Psalms 4:1-4
“Answer me when I call, O God of my righteousness! You have given me relief when I was in distress. Be gracious to me and hear my prayer!! O men, how long shall my honor be turned into shame? How long will you love vain words and seek after lies? “Selah” But know that the Lord has set apart the godly for himself; the Lord hears when I call to him. Be angry, and do not sin; ponder in your own hearts on your beds, and be silent.”
Would you be so bold as to pray in this way, I believe many are, but many also who have not given any thought to a holy God until they are in despair. Yes, hopelessness often happens in this life, the doctor tells you that it’s not months but weeks that you have left, or worse is a child has only weeks to live. It becomes easy for the person who does not need God to cry out to a righteous Father, but does God honor that prayer?
Well this I know God hears the prayers of His chosen, and the Psalmist tells us these facts; God had given him relief when he was in distress, and that God has taken ownership of the godly, and the Lord hears when he calls on Him.
In the Scriptures, we are told to wait on the Lord and to call to Him, but also to be still and listen for His voice. Many a follower of Christ has not learned how to sit still in a quiet room and wait for the Lord to speak. And often we do not hear God because we have not trained ourselves to turn off the noise.
Verse four states this so well; “Be angry, and do not sin; ponder in your own hearts on your beds, and be silent.”
Verses 5-8
“Offer right sacrifices, and put your trust in the Lord. There are many who say, “Who will show us some good? Lift up the light of your face upon us, O Lord!” You have put more joy in my heart than they have when their grain and wine abound. In peace I will both lie down and sleep; for you alone, O Lord, make me dwell in safety.”
Our Lord Jesus Christ has made it clear to all it’s not about what you have done, no it is all about what He has done! So what are the right sacrifices, keep reading for the remainder of the sentence states clearly who should be the object of our trust? In the book of Malachi 3:8, “Will a man rob God? Yet you are robbing me. But you said, ‘How have we robbed you? In your tithes and contributions. If I have a life verse it is Micah 6:8, “He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?
Many in the church are like the people of Judah who want God to perform and only bless them, though they never look to him until the storms of this life come on them. Listen to the Psalmist, he lives in joy because of his relationship with God, and lives with peace, and does not fear what is coming. He understands that God has promised His children; I will never leave you or forsake you.
From the Back Porch,
Bob Rice
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