Dear Missionary Lady,
Greetings in the name of our loving and gentle God. He is the God who tells us, “When you cry out in anguish, I pay attention and respond.”
It is certainly stabilizing and comforting to believe that God hears my prayers. It does seem, however, that not all prayers are equal. It is one thing to pray regarding the details of normal life: safety traveling, getting through a dentist appointment, blessing on meals, working out the details of an event, recovering from a minor illness, and so on. Those prayers matter. It is important for me to pray them, and it is meaningful that God hears and answers them. But there are other prayers that are on a completely different level. There are prayers at times that I am completely overwhelmed – when the situation is especially serious, dangerous, or oppressive. These could be an intense spiritual struggle, a severe health situation, a family crisis, a looming potential tragedy, or a decision or ruling with tremendous long-term impact. These prayers are far from routine, and they are sometimes squeezed out more in soul groaning than in actual words. At these desperate and serious times, there is nothing more important than knowing that God is listening. That He cares and answers and responds in these most difficult times of life. God says . . .
“I cried unto the LORD with my voice, and he heard me out of his holy hill” (3:4).
“The LORD hath heard the voice of my weeping” (6:8).
“For the oppression of the poor, for the sighing of the needy, now will I arise, saith the LORD; I will set him in safety from him that puffeth at him” (12:5).
“For he hath not despised nor abhorred the affliction of the afflicted; neither hath he hid his face from him; but when he cried unto him, he heard” (22:24).
“I sought the LORD, and he heard me, and delivered me from all my fears” (34:4).
“This poor man cried, and the LORD heard him, and saved him out of all his troubles” (34:6).
“The eyes of the LORD are upon the righteous, and his ears are open unto their cry” (34:15).
“The righteous cry, and the LORD heareth, and delivereth them out of all their troubles” (34:17).
“But I am poor and needy; yet the Lord thinketh upon me: thou art my help and my deliverer; make no tarrying, O my God” (40:17).
“I cried unto God with my voice, even unto God with my voice; and he gave ear unto me” (77:1).
“Thou calledst in trouble, and I delivered thee; I answered thee in the secret place of thunder” (81:7).
“In the day of my trouble I will call upon thee: for thou wilt answer me” (86:7).
“He shall call upon me, and I will answer him: I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him, and honour him” (91:15).
“Nevertheless he regarded their affliction, when he heard their cry: and he remembered for them his covenant, and repented according to the multitude of his mercies” (106:44-45).
“Then they cried unto the LORD in their trouble, and he delivered them out of their distresses” (107:6).
“I called upon the LORD in distress: the LORD answered me, and set me in a large place” (118:5).
“In my distress I cried unto the LORD, and he heard me” (120:1).
God says, “I hear your most desperate prayers. I hear you when all you can do is groan and cry. I hear you when you are in trouble, distress, and affliction. When your situation is unfathomably difficult and when you are helpless, I am here. Come to me. Talk to me. Tell me your burden – in words if you can, and in groaning of soul if that is all you can do. I want you to know that I am not unmoved by your anguish. I will support you and help you until the time that I choose to rescue you. There is not a situation that you face that is too difficult for Me. So come and tell Me, then rest in My care.”
Love in Christ,
Peggy Holt
member at Open Door Baptist Church in Lebanon, PA
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