Reflections on Psalm 138: Our Calls Don’t Go Unanswered
“When I called, you answered me; you made me bold and stouthearted.” Psalm 138:3
Does God really hear us when we call? If you’ve been crying out, with little to no response, it may feel like your cries are unheard.
But remember when our children were infants? We heard their cry and quickly moved to meet their needs. But sometimes that meant doing something elsewhere before we came to their side because we were preparing to meet their needs in the best possible way. Maybe we sprinted to the kitchen to grab a bottle or stopped by the laundry room to grab a fresh sleeper and blanket. Regardless, we knew there was a need and we were working to meet it. Yet to our crying baby, it seemed like their cries were unheard. They didn’t see us working.
How many times have you cried out to God and your cries are met with silence…or so you thought?
The righteous cry out, and the LORD hears them; he delivers them from all their troubles. Ps 34:17
The LORD is far from the wicked, but he hears the prayer of the righteous. Prov 15:29
I waited patiently for the LORD; he turned to me and heard my cry. Ps 40:1
I love the LORD, for he heard my voice; he heard my cry for mercy. PS 116:1
God is faithful to hear us when we call and he’s always working according to His plan.
He’s not indifferent and He doesn’t ignore us until we cry harder, louder, or get more desperate. That’s not Who He is. That’s not how He works.
Know therefore that the LORD your God is God; he is the faithful God, keeping his covenant of love to a thousand generations of those who love him and keep his commandments. Deuteronomy 7:9
God is faithful, who has called you into fellowship with his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. I Cor 1:9
He is the Rock, his works are perfect, and all his ways are just. A faithful God who does no wrong, upright and just is he. Deut 32:4
God is a good Father.
He moves to meet our needs. Sometimes that involves other people, in other places, at various times and seasons, in ways we don’t see or perceive. Yet God is always working; nothing will thwart His will. No obstacle will stand in His way. We need to trust Him- what is our alternative? To whom else can we turn? There is no other name and there is no other Power that can intervene in divine and perfect ways.
The challenge for us is the waiting. We don’t like to wait. We live in an instant society where we get immediate results. There’s no more waiting weeks for a reply by mail when we can simply text or email and get a reply within minutes..or even seconds. We get drive-through coffee, drive through lunch, and we can even get drive-through church. So, we tend to think that God works the same way because He is able, right? And why wouldn’t He want to meet a need, fix a problem or redeem a disaster as quickly as possible? Why wouldn’t He deliver immediate results, instant relief, and on-demand solutions? Yet, in the waiting, we learn more about Him. Sometimes God slows us down so we can listen and watch and in so doing, learn more about Who He is and how He works, we begin to treasure His attributes- His Sovereignty, His Immutability, His Omnipotence, His Omnipresence.
The theology of sourdough…
When we make sourdough (it’s a thing, I know… I have yet to dive into the process, but it’s fascinating), it all begins with the starter. And that starter is fed over days…weeks, until it’s ready to use. During that process we watch, we look for signs that there is fermentation and growth, we check the sources that tell us what a mature starter looks like, smells like, and what signs show that it’s ready. Then, a bit of the mature starter is mixed with the other ingredients to begin the breadmaking process. But even then, it’s still not ready. The dough that’s been mixed needs to proof and rise. But all the while, from the time we make our starter until the time we pull that first loaf, warm and golden, from the oven, we know the result will be good, delicious, homemade bread that will satisfy our hunger. We are willing to endure the process because the results will be satisfying and fulfilling. Oh, friends, do you see the spiritual correlation?
Isn’t that so much like taking things to God in prayer? We can be confident that He WILL answer and that it will be perfect, according to His will. And when we call on Him? He will make us bold and stouthearted. Note that the writer of the Psalm didn’t say God answered His prayer, no, he said that in calling on Him, God made him bold- to embolden, make sure, strengthen (1) and stouthearted-strength in various applications (force, security, majesty, praise):—boldness, loud, might, power, (2). God encouraged his heart because the author called on Him. God answered by strengthening His child, not by solving the problem.
Evening, morning and noon I cry out in distress, and he hears my voice. Ps 55:17
The LORD has heard my cry for mercy; the LORD accepts my prayer. Ps 6:9
Why, then, would we rush the God of the Universe and be angry toward Him for working all things according to His will and His timeline, which are perfect and sufficient? Would we have Him rush for our sake? Would we have Him speed the process and lose the depth and beauty of the result? Would we have Him skip over what might be the most meaningful lesson or impact of the situation just to deliver the solution or relief? Do we love God because He delivers or because of Who He is and who He’s made us to be- His children?
We can and should cry out for God’s help daily. We should bring our burdens to Him, fully turning them over to His care and sovereignty. What would we do with our burdens if we kept them to ourselves? We would carry the weight of them, worry over them, try and fix them, but all without success. We must unburden our hearts and minds at the feet of the Savior, first asking for forgiveness of our own sins and then asking for His answer to all that burdens us. Then, we need to trust His process. Let it rise. Let it work. Look forward to the wholesome, nourishing result that will come in God’s perfect time.
If I had cherished sin in my heart, the Lord would not have listened; PS 66:18
Today, take time to pray to the Lord and surrender your burdens to Him. Then, pray about your sons and daughters and the burdens they carry. But first, root out the sin in your own heart. Make sure that you are right before the Lord. Don’t look at the splinter in the eye of someone else. Deal with the lumber yard in your own heart. Give all of your cares, offenses, arguments, woes, and worries to the Lord. And then, cry out to Him and wait in expectation. He’s listening and He WILL respond. Wait with expectation and hope. He never disappoints!
Today, write out a prayer to the Lord, calling on Him with trust and expectation, reminding yourself that His solutions are always sufficient and on time.
Pray without ceasing.
H7292 - rāhaḇ - Strong's Hebrew Lexicon (niv). Retrieved from https://www.blueletterbible.org/lexicon/h7292/niv/wlc/0-1/
H5797 - ʿōz - Strong's Hebrew Lexicon (niv). Retrieved from https://www.blueletterbible.org/lexicon/h5797/niv/wlc/0-1/