Contact Me

If you enjoy my blog and would like to contact me, you may reach me at this email: dena.netherton@gmail.com

Some of my stories are published in:
A Cup of Comfort Devotional for Mothers and Daughters (Adams Media, 2009)
Chicken Soup: What I Learned from the Dog (2009)
Love is a Flame (Bethany House, 2010)
Extraordinary answers to Prayer (Guideposts, 2010)
Love is a Verb (Bethany House, 2011)
Big Dreams from Small Spaces (Group Publishing, 2012)

Saturday, January 14, 2012

How God Comforts His Child

I know you can relate:
You've worked really hard at your assigned task.
Many people are relying on you.
You've made all your phone calls and sent your emails.
You've made sure every single thing that could go wrong has been taken care of.
You sigh with relief at a job well done.
Then the big day arrives and things completely out of your control conspire to make it look like you haven't done your job.
Your co-worker, who has no idea how hard you've worked on this project, expresses her dissatisfaction.
How did this happen?
What began as a great day has now left you feeling frazzled, embarrassed and defeated.
You go home to your spouse and pour out your heart.
Your spouse tries to give you advice about how you could have avoided these problems if you'd just. . .

God, on the other hand is silent.
He knows your heart.
He knows you're feeling overwhelmed and tired.
He gives you space.
He knows, when you're ready, you'll come to Him.
He is not at all surprised about how things went this morning.
He's already been there, remember? He's the First and the Last.

You feel like crying, but you don't because you're not a crier. (Well, maybe you are.)
Then, out of the blue, God speaks. Very softly. Very gently. Without any accusation or "you should'ves". . . . . . . . . .

"Oh Lord, you have searched and known me.
You know when I sit and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar.
You discern my going out and my lying down; You are familiar with all my ways.
Before a word is on my tongue, You know it completely, O Lord.
My frame was not hidden from You when I was made in the secret place.
When I was woven together in the depths of the earth, Your eyes saw my unformed body.
All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.
How precious to me are Your thoughts, O God!" (Psalm 139: 1-4 and 15-17, NIV Bible)

4 comments:

  1. Thank you, Dena. This has special meaning for me in light of recent events.

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  2. Susan, seems like everyone's got a story like mine. Isn't it wonderful that we have a heavenly Father who knows our sorrows and knows us intimately?

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  3. This is so good, Dena. Great insight into the love of our Father and wonderful encouragement to go to Him when we are hurting. So often we fail to do that. Thank you for sharing your gift of communication with us.

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  4. thanks, Nancy. He is so incredibly gentle!

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