Scripture for Today: Psalm 142 & Prov 27:5-6 and John 17:17-19 again
How do you pray when you're in trouble; when trapped and feel there is no way out and no one who will support you?
David was trapped in a cave; hiding from King Saul, who sought his life. His life was being threatened and he didn't know who he could trust, for men had betrayed him to Saul in the past. So, David turns to the only One he knew for certain would not abandon him.
I cry aloud to the Lord;
I lift up my voice to the Lord for mercy.
I pour out before him my complaint;
before him I tell my trouble.
When my spirit grows faint within me,
it is you who watch over my way.
In the path where I walk
people have hidden a snare for me.
Look and see, there is no one at my right hand;
no one is concerned for me.
I have no refuge;
no one cares for my life. (142:1-4)
Can you feel his anguish and total dependence upon the Lord? It seems he has looked around him for help but there was none. He has longed for someone to care but he is all alone. So, he turns to God and finds help in his time of need and comfort from the God of all comforts. He is not alone! God is with him.
I cry to you, Lord;
I say, “You are my refuge,
my portion in the land of the living.”
Listen to my cry, for I am in desperate need;
rescue me from those who pursue me,
for they are too strong for me. (142:5-6)
But it was David's last words that grabbed my attention today.
David’s prison was a cave. He hid in a hole in the rocks to save his life from the hostile King Saul, but I believe each of us can relate. Our prisons may not come in the form of a cave or bars, but I believe there are times in each of our lives that we feel alone, abandoned; feeling that no one cares about our plight, or that nobody understands how we truly feel.
So often,
- When someone is grieving the loss of a loved one, after a few days and everyone else has gone back to their lives, they feel lost and alone.
- When one is diagnosed with a terrible disease, they are flooded with well wishers but after a few days they are left alone to face the reality of it all.
- When we keep trying to gain the victory over an addiction or habit, but fail, and those close to us may be tempted to give up on us.
But God is always there.
We may be facing some great temptation in our life that has us so discouraged. We may feel we have lost the battle and are overwhelmed because once again we have given in to that which we know to be wrong. How do we tend to deal with life when we are all alone and there seems to be no help?
If I could speak to the lonely heart that is ready to give up and in; the heart who feels it will never end, I believe I'd say:
Just like David, we need to turn to God.
You may have heard the saying that no matter how far you are away from God, we only have to turn around. He is always right there! He is our Creator and Friend. He knows exactly what is needed if we will only give it all to Him! And rest in His abilities.
We can go boldly to the throne of grace to find mercy and grace to help in our time of need. Isn't that amazing? God's grace does not depend on you!
And, if you lack wisdom, James tells us, "you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you. But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind." (James 1:5-6)
His grace is always sufficient for every need.
AND then we can use our victory in Jesus to share His grace and help others in need.
Let's pray:
O Father, I thank you for your wonderful love, your matchless grace and your infinite mercy toward me. Thank You for always being here with me to help in my time of need. Thank You for helping me through so many things in my life already and for giving me comfort when I have been distressed, health when I have been sick, material things when I was without and love and companionship when I felt all alone. Help me use all I have and am to help others. I ask this in the name of Jesus. Amen.
