Monday, December 29,
2014, 11:22 p.m. – The Lord Jesus put in mind the song, “My Cry for Mercy.” Speak, Lord, your
words to my heart. I read Psalm 80
(ESV).
Our Shepherd
To
the choirmaster: according to Lilies. A Testimony. Of Asaph, a Psalm.
Give
ear, O Shepherd of Israel,
you who lead Joseph like a flock.
You
who are enthroned upon the cherubim, shine forth.
Before Ephraim and Benjamin and Manasseh,
stir
up your might
and come to save us!
Restore
us, O God;
let your face shine, that we may be saved! ~
vv. 1-3
According to the New Testament (post Christ’s death and
resurrection), Israel, as in God’s people, is no longer the Jewish nation of
the Old Testament, but it is both Jew and Gentile who have put their hope and
trust in Jesus Christ to be Lord and Savior of their lives (See: Romans 9:6b-8;
Gal. 3:10, 16, 26-29; Gal. 4:22-31; Eph. 2:14-18). So, spiritual Israel today
is the church, the body of Christ. And, Jesus Christ, God the Son, is our
shepherd.
It appears here that the people of God had come under some
type of divine discipline, and so this is a cry for mercy. The psalmist is
asking for the shepherd of Israel to come save them. This is not a call of the
unsaved to be regenerated, though, but of believers in Christ asking God to
revive them, to renew and restore them, either because they had fallen into sin
and they had wandered away from their pure devotion to their Lord, and/or
because they had become discouraged and disheartened and/or they were lonely
and needy because of all the turmoil, distress, persecution and hardships that
had come their way.
Our Prayers
O
Lord God of hosts,
how long will you be angry with your
people's prayers?
You
have fed them with the bread of tears
and given them tears to drink in full
measure.
You
make us an object of contention for our neighbors,
and our enemies laugh among themselves.
Restore
us, O God of hosts;
let your face shine, that we may be saved! ~
vv. 4-7
Evidently, in this case, God was angry with the prayers of
his people, and so he was not responding to their prayers. So, I wondered, does
God still get angry, or is he sometimes displeased with his people’s prayers? -
And, if so, under what circumstances?
We read in the Gospels that we should not pray
hypocritically just to make an impression on others. We should also not pray
with vain repetitions that don’t mean anything or pray long drawn-out prayers
using spiritual-sounding words just so we appear righteous to others. As well,
we should not hold on to unforgiveness in our hearts when we come to God in
prayer, but we should forgive and then pray. We ought not to pray with a
prideful attitude, either, looking down on others and thinking we are so high
and mighty. All have sinned.
Husbands are commanded to honor their wives and to live with
them in an understanding way so that their prayers may not be hindered (1 Pet.
3:7). God’s ears are open to the prayer of the righteous, but his face is
against those who do evil (1 Pet. 3:12). In context, this is written to the
church, so the “righteous” here is not a reference to all who have been
cleansed by the blood of the Lamb, but this is speaking of those who live
righteously, as this is contrasted with those who DO evil. If we want God to
listen to our prayers, we need to walk daily in his righteousness and holiness.
Going along with this idea, in 1 Pet. 4:7 we read that we should be
self-controlled and sober-minded for the sake of our prayers, so obviously our
walk of faith and obedience to our Lord has an effect on our prayers.
We also read that when we ask God for something in prayer,
that we need to ask in faith and not doubt (Jas. 1:6). And, when we ask God for
something in prayer, we should not expect to receive anything from the Lord if
we ask with the wrong motives, that we may spend whatever we receive from God
on our own worldly passions and desires (Jas. 4:3). If we want to receive from
God when we ask him for something in prayer, we need to keep his commandments
and do what pleases him (1 Jn. 3:22). We also need to ask according to his will
(1 Jn. 5:14). So, it appears that, even today, our prayers can be hindered if
we are not walking by faith, living holy lives pleasing to God – all in his
power at work within us. So, if we want God to answer our prayers, we need to
repent of any known sin and pray for mercy, i.e. for God to restore us to himself,
which he will do if we are sincere.
And, yet, God does not promise that we will be delivered out
of all our troubles. In fact, he promises that in this life we will have sorrow,
pain, hardship, persecutions, etc. Jesus said we would be hated, persecuted,
falsely accused, arrested and even killed for our testimonies for him and for
his gospel.
But, what he does promise us is that he will never leave us
or forsake us, and that he will give us all we need to endure, to be strong in
our faith, to be courageous, to persevere and to not lose hope. Even in the midst
of sadness, he will fill us with songs of praise to him and with joy
everlasting. He will teach us his ways, will grow and mature us, purify our
hearts, and he will conform us to the image of Christ. He will also fill us
with his peace and assurance even when “all hell” is breaking loose all around
us. He will also intervene on our behalf in miraculous ways. Sometimes miracles
happen because of difficulties, as well as in spite of them. If we are walking
in his ways, he will also use us to be ministers of his grace in the lives of
others. And, he will work all things out for good for those of us who love God
and who have been called according to his purpose. Amen!
Our Relationship
Turn
again, O God of hosts!
Look down from heaven, and see;
have
regard for this vine,
the stock that your right hand planted,
and for the son whom you made strong for
yourself.
They
have burned it with fire; they have cut it down;
may they perish at the rebuke of your face!
But
let your hand be on the man of your right hand,
the son of man whom you have made strong
for yourself!
Then
we shall not turn back from you;
give us life, and we will call upon your
name!
Restore
us, O Lord God of hosts!
Let your face shine, that we may be saved!
~ vv. 14-19
When we came to faith in Jesus Christ, via God’s grace to
us, we died with Christ to our old lives of living for sin and self, we were
transformed in heart and mind of the Spirit of God, and we were given new lives
in Christ to be lived in his righteousness and holiness. In fact, Jesus died
for our sins so that we would no longer live for ourselves but for him who gave
himself up for us. He did not die just so we could escape hell and have the
promise of heaven when we die. He died so we would die to sin and live in his
righteousness.
This is God’s grace to us: It is not a free license to
continue living in willful sin free from guilt and punishment. His grace
teaches us to say “No” to ungodliness and worldly passions and to live
self-controlled and upright lives in this present age while we wait for his return.
Jesus Christ gave himself up for us “to redeem us from all lawlessness and to
purify for himself a people for his own possession who are zealous for good
works.” He will give us all we need to live godly and holy lives pleasing to
Him. [See: Luke 9:23-25; Ac. 26:16-18; Ro. 6-8; 2 Co. 5:15; Gal. 2:20; Eph.
4:17-24; Tit. 2:11-14; 1 Pet. 2:24-25; & 1 Jn. 1-5.]
If this is not what happened to you when you “believed” in
Jesus Christ, then perhaps you did not truly believe in Jesus, and you need to right
now submit to his cross, die with Christ to sin and self, and allow the Holy Spirit
of God to transform you in heart and mind, and to make you into a new creation
in Christ Jesus, “created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness”
(See: Eph. 4:17-24).
Or, perhaps you did truly come to faith in Jesus Christ but
you have since wandered away from your pure devotion to your Lord, and you have
allowed yourself to return to living in sin and to walking according to the
flesh instead of according to the Spirit. God has been convicting your heart,
but you have been resisting him, and/or you have been living in denial and you
have been making excuses for what you know is wrong. And, perhaps, you are
facing some type of divine discipline and you want God to deliver you, but you
have not yet been willing to give your all to Jesus. Jesus is calling you to
repent of your sin and to return to your first love (See Rev. 2-3), because he
longs to revive you, renew you and restore you to himself. All you need to do
is surrender your life to him. He will restore you.
My Cry For Mercy
/ An Original Work / October 31, 2013
Based off Psalm 86
Hear my prayer, Lord,
I am needy.
Guard my life, for I’m
devoted to You.
Save me! I’m Your
servant.
You are my God. I
trust in You.
O, Lord, have mercy on
me,
For I call to You.
Bring joy to me, for
to You
I will lift up my
soul.
You are giving and
forgiving.
You abound in love to
all who
Call upon You. Hear my
prayer, Lord.
Listen to my cry for
mercy.
In days of trouble I
call to You,
Knowing that You will
Do marvelous things,
Because You are my
God.
Teach me Your way;
I’ll walk in it.
In Your truth, Lord,
You will guide me.
A pure heart, Lord,
You will give me,
So that I may glorify
You.
Turn to me, Lord, and
grant
Strength to Your
servant.
O, Lord, You are my
help,
For You love and You
comfort me.
Teach me Your way;
I’ll walk in it.
In Your truth, Lord,
You will guide me.
A pure heart, Lord,
You will give me,
So that I may glorify
You.
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