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Friday, September 8, 2017, 6:37 a.m. – The Lord Jesus put in mind the song “My Cry for Mercy.” Speak, Lord, your words to my heart. I read Psalm 143 (ESV).
Our Prayers (vv. 1-4)
As followers of Jesus Christ, we have a shared enemy, who is Satan. His goal is to destroy us or to reform us to his ways, which also destroys us. The closer we walk with the Lord, and the greater impact we have for Jesus Christ in the lives of others, the stronger the opposition is against us. But, Satan does not act alone. He has a myriad of demons and humans who serve him, and who do his bidding, and they, too, will come against us to try to kill us, one way or another.
They will try to discourage and dishearten us, in hopes we will give up, or they will try to sully our reputations so that people will not listen to us. Or, they will attempt to trick, deceive, shame and persuade us into abandoning our commitments to Christ Jesus, and to forsaking the sharing of his gospel of salvation with others. Or, they will lock us up, drug us up, or do whatever they know how to do to hinder us from sharing the gospel, for that is their ultimate goal, to keep the gospel of Jesus Christ from spreading further, in hopes people will not turn their hearts over to our Lord Jesus Christ.
So, when the enemy is coming strong against us, we need to look up. We need to not let him get the best of us, but we must keep our eyes firmly focused on Jesus Christ and the hope we have in him. Just because things look bad, in the light of this world, it does not mean God or his plans have changed or that he has abandoned us. He will never leave or forsake those who are truly his, and he will work all things for good for us who love him, and who have been called according to his purpose.
Thirst for Him (vv. 5-8)
I think that, sometimes, when things get bad in the present, we have a tendency to forget all the times previously when God brought us through difficult circumstances. That is one of the reasons it is good to journal, or to make notes in our Bibles or somewhere that we can refer back to, so when things get tough, and our hearts begin to fail, we can look back and see how God moved in our lives before, and then it encourages and strengthens our hearts in the present. Many times I have read through previous journals and have just wept when I read how God ministered to my heart at another time when I was going through a time of trouble, and it just blessed my heart.
When we go through tough times, though, it has a way of drawing us to our Father’s bosom. When things are going well for us, we may have a tendency to get lazy or apathetic about our relationship with God, and to, perhaps, drift from our pure devotion to him. So, he allows us to go through difficulties, trials and tribulations so that we will call on him, and so we will draw closer to him, and so we mature in our walks of faith with him, and we learn greater dependency on him. It is for our good that he disciplines us, in other words, in order that we may share in his holiness, and so that it might produce a harvest of his righteousness in our lives (See: Heb. 12:1-11).
On Level Ground (vv. 9-12)
It is good for us to be afflicted that we might learn his commands (Ps. 119:71). We often learn more through suffering, concerning following our Lord in obedience, than we ever learn when life is going forward without even a bump in the road. Jesus, who was/is God, and who was perfect (sinless), learned obedience through the things he suffered. So, how much more should we, mere humans, learn through the times of testing we go through how to follow our Lord in surrender to his will for our lives.
So, when we go through suffering, we should call on God, and we should ask him to teach us what we need to learn through our time of testing, instead of always wanting to be rescued out of it. If we are rescued too soon, we may not learn what we need for walking closer to our Lord, and for knowing his will for our lives. I think, as Americans, that we often miss out on all God has for us because we are prone more towards trying to relieve our suffering rather than learning what God has to teach us through it. I am all for relief, don’t get me wrong, but we should not so easily look for quick fixes that we miss the blessings God has for us in the process.
We should want (desire) to know and to do the will of God more than we want instantaneous relief from pain and difficulties. Too many people run to drugs for relief and never run to God. Or, they try to escape their pain in other ways, rather than trusting the Lord to see them through and to bring healing to their bodies, minds and hearts. So, if you are going through a tough time right now, seek God with all your heart. Ask him to teach you his way, that you may walk in it. Ask him to give you an undivided heart with which to serve him. Trust him to walk you through your circumstances, and believe him to accomplish his good for you through what you are experiencing. And, then believe him to fill you with his peace and joy.
My Cry for Mercy
An Original Work / October 31, 2013
Based off Psalm 86
Hear my prayer, Lord, I am needy.
Guard my life, for I’m devoted to You.
Save me! I’m Your servant.
You are my God. I trust in You.
O, Lord, have mercy on me,
For I call to You.
Bring joy to me, for to You
I will lift up my soul.
You are giving and forgiving.
You abound in love to all who
Call upon You. Hear my prayer, Lord.
Listen to my cry for mercy.
In days of trouble I call to You,
Knowing that You will
Do marvelous things,
Because You are my God.
Teach me Your way; I’ll walk in it.
In Your truth, Lord, You will guide me.
A pure heart, Lord, You will give me,
So that I may glorify You.
Turn to me, Lord, and grant
Strength to Your servant.
O, Lord, You are my help,
For You love and You comfort me.
Teach me Your way; I’ll walk in it.
In Your truth, Lord, You will guide me.
A pure heart, Lord, You will give me,
So that I may glorify You.
Our Prayers (vv. 1-4)
Hear my prayer, O Lord;
give ear to my pleas for mercy!
In your faithfulness answer me, in your righteousness!
2 Enter not into judgment with your servant,
for no one living is righteous before you.
3 For the enemy has pursued my soul;
he has crushed my life to the ground;
he has made me sit in darkness like those long dead.
4 Therefore my spirit faints within me;
my heart within me is appalled.
give ear to my pleas for mercy!
In your faithfulness answer me, in your righteousness!
2 Enter not into judgment with your servant,
for no one living is righteous before you.
3 For the enemy has pursued my soul;
he has crushed my life to the ground;
he has made me sit in darkness like those long dead.
4 Therefore my spirit faints within me;
my heart within me is appalled.
As followers of Jesus Christ, we have a shared enemy, who is Satan. His goal is to destroy us or to reform us to his ways, which also destroys us. The closer we walk with the Lord, and the greater impact we have for Jesus Christ in the lives of others, the stronger the opposition is against us. But, Satan does not act alone. He has a myriad of demons and humans who serve him, and who do his bidding, and they, too, will come against us to try to kill us, one way or another.
They will try to discourage and dishearten us, in hopes we will give up, or they will try to sully our reputations so that people will not listen to us. Or, they will attempt to trick, deceive, shame and persuade us into abandoning our commitments to Christ Jesus, and to forsaking the sharing of his gospel of salvation with others. Or, they will lock us up, drug us up, or do whatever they know how to do to hinder us from sharing the gospel, for that is their ultimate goal, to keep the gospel of Jesus Christ from spreading further, in hopes people will not turn their hearts over to our Lord Jesus Christ.
So, when the enemy is coming strong against us, we need to look up. We need to not let him get the best of us, but we must keep our eyes firmly focused on Jesus Christ and the hope we have in him. Just because things look bad, in the light of this world, it does not mean God or his plans have changed or that he has abandoned us. He will never leave or forsake those who are truly his, and he will work all things for good for us who love him, and who have been called according to his purpose.
Thirst for Him (vv. 5-8)
5 I remember the days of old;
I meditate on all that you have done;
I ponder the work of your hands.
6 I stretch out my hands to you;
my soul thirsts for you like a parched land. Selah
7 Answer me quickly, O Lord!
My spirit fails!
Hide not your face from me,
lest I be like those who go down to the pit.
8 Let me hear in the morning of your steadfast love,
for in you I trust.
Make me know the way I should go,
for to you I lift up my soul.
I meditate on all that you have done;
I ponder the work of your hands.
6 I stretch out my hands to you;
my soul thirsts for you like a parched land. Selah
7 Answer me quickly, O Lord!
My spirit fails!
Hide not your face from me,
lest I be like those who go down to the pit.
8 Let me hear in the morning of your steadfast love,
for in you I trust.
Make me know the way I should go,
for to you I lift up my soul.
I think that, sometimes, when things get bad in the present, we have a tendency to forget all the times previously when God brought us through difficult circumstances. That is one of the reasons it is good to journal, or to make notes in our Bibles or somewhere that we can refer back to, so when things get tough, and our hearts begin to fail, we can look back and see how God moved in our lives before, and then it encourages and strengthens our hearts in the present. Many times I have read through previous journals and have just wept when I read how God ministered to my heart at another time when I was going through a time of trouble, and it just blessed my heart.
When we go through tough times, though, it has a way of drawing us to our Father’s bosom. When things are going well for us, we may have a tendency to get lazy or apathetic about our relationship with God, and to, perhaps, drift from our pure devotion to him. So, he allows us to go through difficulties, trials and tribulations so that we will call on him, and so we will draw closer to him, and so we mature in our walks of faith with him, and we learn greater dependency on him. It is for our good that he disciplines us, in other words, in order that we may share in his holiness, and so that it might produce a harvest of his righteousness in our lives (See: Heb. 12:1-11).
On Level Ground (vv. 9-12)
9 Deliver me from my enemies, O Lord!
I have fled to you for refuge.
10 Teach me to do your will,
for you are my God!
Let your good Spirit lead me
on level ground!
11 For your name's sake, O Lord, preserve my life!
In your righteousness bring my soul out of trouble!
12 And in your steadfast love you will cut off my enemies,
and you will destroy all the adversaries of my soul,
for I am your servant.
I have fled to you for refuge.
10 Teach me to do your will,
for you are my God!
Let your good Spirit lead me
on level ground!
11 For your name's sake, O Lord, preserve my life!
In your righteousness bring my soul out of trouble!
12 And in your steadfast love you will cut off my enemies,
and you will destroy all the adversaries of my soul,
for I am your servant.
It is good for us to be afflicted that we might learn his commands (Ps. 119:71). We often learn more through suffering, concerning following our Lord in obedience, than we ever learn when life is going forward without even a bump in the road. Jesus, who was/is God, and who was perfect (sinless), learned obedience through the things he suffered. So, how much more should we, mere humans, learn through the times of testing we go through how to follow our Lord in surrender to his will for our lives.
So, when we go through suffering, we should call on God, and we should ask him to teach us what we need to learn through our time of testing, instead of always wanting to be rescued out of it. If we are rescued too soon, we may not learn what we need for walking closer to our Lord, and for knowing his will for our lives. I think, as Americans, that we often miss out on all God has for us because we are prone more towards trying to relieve our suffering rather than learning what God has to teach us through it. I am all for relief, don’t get me wrong, but we should not so easily look for quick fixes that we miss the blessings God has for us in the process.
We should want (desire) to know and to do the will of God more than we want instantaneous relief from pain and difficulties. Too many people run to drugs for relief and never run to God. Or, they try to escape their pain in other ways, rather than trusting the Lord to see them through and to bring healing to their bodies, minds and hearts. So, if you are going through a tough time right now, seek God with all your heart. Ask him to teach you his way, that you may walk in it. Ask him to give you an undivided heart with which to serve him. Trust him to walk you through your circumstances, and believe him to accomplish his good for you through what you are experiencing. And, then believe him to fill you with his peace and joy.
My Cry for Mercy
An Original Work / October 31, 2013
Based off Psalm 86
Hear my prayer, Lord, I am needy.
Guard my life, for I’m devoted to You.
Save me! I’m Your servant.
You are my God. I trust in You.
O, Lord, have mercy on me,
For I call to You.
Bring joy to me, for to You
I will lift up my soul.
You are giving and forgiving.
You abound in love to all who
Call upon You. Hear my prayer, Lord.
Listen to my cry for mercy.
In days of trouble I call to You,
Knowing that You will
Do marvelous things,
Because You are my God.
Teach me Your way; I’ll walk in it.
In Your truth, Lord, You will guide me.
A pure heart, Lord, You will give me,
So that I may glorify You.
Turn to me, Lord, and grant
Strength to Your servant.
O, Lord, You are my help,
For You love and You comfort me.
Teach me Your way; I’ll walk in it.
In Your truth, Lord, You will guide me.
A pure heart, Lord, You will give me,
So that I may glorify You.
