Have you ever cried out for help and received it? Or maybe not?
I was struck today by a chapter in the Bible I have read countless time before but never saw what hit me until this morning. It is Psalm 107. It begins with a familiar refrain that was repeated in some previous psalms: “Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good! His faithful love endures forever.” (107:1)
Okay. Sounds like something I or maybe you have read before. But then the writer veers from script and begins to recount different events in the life of the wandering Israelites, as well as other events unrelated to them. What I noticed though (and missed this before) is that four times they cry out the same thing: “Lord help! they cried in their trouble and he rescued them from their distress.” Those same words are used in verses 4, 13, 19, and 28. So four times we see their cry, “Lord help!” and four times we see His response: “He saved them from their distress.” Now watch what God did:
- He led them straight to safety-v.7
- He led them from the darkness and deepest gloom-v.14
- He sent out His word and healed them-v.20
- He calmed the storm to a whisper- v.29
Simple point: they cried out for help. God acted. Please read the chapter for yourself and do your own investigation. Let me close this simple devotion with two more verses:
“Those who are wise will take all this to heart; they will see in our history the faithful love of the Lord.” (107:43)
“Oh, please help us against our enemies, for all human help is useless. With God’s help we will do mighty things, for He will trample down our foes.” (108:12-13)
Cry for help. He will answer. He will fight for you. And remember (as I told someone yesterday): God is seldom early, but He’s never late.
{All Scripture is from the New Living Translation}