September 27, 2010 - Psalm 120:1 - Help

"When I was in trouble, I called to the Lord;
I called to the Lord, and he answered me."

As I turned to the Book of Common Prayer this morning, this was the lead-off passage for today's Morning Prayer reading. In fact, all of the Psalms today speak of God's help in time of trouble.

I love the Psalms. I love that they don't mince words, nor sugar-coat the trials and troubles of mankind. God is not a Candyland god, some old man with a white beard who sits on a throne and gives his children Sugar Daddys to eat. No, God does what is best for us, and sometimes that is difficult to swallow. But He NEVER means us harm, and in this passage we are reminded that He fights for us as well.

When I was going through my most recent troubles, I would lay on my bed and cry, and weep, and wail and pray God to give me what I wanted, even though I knew what I wanted was wrong, wrong, wrong. As my good friend Renae said to me, you can cry all you want, God is not going to honor this, because its wrong and you know its wrong. She was right, of course. If what you want is wrong, or is simply wrong for you, then God will not grant such a prayer.

But today I am reminded that when we call on the Lord in times of real trouble, He is ready, willing and able to come to our defense. He is there to fight along side us, to fight FOR us, if we only let Him.

I've heard it said that my job is to do the footwork; the results are up to God.

First passages from today's Psalms are these:

120 - When I was in trouble, I called to the Lord;
I called to the Lord, and he answered me.

121 - I lift up my eyes to the hills;
from where is my help to come?
My help comes from the Lord,
the maker of heaven and earth.

122 - I was glad when they said to me,'
"Let us go to the house of the Lord."

123 - To you I lift up my eyes,
to you enthroned in the heavens.

See what I mean? God surrounds us on every side, closer than the air we breathe. He is for us, He is with us, He is in us. Rest in the knowledge that God is there for you; all you need to do is turn to Him. Praise the Lord!

Blessings, Phoenix