WEBVTT - A Prayer for Those Crushed in Spirit

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<v Speaker 1>Life Audio. Thank you for listening to your Daily Prayer,

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<v Speaker 1>a podcast dedicated to helping you find the words you

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<v Speaker 1>need to connect with your Father in Heaven. No matter

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<v Speaker 1>what is going on in your life today, you can

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<v Speaker 1>trust that God wants to hear from you. Right after

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<v Speaker 1>this short word from our sponsor, we will pray for

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<v Speaker 1>today's prayer for those crushed in Spirit Together. A Prayer

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<v Speaker 1>for Those Crushed in Spirit, written by Kenisia Saunders Liddie,

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<v Speaker 1>read by Kerrie Eichberger. The Lord is near to the

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<v Speaker 1>broken hearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit,

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<v Speaker 1>Psalm thirty four, verse eight. The play was going to

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<v Speaker 1>be amazing, and little Mary knew she had to get

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<v Speaker 1>the part of playing Mary, the mother of Jesus, simply

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<v Speaker 1>because her name was Mary and she knew the whole

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<v Speaker 1>story about the virgin birth of Jesus Christ. Mary couldn't

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<v Speaker 1>believe her ears when her Sunday school teacher said she

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<v Speaker 1>would play Elizabeth, Mary's cousin, who had very few lines.

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<v Speaker 1>She smiled like everyone else and clapped, but she was crushed.

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<v Speaker 1>She cried in her mother's arms later that day, wondering

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<v Speaker 1>if she could do justice to a part she didn't

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<v Speaker 1>want my friend. How many times have we experienced what

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<v Speaker 1>Mary went through? When betrayal hits our marriage, when we

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<v Speaker 1>lose a job we love, when a friend chooses someone

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<v Speaker 1>else over us, and so many more experience and says

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<v Speaker 1>this is why I'm so glad I have Jesus, because

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<v Speaker 1>he promises to rescue those who are crushed in spirit.

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<v Speaker 1>I think of Mary, the mother of Jesus, as she

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<v Speaker 1>knelt at the foot of the cross and watched Jesus

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<v Speaker 1>be crucified. She knew he was God, but I'm sure

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<v Speaker 1>she pictured the little baby she first held in her hand.

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<v Speaker 1>Can you imagine the agony, the crushed spirit, and her

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<v Speaker 1>broken heart. Even while Jesus was suffering on the cross,

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<v Speaker 1>he saw her anguish and knew she was hurting, so

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<v Speaker 1>he told John to take care of Mary as though

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<v Speaker 1>she were his mother. And even for John, who was

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<v Speaker 1>very close to Jesus because he was the youngest among

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<v Speaker 1>the Apostles, we see Jesus thinking of him as well.

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<v Speaker 1>He said to Mary, behold John, your son. Jesus was

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<v Speaker 1>essentially saying, now that I'm gone, because you are crushed

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<v Speaker 1>in spirit, I will save you by leaving you both together.

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<v Speaker 1>If you are crushed in spirit, God is near to you.

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<v Speaker 1>He is like the wind. We cannot see him, but

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<v Speaker 1>we feel his presence. And even when the wind is

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<v Speaker 1>calm and quiet, we still know it's there because we

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<v Speaker 1>are breathing. God is near to us when things are good,

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<v Speaker 1>but when things are bad, he never abandons his own.

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<v Speaker 1>Jesus experienced abandonment in our place so that we don't

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<v Speaker 1>have to endure it. That is why Scripture tells us

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<v Speaker 1>that nothing can separate us from the love of God.

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<v Speaker 1>Not height or depth, angels or demons, and not even

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<v Speaker 1>death has that power. The Word says, if you draw

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<v Speaker 1>near to God, he will draw near to you. Our

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<v Speaker 1>key verse suggests that a special type of closeness is

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<v Speaker 1>reserved for those who are broken hearted and crushed in spirit.

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<v Speaker 1>Because God draws near on his own, he realizes we

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<v Speaker 1>need his strength and grace to make it through the

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<v Speaker 1>trials we are facing. Because when you are crushed in spirit,

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<v Speaker 1>you can't see the way out. That's why we should

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<v Speaker 1>trust in the one who can save us and walk

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<v Speaker 1>with us through the valley of the shadow of death,

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<v Speaker 1>the one who walks through trials or through betrayal. Because

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<v Speaker 1>weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in

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<v Speaker 1>the morning. The night can seem long and unending, but

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<v Speaker 1>God is with us every step of the way. We

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<v Speaker 1>know that morning will come because it breakthrough is on

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<v Speaker 1>the way. Dear Heavenly Father, thank you for saving those

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<v Speaker 1>who are crushed in spirit. I'll lift up and bring

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<v Speaker 1>to your throne everyone who has been invisible to others,

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<v Speaker 1>those chosen last, those who've experienced betrayal, the ones who

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<v Speaker 1>are hurting and can't envision an end the hurt. Let

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<v Speaker 1>them feel your presence, Lord, and You're unwavering, unfeeling and

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<v Speaker 1>perfect love. I say, gro through this pain. Keep the

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<v Speaker 1>source of comfort close to their weary heart. May you

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<v Speaker 1>place their hope and trust in you because you will

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<v Speaker 1>never leave or forsake them. You promised to be with

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<v Speaker 1>them to the end of the age, and you are

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<v Speaker 1>not like man that you should lie. Thank you for

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<v Speaker 1>always keeping your promises. O Lord, you are an amazing

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<v Speaker 1>God who never feels us and always comes through on time.

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<v Speaker 1>Thank you God for offering a way out when I

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<v Speaker 1>am Christian spirit, and thank you for drawing me when

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<v Speaker 1>my heart is broken. I will place my trust in you, Lord,

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<v Speaker 1>for you are my safety. And my God in Jesus Name. Amen.

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