“I do not know why God ever made me,” he cried in deep despair. “God has not made you yet,” said his friend. “He is making you right now and you do not like what is going on.” That story neatly summarizes the tenth Psalm. 

Whoever wrote this psalm was asking the same question. “O Lord, why do you stand so far away? Why do you hide from me when I need you the most?” But is this a question or an accusation? If God is distant or hiding, could there be a reason? What is going on here? Is it God’s doing or the Psalmist's sarcasm? Who is responsible for the feelings of isolation or separation? Is it doubt or is it distrust? Or is it neither? 

This psalm does not end where it begins. It concludes with a bold proclamation, “The Lord is King forever and ever!” And a short time later we read, “Lord You know the hopes of the helpless. Surely You will hear their cries and help them.” 

Is God ever absent from the lives of those who look to Him for salvation? At times, it surely seems so. When the ones who claim they do not need God seem to prosper and we who worship and trust Him are forced to go without, where is He? 

The author does not speculate about what God is doing nor why He does not respond to our cries immediately. He simply reminds us of the grace of God and that in His time and in His way He will hear us and comfort us. Our faith only grows through adversity. 

Prayer: Give us courage, Father, to be patient and trust in Your wisdom while You work around us, with us and within us to shape us into Your likeness. In Jesus’ Name, Amen. 

Scripture For Today:  You hear, O Lord, the desire of the afflicted; You encourage them and You listen to their cry. Psalm 10:17 

Please leave a comment and tell us how you were helped by today's devotional!

“I do not know why God ever made me,” he cried in deep despair. “God has not made you yet,” said his friend. “He is making you right now and you do not like what is going on.” That story neatly summarizes the tenth Psalm. 

Whoever wrote this psalm was asking the same question. “O Lord, why do you stand so far away? Why do you hide from me when I need you the most?” But is this a question or an accusation? If God is distant or hiding, could there be a reason? What is going on here? Is it God’s doing or the Psalmist's sarcasm? Who is responsible for the feelings of isolation or separation? Is it doubt or is it distrust? Or is it neither? 

This psalm does not end where it begins. It concludes with a bold proclamation, “The Lord is King forever and ever!” And a short time later we read, “Lord You know the hopes of the helpless. Surely You will hear their cries and help them.” 

Is God ever absent from the lives of those who look to Him for salvation? At times, it surely seems so. When the ones who claim they do not need God seem to prosper and we who worship and trust Him are forced to go without, where is He? 

The author does not speculate about what God is doing nor why He does not respond to our cries immediately. He simply reminds us of the grace of God and that in His time and in His way He will hear us and comfort us. Our faith only grows through adversity. 

Prayer: Give us courage, Father, to be patient and trust in Your wisdom while You work around us, with us and within us to shape us into Your likeness. In Jesus’ Name, Amen. 

Scripture For Today:  You hear, O Lord, the desire of the afflicted; You encourage them and You listen to their cry. Psalm 10:17 

Please leave a comment and tell us how you were helped by today's devotional!

Years ago, I was sitting in front of a television trying to find an escape from the cares of the day. It had been an extremely difficult forty-eight hours serving as a Navy chaplain in a large hospital. I was trying to “get away” from the stressors and strains of being with sick and dying Marines as the “Chaplain on Duty.” Suddenly, my young son burst into my attempt to escape reality, shouting, “Dad! Let’s play.” 

Whatever he said did not register. So, he said it again and again, and then asked, “Dad, did you hear me?” 

“Of course, Son, I was listening carefully,” was my reply. 

Grabbing my face with his two little hands and looking into my eyes, he said, “Dad, I didn’t ask if you were listening. I asked if you heard me.” Then and there, I was taught the difference between listening and hearing. 

The Psalmist recognized this difference, too. “You hear, O Lord, the desire of the afflicted; You encourage them as You listen to their cry.” 

What a comforting thought! His ear is always open to the cries of His children and He waits attentively to hear their voices in times of need. What a beautiful picture of a loving Father. There is nothing we need to do to get His attention. Nor is there a magical formula to use when we pray. All we have to do is to cry out to Him. 

We cry and He hears. His ear is always open for our particular voice. His eyes are always on us no matter where we may be. And His heart is always sensitive to our personal needs. When we cry, He hears, He listens, He understands, and He will respond to and meet our individual needs. 

Prayer:  Lord, You are above us but not beyond us. You listen as well as hear us when we cry and respond to us when the time is right. In Jesus’ Name, Amen. 

Scripture For Today: You hear, O Lord, the desire of the afflicted; You encourage them as You listen to their cry.” Psalm 10:17 

Please leave a comment and tell us how you were helped by today's devotional! 

Years ago, I was sitting in front of a television trying to find an escape from the cares of the day. It had been an extremely difficult forty-eight hours serving as a Navy chaplain in a large hospital. I was trying to “get away” from the stressors and strains of being with sick and dying Marines as the “Chaplain on Duty.” Suddenly, my young son burst into my attempt to escape reality, shouting, “Dad! Let’s play.” 

Whatever he said did not register. So, he said it again and again, and then asked, “Dad, did you hear me?” 

“Of course, Son, I was listening carefully,” was my reply. 

Grabbing my face with his two little hands and looking into my eyes, he said, “Dad, I didn’t ask if you were listening. I asked if you heard me.” Then and there, I was taught the difference between listening and hearing. 

The Psalmist recognized this difference, too. “You hear, O Lord, the desire of the afflicted; You encourage them as You listen to their cry.” 

What a comforting thought! His ear is always open to the cries of His children and He waits attentively to hear their voices in times of need. What a beautiful picture of a loving Father. There is nothing we need to do to get His attention. Nor is there a magical formula to use when we pray. All we have to do is to cry out to Him. 

We cry and He hears. His ear is always open for our particular voice. His eyes are always on us no matter where we may be. And His heart is always sensitive to our personal needs. When we cry, He hears, He listens, He understands, and He will respond to and meet our individual needs. 

Prayer:  Lord, You are above us but not beyond us. You listen as well as hear us when we cry and respond to us when the time is right. In Jesus’ Name, Amen. 

Scripture For Today: You hear, O Lord, the desire of the afflicted; You encourage them as You listen to their cry.” Psalm 10:17 

Please leave a comment and tell us how you were helped by today's devotional! 

“I do not know why God ever made me,” he cried in deep despair. “God has not made you yet,” said his friend. “He is making you and you do not like what is going on.” That story neatly summarizes the tenth Psalm.

Whoever wrote this psalm was asking the same question. “O Lord, why do you stand so far away? Why do you hide from me when I need you the most?” But is this a question or an accusation? If God is distant or hiding, could there be a reason? What is going on here? Is it God’s doing or the Psalmists? Who is responsible for the feelings of isolation or separation? Is it doubt or is it distrust? Or is it neither?

This psalm does not end where it begins. It concludes with a bold proclamation, “The Lord is King forever and ever!” And a short time later we read, “Lord You know the hopes of the helpless. Surely You will hear their cries and help them.”

Is God ever absent from the lives of those who look to Him for salvation? It surely seems so. When the ones who claim they do not need God seem to prosper and we who worship Him are forced to go without, where is He?

The author does not speculate about what God is doing nor why He does not respond to our cries immediately. He simply reminds us of the grace of God and that in His time and in His way He will hear us and comfort us. Our faith only grows through adversity.

Prayer: Give us courage, Father, to be patient while You work within us to shape us into Your likeness. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Scripture for Today: Psalm 10:17 Lord, You have heard the desire of the humble; You will prepare their heart; You will cause Your ear to hear,