indefinite delay and you feel depressed, discouraged, and generally sick at heart.

God’s Word contrasts ‘hope deferred’ with a ‘desire fulfilled’.  It is interesting to note that a desire fulfilled is equated to a tree of life. We first see the Tree of Life in the Garden of Eden and then again in the book of Revelation.

He drove out the man, and at the east of the Garden of Eden he placed the cherubim and a flaming sword that turned every way to guard the way to the tree of life. – Genesis 3:24

He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To the one who conquers I will grant to eat of the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God.’ – Revelation 2:7

Jesus is the ‘Tree of Life’.  As Christian believers He is our desire fulfilled.  If you are heart sick because of hope deferred, consider the possibility that your hope, that is your heart’s desire, may be misdirected to something or someone else instead of Jesus Christ.

But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. “Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble. – Matthew 6:33

From the time Adam and Eve were separated from the Tree of Life God has been calling each of us to return to Him and to grow into a deeper and closer relationship with Him.  God made a way for us to be righteous through Jesus Christ.  He once again placed the Tree of Life before mankind as He had in the Garden of Eden.  It was made freely available once again to all who would come and choose its fruit over the fruit of sin or the perishable fruit of the things of this world.

Jesus came for you and me.  Jesus came so that we can be redeemed and declared righteous, not by what we do, but by what He did for us.  Jesus is the only cure for a sick heart.

May your heart’s foremost desire be for a closer, more intimate personal relationship with Jesus.  May you be filled to overflowing with the joy of His presence no matter what your circumstances look and feel like.

May the Holy Spirit empower you to share the joy of the Lord through the truth of His Word with those who are heart sick.  May His abiding presence in you be a source of courage and hope to others.

Close in prayer, thanksgiving & dedication of your work to the glory of God.