God Speaking

“Answer me when I call to you, O’ my righteous God. Give me relief from my distress; be merciful to me and hear my prayer.” (Psalm 4:1)

I know modern technology has brought about incredible changes in how business is conducted, but I was thinking wistfully, the other day. About those long ago days when if you picked up the telephone and dialed a number, you could be certain a human voice would answer you. I was reminded of my naive expectations when it was necessary for me to check a business transaction via the telephone. Certainly a voice came through , but this peculiar automated message spoke before I could say my rehearsed speech and began giving me a series of options as to why I was calling and kept telling me to press 1 or press 2 etc. I wanted to be polite and interrupt and say that none of those countless options suited my particular problem, but the voice gave me no choice. At last the voice stopped telling me which number to press (I suppose annoyed at no response from me) and said if I stayed on the line an operator would speak to me. Success at last I thought. No!! Another automated voice then told me that my call was important to them so please hold. After holding what seemed for ages my husband was startled to hear me shouting, ANSWER ME!! ANSWER ME!! I gave up holding, my patience had evaporated.

I was fascinated to see that often the psalmists were pushed to frustration just like me and shouted at God to answer them.

“Give ear to my words, O’ Lord, consider my sighing. Listen to my cry for help. My King and my God, for to you I pray.” (Psalm 5:1 – 2)

The wonderful outcome of these plaintive cries to the Heavenly Father, have a surprising outcome. We do not serve a capricious God who does not listen to his children, but a loving Father who even knows our prayers before they are formed on our lips. He knows our every thought, but longs for us to share those thoughts with him. Often we struggle with situations which are obviously out of our control, but we pursue, in our human frailty, to somehow fix them our way, that is when in desperation, we cry to the Lord for an answer. The loving nature of our Lord is evident when he doesn’t say, “About time you came to me”, but gently comforts us in our distress. David learnt this after railing against all the wrongs in his life, suddenly realises the Lord is right there with him and what is more, peace about all his troubles suddenly fills his heart as he realises the terrors of the night have ceased and he can again get a good night’s sleep

“You have filled my heart with greater joy than when their grain and new wine abound. I will lie down and sleep in peace, for you alone, O Lord, make me dwell in safety.” (Psalm 4:7 – 8)

Part of any cry for help is the willingness to listen for the answer. We have often heard a child pestering a parent with, “Please, please, pretty please”, and is so busy with the request, does not hear the parent’s answer, often assuming the answer is going to be, “No”, so they do not hear the “Yes”. We also can be so caught up in our own cries for help we neglect to listen to the Lord’s reply. Sometimes the plea seems to be taking a long time to be answered, that is often a signal for us to be quiet before the Lord and to wait for his timing. Again the psalmists knew in their hearts that every prayer uttered was heard by the Heavenly Father.

“…for the Lord has heard my weeping. The Lord has heard my cry for mercy; the Lord accepts my prayer.” (Psalm 6:8 – 9)

If you are waiting for an answer, this sweet chorus brings great comfort

He Knows My Name

He knows my name

He knows my every thought

He sees each tear that falls

And hears me when I call