I didn't know that my dryer buzzed until a couple of years ago. I had home schooled my children for seven years, doing laundry and life in the midst of teaching each day. When our kids went to public school, I was home in a quiet house for the first time. The second day of school, I was doing laundry (my husband and I had a day-long date the first day) and I heard this buzzing noise. My dryer was announcing that the clothes were dry. Why had I never heard this before? In the past, I would forget the clothes in the dryer...wrinkles, put a damp cloth in, dry for 15 more minutes, forget the clothes again, etc. The buzz had become background noise. I was so preoccupied, I had tuned the noise out completely.

My kids tune me out. I'm the dryer buzzer to them. I have joked about getting a job as a "professional repeater." I just want to yell, "CAN ANYONE HEAR ME????"  Being heard , truly being heard is critical some days. When our hearts are broken, our wills are exhausted, our spirits depleted. We desperately want someone to hear our pain and understand our struggle. Those who love us most don't get it right sometimes. We bravely share what's inside, but we're misunderstood by a friend or spouse who hears us from a selfish or defensive ear. Even the most sincere hearts may just not get us at times.

In the morning, O Lord, you hear my voice; in the morning I lay my requests before you and wait in expectation.  Psalm 5:3
Before a word is on my tongue you know it completely, O Lord. Psalm 139:4
O Lord, you have searched me and you know me. Psalm 139:1

We want to be heard, to be known completely. Beyond that, we want to be accepted and loved as we are heard and known. Our junk, our baggage, our imperfections, all of it. Known and accepted. Jesus can satisfy that deep need in us. His Word tells us that he knows us completely and loves us with an everlasting love. Unconditional love.