Come and listen, all
you who fear God,
and I will tell you what he did for me.
For I cried out to him for help,
praising him as I spoke.
If I had not confessed the sin in my heart,
the Lord would not have listened.
But God did listen!
He paid attention to my prayer.
Praise God, who did not ignore my prayer
or withdraw his unfailing love from me. Psalms 66:16-20
and I will tell you what he did for me.
For I cried out to him for help,
praising him as I spoke.
If I had not confessed the sin in my heart,
the Lord would not have listened.
But God did listen!
He paid attention to my prayer.
Praise God, who did not ignore my prayer
or withdraw his unfailing love from me. Psalms 66:16-20
Lately, I have been in an unusually thankful mood. It is not because the world has become a more
certain place. It has not. It is not
because I have no feelings of anxiety and concern in my world for there are
plenty. There is a feeling that God is
preparing to rock my world, and not in a way that will make me comfortable. That being said, I have felt such an
outpouring of love toward others. I am
reminded of the incredible love my wife has for me, and she has simply been the
best! She has not done anything special
or changed something that has made me notice her more. It’s just that the spirit has tapped me on
shoulder to remind me there is this fascinating and amazing woman who has loved
me for most of my life. God also
provided me with great parents that have raised me in such a way that I knew
beyond a shadow of doubt who He was.
Love is not limited to those who I am thankful for. As I wrote previously about gifts from God, love
is a gift to be shared with others. It pushed
a gentleman to share the fears we have for our children, and a young lady to
find common ground in love for God even as we disagreed about other things. Sharing struggles in our lives made us not
only more connected with each other but also God. I’ve prayed for others more this week than I
have in a while. There is so much pain
and anguish out there, one cannot help but be prayerful hoping God will guide
and protect strangers as well as close family and friends. I prayed that He not
only lay His healing powers on them but also use me to provide inspiration,
warmth, comfort, and anything He feels I can offer. Furthermore, I prayed for awareness that I respond
in a way that truly honors Him.
Our connection with God should be an intimate one. In reading today’s verses, you have a sense
of the closeness David has with God. David
acknowledged his imperfections and sinful nature. Furthermore, he was repentant and filled with
praise for God, and reveled in God’s attentiveness to his prayer and ‘unfailing
love.’ There was sincerity in the words
and genuine affection that he shows for Him.
It is an example of what our walk of faith should resemble. We are not only speaking of God’s word but also
acting out in deeds. We see people as
God does, and we are compelled to act as if He is with us every step of the
way. Therefore, David’s message to those
who fear God is impactful; it is an example of a Christ-centered walk. It is a message that we all are to hear and
respond to.
God is always with us whether we recognize it or not. David understood this, and Paul, as one
fearing God, reiterated this fact stating, ““But God removed Saul and replaced
him with David, a man about whom God said, ‘I have found David son of Jesse, a
man after my own heart. He will do everything I want him to do.’” (Acts 13:22) When we both acknowledge our own sin and show
adoring affection for God, He not only responds. He delivers.
Let us embrace this example of who we aspire to be; responding to God’s
calling and delivering as He has for us so often. How intimate is your prayer life with
God? How does God’s love for you prompt you
to act on His behalf? My prayer is that
our relationship with God is very active filled with love and prayers. Amen.
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