I Cry Out To God

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I Cry Out To God
A Devotional by Margot Cioccio

Psalm 57:2 (NIV1984)
 I cry out to God Most High,
   to God, who fulfills his purpose for me.


It is easy to think as Christians that we must do great things for God. We can spend a lot of time striving in our own strength. We get busy serving and doing things for God and we forget to spend time with Him, knowing Him. I lived that way in ministry far too long. I started out right but as the demands of serving and doing took over the time at His feet became less and less.
Eventually you find your self burnt out and wondering why. My relationship with the Lord became a small thread that I was hanging on to for dear life. Rather than a rich abiding relationship from which other things blossomed and grew.

I have learned the hard way that for my life to be fruitful my priority must be to be found daily at the feet of Jesus. We too often think we need to do a lot of stuff to be good enough or worthy enough when all we need to do is be his. I cry out to God Most High, to God, who fulfills his purpose for me.
The image of an iceberg helps keep things in perspective. Ones visible platform life needs to be the tip of the iceberg. Hidden underneath the water is this massive piece of ice. The bigger the visible tip  the bigger the hidden ice must be to support that tip.

I have through the yeas seen to many well meaning people crash and burn under the demands of ministry. Maybe this does not seem to apply to you directly. You however, have a pastor who needs your prayers to keep that iceberg perspective. It does apply directly to you in regards to bearing fruit. If you don’t abide in Jesus you won’t produce healthy fruit.   

I had to make a commitment to change. I have had to set boundaries, I’ve had to turn of the TV, I try to get up before my family to have time to spend alone with the Lord before my day gets crazy.
I’ve had to make changes because I want to know Him deeply and I want to be fruitful. I want that tip to be big enough for Gods purposes. I take comfort in knowing that it is He who fulfills them in me.

Things to Ponder:
Are you like an iceberg in your hidden life and your visible ministry? _____________________Are you feeling burnt out - Has your time abiding had become less than it once was?_________
Are you hanging by a small thread? ______________ it is never too late to turn things around.
Prayer:
Dear Lord,
Fullfil your purpose for me. Help me to have a heart that wants to spend time with you. A heart that wants to know you more deeply. Help me to arrange my life in such a way that I am better able to spend time with you. Lord I want to be fruitful for my life to touch others. I want your purpose for me.
I allow you to use what ever tools you need to use to shape me into what you want me to be. Please help me where I am weak to be strong in you. Help me to see the value of time in your presence and in your word. Help me love spending time with you.