A Magnolia's Heart Beats

Thankful Thursday - Looking Back

“For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.” ~ Jeremiah 29:11 (ESV)

As Iris mentioned in her Thankful Thursday post, looking back can be painful. This has been a year of joys and trials for me. In January I was blessed with the knowledge that we were having another grandson. Later in the year I was frightened to learn my uncle's melanoma had returned. In May he underwent brain surgery and it was successfully removed. In June we got a pool and swam all summer long. September brought news of my father having heart problems and he had pacemaker surgery on my birthday. In October we welcomed our grandson, all 5 lbs. and 3 oz. of him, into this world one month early. In November we gathered for a Thanksgiving that was wonderful. Jimmy's cancer returned and he underwent a second brain surgery in December and the cancer was removed again. Christmas Eve and Christmas Day our whole family was together. Not a soul was absent and all were healthy. Hours before the end of 2008, my uncle texted me and said the results of his most recent PET scan were all clear.

Looking back has left me thankful. God was with me every step of the way, sometimes carrying me, sometimes prodding me along, sometimes pulling me while I stubbornly refused to move, heels dug in, and sometimes simply walking with His precious hand in mine.

This Thankful Thursday, I rejoice that God has hopeful plans for me, and a future I cannot even begin to imagine! He is so faithful.

The Hebrew word for welfare in Jeremiah 29:11 (ESV) is shalowm, which means:

1) completeness, soundness, welfare, peace
a) completeness (in number)
b) safety, soundness (in body)
c) welfare, health, prosperity
d) peace, quiet, tranquillity, contentment
e) peace, friendship
1) of human relationships
2) with God especially in covenant relationship
f) peace (from war)
g) peace (as adjective)

I love that God desires and has plans for us indivdually for these things as mentioned above. My heart echoes David's declaration below.

"How precious to me are your thoughts, O God! How vast is the sum of them!" ~ Psalm 139:17 (NIV)

I love the promise that a new year brings. As in Jeremiah 33:3, we can call on the Lord for all our needs. This is one year I will be growing even closer to the Lord in prayer. I have always been a strong advocate of prayer, but this year I want to go deeper, seeking God more closely and spending time more closely with Him in prayer.

I love the promise that if we call to God He will answer us. The Hebrew word for call is qara', which means:

1) to call, call out, recite, read, cry out, proclaim
a) (Qal)
1) to call, cry, utter a loud sound
2) to call unto, cry (for help), call (with name of God)
3) to proclaim
4) to read aloud, read (to oneself), read
5) to summon, invite, call for, call and commission, appoint, call and endow
6) to call, name, give name to, call by
b) (Niphal)
1) to call oneself
2) to be called, be proclaimed, be read aloud, be summoned, be named
c) (Pual) to be called, be named, be called out, be chosen

I want to call out to God and to be called upon by Him. I want to proclaim praises to Him and cry out the desires of my heart to Him in such a way that honors Him.

The Hebrew word for answer is `anah, which means:

1) to answer, respond, testify, speak, shout
a) (Qal)
1) to answer, respond to
2) to testify, respond as a witness
b) (Niphal)
1) to make answer
2) to be answered, receive answer
2) (Qal) to sing, utter tunefully
3) (Qal) to dwell

I look forward to hearing God's actie response to the prayers I share with Him. I am anticipating His dwelling with me as He answers my prayers according to His perfect will.

I love how He says in the verse above that He will tell us great and hidden things that we do not know.

The Hebrew word for tell is nagad, which means:

1) to be conspicuous, tell, make known
a) (Hiphil) to tell, declare
1) to tell, announce, report
2) to declare, make known, expound
3) to inform of
4) to publish, declare, proclaim
5) to avow, acknowledge, confess
a) messenger (participle)
b) (Hophal) to be told, be announced, be reported

I look so forward to hearing from Him and hearing His Holy Spirit guiding me in His truths.

The Hebrew word for great is gadowl, which means:

1) great
a) large (in magnitude and extent)
b) in number
c) in intensity
d) loud (in sound)
e) older (in age)
f) in importance
1) important things
2) great, distinguished (of men)
3) God Himself (of God)

Oh, the important things He has for us to know! The intensity of this knowing of things of importance and Him revealing Himself to me is mind-boggling but definitely something I'm clinging to.

I believe I can honor Him more by keeping my heart's ears open for what He has to say to me this year.

In the past I have thought of these things as hidden. The Hebrew word for hidden is batsar, which means:

1) to gather, restrain, fence, fortify, make inaccessible, enclose
a) (Qal)
1) to cut off
2) fortified, cut off, made inaccessible (pass participle)
3) secrets, mysteries, inaccessible things (subst)
b) (Niphal) to be withheld
c) (Piel) to fortify

To know that He has been ready to reveal these things to me all along is what makes my desire to go deeper in prayer with Him.

"You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart." ~ Jeremiah 29:13 (NIV)

Have I sought Him with all my heart in the past? I believe that a part of me has held back. I have wanted to know Him more intimately, but I admit that there are so many things I don't understand. I thought if I didn't ask I wouldn't be disappointed not to know. I believed that there were some things that were to remain a mystery. I still believe that we are not to know everything, but as I have read His Word so closely this year, I know that He is a God who loves me and wants to be known by me. Surely I will not know the fullness of Him until I am with Him in Heaven, but while I'm here on earth I do not want to miss a thing! I'm ready to seek Him with all my heart and hear what He has to tell me now.

Looking forward, I am thankful for the opportunities He has placed before me, making Himself available to be such a personal God and Father. He has given you the same opportunities! Let's grow in prayer together, shall we?

Thankful Thursday is hosted by Iris at Grace Alone... Please be sure to visit her, link up and post your own thankful post.