Eric Mattila | The Voice of Zion November 2024 - The Sabbath Word 4 Article --
Hear my prayer, O Lord, give ear to my supplications: in thy faithfulness answer me, and in thy righteousness. And enter not into judgment with thy servant: for in thy sight shall no man living be justified. For the enemy hath persecuted my soul; he hath smitten my life down to the ground; he hath made me to dwell in darkness, as those that have been long dead. Therefore is my spirit overwhelmed within me; my heart within me is desolate. I remember the days of old; I meditate on all thy works; I muse on the work of thy hands. I stretch forth my hands unto thee: my soul thirsteth after thee, as a thirsty land. Selah. Hear me speedily, O Lord: my spirit faileth: hide not thy face from me, lest I be like unto them that go down into the pit. Cause me to hear thy lovingkindness in the morning; for in thee do I trust: cause me to know the way wherein I should walk; for I lift up my soul unto thee. Deliver me, O Lord, from mine enemies: I flee unto thee to hide me. Teach me to do thy will; for thou art my God: thy spirit is good; lead me into the land of uprightness. – Psalm 143:1–10
Our text has been designated as a text for Judgment Sunday. The theme for this Sunday in our church calendar is Christ, the Lord of the Universe. This psalm is attributed to an Old-Testament brother in faith, David.
David was pursued and threatened by those who wished him harm. In our text, he openly speaks about the weariness and fear that overcome him. He looks back on his life and remembers the blessings that have been granted unto him, and he turns to God in prayer.
This can be a familiar experience to the children of God today. Any number of things can cause us fear and doubts. Perhaps someone has ill will towards us, perhaps the influences and sins of the world come close and entice us. Trials of health or finances or other things can cause us to worry and wonder if God has forgotten us. Or it can be our own smallness and lacking in faith that cause us to tremble.
God Hears Our Prayers
David prayed because he trusted and believed that God heard his prayers. He knew he needed help from outside himself that was greater than himself. When things were at their worst, he could only turn to where hope and trust were.
Prayer is this kind of gift for us also. We can pour out our concerns and worries to our heavenly Father and trust that He hears. This is the heart of a child, one who believes that there is One who is greater, who can help and care for us.
As our theme notes, Christ is the Lord of the Universe, and He helps us even in difficult matters. The matters of the world around us are under the eye of our heavenly Father. He watches and knows all. He directs and guides these things yet today. His ways and wisdom are far above our understanding. It feels secure to leave our matters in His hands.
Expecting an Immediate Answer
David’s flesh was so close, like it is with us. He wanted an immediate answer. In fact, he wanted it by the next morning. Impatience and stipulations can creep into our prayers. In some ways it’s normal for us to think we would know best how our lives should go.
It is easy to advise God what trials we would be content with and which ones we could do without. It is nonetheless important to remember to add this to our prayers: “Thy will be done.”
We can trust that in trials and the affairs of the world that God knows so much better than us how to direct matters. We can believe that He has good thoughts toward us. He has shown this by giving His Son to die on our behalf. He has called us personally into this precious kingdom and given us the gift of faith. This is true love and care.
Let us be content and accept the lot we have received. Through our trials, we can take joy in our faith and look forward to arriving on the shores of heaven.