Tuesday, November 5, 2013

Something to Think About: The Lord Hears


When the righteous cry for help the LORD hears, and rescues them from all their troubles.
Psalm 34: 17 (NRSV).

The Lord hears. No matter how broken the prayer, how strained or faint the cry, the LORD hears. Most of us can look back to times when our spirits were in such deep distress, we were at a loss for words. Sometimes we just said, “Jesus” over and over again because our lips could not formulate sentences from the relentless torrent of words crashing through our thoughts. What a comfort to know the LORD hears.
Not only does he hear but he makes sense of the groans and sighs and the prayers that hiccups and stops, and the stammering words slowly trailing off into silence. He knows the words we wish to utter before we figure out speech is necessary. Not only so, God knew we would be faced with whatever it is that now leaves us stymied. Beloved, not only did God know the end form the very beginning of time, he also had a plan in mind of exactly what to do for you.
So he hears, he understands and he rescues the righteous from all their troubles. “Wait a minute,” you say.  “Many times the situation does not change after I pray. How can the Bible then say God saves me from my troubles?” Well there is salvation and there is salvation. God saves his people in many ways.  A few of these are changing the circumstances, changer the person in the circumstance, changing the person as a result of the circumstances, removing the problem all together, sending help within the trial, changing consequences resulting from the circumstance — and I am sure by now you can think of several ways God demonstrates he hears, rescues and saves.
So whether this moment finds you speechless or just without the right words to express your need, whether you think or speak or mutter a disjointed collection of words, God promises to hear the righteous. And we know he is faithful to deliver all those who trust in him.
My heavenly Father, I ask you to search my heart and my thoughts right now. See the words I cannot express, hear my prayer as I lift my spirit to you. Father, I ask you to hear and rescue me from my troubles according to the promise of your Word. Amen.









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