a view through annie's eyes

There is never enough time to really take apart Scripture in the lengthy recaps I write, with the vast riches we are reading. So this week, I am taking only a few verses and “camping” on them. David didn’t think he was perfect. He knew he was a sinner. He also knew God made him white as snow with a pure heart (Psalm 51:7, 10) More importantly, David knew where to go for help and was faithful to thank God for seeing him through. David was a songwriter so he sang as he gave glory to his God. In his rejoicing and in his distress, he turned to the Lord. The Psalms that he wrote are some of the favorite and most quoted verses of all Scriptures, probably because they so universally speak to our hearts. The verses that I am concentrating on are from another of David’s songs recorded in Second Samuel after his victory over Saul.

2 Samuel 22:7
“In my distress I called to the Lord; I called out to my God.
From his temple he heard my voice; my cry came to his ears.”

There comes a time, despite our best attempt at appearing in control, when we are purely desperate in prayer, when we must wrestle, when we must be blunt, unashamed, and persistent. Occasionally, there is nothing more appropriate than storming heaven with our honest supplication, “Help me, Lord!” From the depth of our heart, we remember that “the fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much” and we passionately take it to the Lord. David cried out in fear, then he sings of His mighty rescue and credits His mighty Rescuer. David cried out to his personal God, “my God” as he said. David saw the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob as the God of David also. He knew Him and, in his time of distress, he wanted God. His mighty Lord heard his voice from heaven, as his prayer came directly to the Lord’s ears. How reassuring it is to know through the revelation in this Scripture that our prayers are carried straight to our Deliverer’s ears. No stops, no waiting lists, no “Sorry, David. I’m not taking calls right now.” Wouldn’t you think He’d say, “David, why are you bothering me with this right now? I have famines to fix, battles to fight, entire nations to save. And you’re taking up lots of my time lately, by the way.” But He doesn’t. God stops to listen and that prayer is delivered into His right ear. Jesus, who sits at God’s right side, intercedes on our behalf. So, I wonder if Jesus Himself doesn’t whisper our desperate request into God’s ear. (Mark 16:19, Romans 8:34 ) He might even add, “I noticed a little raw desperation in that prayer, so let’s be sure she gets an extra measure of peace, too.” Can you imagine God and Jesus talking together about you? Can you rest to know that our concerns are His, when we lay them at His Feet in His temple? Why would anyone care like that about the details of your life? I am so awe-struck by the specifics of how He cares for us. Nothing is frivolous to Him—nothing too small or too big for His compassionate and ever-catching Hands.

2 Samuel 22:17-22

“He reached down from on high and took hold of me;
he drew me out of deep waters.

He rescued me from my powerful enemy,
from my foes, who were too strong for me.

They confronted me in the day of my disaster,
but the Lord was my support.

He brought me out into a spacious place;
he rescued me because he delighted in me.”

A few weeks ago, we had kittens at the farm. Now, they are getting old enough to venture out on their own. Last Sunday afternoon, the mother cat was crying in a persistent, desperate kind of way. We went over to see what the trouble was, and there was one of her babies, who had fallen into the water fountain. The kitten was in the corner on the one spot where he didn’t have to swim, but he was shaking like a leaf. He had never been touched by human hands, but he decided to let me reach down and grab him and help him out. My friend who was with me said, “Watch out. He’s going to scratch you.” But he didn’t. He didn’t turn around long enough to even look at me again, and his mom disappeared just as quickly. But when I came to see him this week, he came closer to me, still not letting me pet him, but he was kind of glad to see me. He sat at arm’s length away and didn’t run. He’s starting to trust, based on our relationship from before. There is a rough parallel with how we see God. He shows Himself faithful time and again in our lives, and we finally learn to trust Him fully.

When I think of what lingers this week, it is the sovereign love our Lord has for us, despite our frailties. It never fails to amaze me that God keeps coming back for more of me. I can’t understand why, but I am most thankful. I never want to be disserted by my Lord. He promises He won’t. I love the verse above that says others may comfort us but God alone is our support. Ultimately, it is God and Annette against the world. No one saves as mightily. No one loves as purely. No one cares as much. It is great comfort to know He hears my cries from heaven and my petitions are delivered straight to His ears. I want to know that He will grab me out of deep waters and deliver me from the worst of my enemies when they overpower me. He understands they are too powerful for me alone. I need Him so badly. It reassures me to know that He takes me to wide open spaces where I don’t feel trapped any longer but free. And more than anything, I need to know He delights in me. He is faithful in every way. He reveals Himself so beautifully in our readings. So let us sing of His great Love this week, remembering our deliverance, but more importantly, praising our blessed Deliverer! Please join Bev today at Cover to Cover for more reflections on these and other Scriptures.