The Princess And The Pea

Psalm 40.6-7 (Passion Translation)

“It’s not sacrifices that really move your heart.

Burnt offerings, sin offerings – those aren’t what bring you joy.

But when you open my ears and speak to me,

I become your willing servant, your prisoner of love for life.

So, I said, ‘Here I am! I’m coming to you as a sacrifice.”

One of the first songs I wrote was called: ‘I’m coming to you’ – it was a really simple song expressing this new desire I had to draw near to God. It reflected a move in my heart that had occurred – the realisation that God was real, that he loved me and that he did awesome stuff! That song became a precious vehicle for my language to God. 

David who wrote most of the psalms (the ‘songbook of the Temple’) wrote many pretty similar songs (ok… a bit more poetic maybe!) Why? Because he had realised an incredible truth – he could move God’s heart. Just him, turning to God, giving God attention, laying down his own decisions in order to follow God, was enough to move God’s heart!

This is an incredible truth contained in today’s reading – that you, just you, yourself, YOU move God’s heart when you turn to him and say ‘Here I am! I’m coming to you!’  When you offer your life to God each day, the ancient, everlasting, almighty, heart of God is moved! 

It’s a bit like the tiny pea under the massive bed of the princess in the famous fairy-tale story. I remember thinking as a child - how could a tiny pea have such a massive impact! Well, so it is with our tiny hearts compared to God’s great heart. 

What an incredible opportunity to bless God and delight him we have each day. Take up the opportunity today. Be a positive pea.

Prayer — God I thank you that the biggest gift I can give you is simply myself. I come to you today and say, ‘Here I am, Lord. Use me as you will.’ I know I’m not perfect, but I know that your power is made perfect in my weakness.