Dear Readers and Listeners, Friends in Jesus Christ,
Our watchword for today is taken from the Book of Psalms, Psalm 34 verse 6, “This poor soul cried, and was heard by the Lord, and was saved from every trouble,” (NRSVB).
David wrote this psalm while he was sorely oppressed and fleeing from the wrath of King Saul and his mighty army. Despite being a loyal soldier and member of the king’s court, the hatred of Saul burned against David for it was revealed to Saul that David would be the next king. David decided that he would not fight against the king as he did not want to harm Saul, who was anointed as king over Israel. This decision of David caused him to have to flee before Saul and his army. In this psalm David praises God, who, in the darkest of moments, when one faces death, delivers his children. David called on the Lord continually and cried to Him, asking God to deliver him from the fearful situations that he had to face. God did not turn his face away but listened to the cries of David, and came to his defence. God saved David because he asked, searched and knocked, and the door of mercy and grace was opened. The God who saved David, time and time again, the God who brought Israel out of slavery and guided her on her road through history, is the same God, who calls us today and promises his deliverance.
God delights in delivering his children. He wants them to call on him, for they are weak and have no power to defend themselves against unrighteousness and the Evil One. “The Lord is close to those who are of broken heart and saves such that are crushed with sorrow for sin and are humbly penitent,” Psalm 34 verse 18, (Amplified Bible). The hearts of the children of God long to repent of their own sin, but also of the collective sin around them. Sin is to turn away from God and seek salvation and deliverance in man-made structures and statutes. Humans are curved in unto themselves and their plans are devised to ascertain “the biggest slice of the pie” for certain preferred groups only. The children of the Kingdom of God come to him and bring to him their wrongs, and the wrongs of the world and her people. They come in prayer, asking, pleading and searching for righteousness for all. God has given his children the authority to ask that his will be done on earth. When God’s will is done on earth, there will be peace and freedom as we share God’s bounty for all.
Jesus’ disciples asked him to teach them how to pray and Jesus taught them to pray to God as if they speak to their father, “Abba Father!” Earthly fathers know how to give good things to their children and bless them with these, how much more would God, our Heavenly Father, not bestow good things on his children. Parents know to give their little babies what they need by only listening to their cries. God knows, before we ask, what we need. God is ready and able and wants to fulfil our needs. After Jesus explained praying and how to ask God to receive from his hand, Jesus instructed his disciples to continue praying until their prayers are answered. There will always be a need for praying, for people will always have various needs. These needs will manifest within individuals, nations, communities, congregations, in and of the times that are lived. Prayer is our constant communication with the Father. He will answer the cries of those who call on him. “For everyone who asks receives, and everyone who searches finds, and for everyone who knocks, the door will be opened,” Luke 11 verse 10, (NRSVB).
Father, our Father, we thank you that we can come to you and call on your Name. We thank you that you hear our cries and come to deliver us and bring us to a place of safety. We ask that you will come in the darkness of this world with your healing, Amen.