Psalm 102:1–5
A Prayer of the afflicted, when he is overwhelmed, and poureth out his complaint before the Lord.
1Hear my prayer, O Lord, And let my cry come unto thee. 2Hide not thy face from me In the day when I am in trouble; incline thine ear unto me: In the day when I call answer me speedily. 3For my days are consumed like smoke, And my bones are burned as an hearth. 4My heart is smitten, and withered like grass; So that I forget to eat my bread. 5By reason of the voice of my groaning my bones cleave to my skin.
I read about a young boy whose mother had passed into eternity leaving the little lad to be raised by just his dad. He couldn’t sleep, thoughts of death and concerns of life ahead made the boy afraid in the darkness. Every night he would find his way to his father’s bed, he just couldn’t sleep alone. Even with that strong protector and provider beside him his little mind could not rest until he got an answer to some variation of the same question.
“Dad, are you looking at me?” “Father, are you facing my way?”
“Yes son, my face is toward you”, the father would reply and soon after, he would hear the little fella drift into restful sleep. It was too dark to see it but just knowing calmed the child’s mind and chased away his fears, his father was with him and was facing his way.
The introduction to Psalm 102 spoke to me.
A Prayer of the afflicted, when he is overwhelmed, and poureth out his complaint before the Lord.
I read those words and thought, "This Psalm is for me."
Here is an example our Lord has given us for difficult times, I see it as an invitation to his people to approach him in prayer and pour out their complaints to him.
We don’t really know who initially prayed this psalm, when or what prompted it, but we know that it was during a season of great sorrow and deep depression. The psalmist feels overwhelmed, his heart is broken, he has lost his appetite, and is losing weight.
One verse stood out to me as I read.
Psalm 102:2 Hide not thy face from me in the day when I am in trouble; incline thine ear unto me: In the day when I call answer me speedily.
Can you hear him crying in his darkness, “Dad are you looking my direction?” Are you facing my way?”
Well, is he?
Is the Heavenly Father facing his children in their times of sorrow and fear?
I can’t see or feel his face shining upon me, there have been times when somehow I could, but not right now. I understand however that feelings are not necessary to make it fact, he is looking my way in my darkest days.
Is he looking your way too? If you are his, HE IS!
We know that he is looking our way with love. That is the message of the gospel of Christ, God’s Son willingly went to the cross so the Father could turn his face away from his only begotten and toward all of us who come to Him by saving faith.
Father, I can't see you in this dark time and I can't feel your favor. I know what you have said in your Word so by faith I accept what I can't see or feel. Father, I believe that your face is toward me and have faith that your favor is mine.
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