“The righteous cry out, and the Lord hears them; he delivers them from all their troubles” ( Psalm 34:17).
Crying, especially for adults, is not looked at favorably. Perhaps it is because it is associated with infant hood. Most men would not like to be pictured shedding a tear, even if they feel deep pain. For most putting up a show of brave face that hardly reveals any emotion, is what makes a total man.
When the Israelites started to accuse Moses of intending to harm them, “They said, “Why did you bring us up out of Egypt to make us and our children and livestock die of thirst?” ( Exodus 17:3). In that hour of anguish, “Then Moses cried out to the Lord, “What am I to do with these people? They are almost ready to stone me” ( vv 4).
David was one man who often went to the Lord crying. Pursued by enemies, he cried, “Be merciful to me, my God, for my enemies are in hot pursuit; all day long they press their attack. My adversaries pursue me all day long; in their pride many are attacking me” ( Psalm 56:1-3). He was never ashamed to shed his tears before the Lord and adds, “Record my misery; list my tears on your scroll are they not in your record?Then my enemies will turn back when I call for help. By this I will know that God is for me” ( vv 8-9).
Like Moses and David, you too might find yourself with an upsetting situation. These giants of God were never hesitant to go out and cry out to the Lord. For David sang, “I cried out to God for help; I cried out to God to hear me. When I was in distress, I sought the Lord; at night I stretched out untiring” ( Psalm 77: 1-2). And may you do as well. The Lord will look down on your tears and bring due deliverance.
Prayer today: Lord Father God of Abraham, maker of heaven and earth, when faced with sorrow and trials, I turn and cry out to you for deliverance, that I might taste of your victory, this I pray in Jesus’ name!
Related upcoming events
-
09/05/2024 - 10/05/2024 All day“The LORD will send rain at the proper time from his rich treasury in the heavens and will bless all the work you do. You will lend to many nations, but you will never need to borrow from them” (Deuteronomy 28:2 NIV)
For some reason very often some Christians are found despising the importance of being enterprising. To some being enterprising
can be equated to the love of money and it’s pitfalls (1 Tim 6:10). There are some Christian communities where running enterprises is frowned upon as being overtly worldly. On the contrary, far from it, being enterprising is clearly an avenue God has given believers to raise resources for their well being and promotion of the rich Gospel.The Bible is full of enterprising characters who were used mightily of God. Abraham was apparently a good rancher that he “became very wealthy in livestock and in silver and gold” (Gen 13:2). Job was hated by Satan who sought to destroy him because “He owned 7,000 sheep, 3,000 camels, 500 teams of oxen, and 500 female donkeys. He also had many servants. He was, in fact, the richest person in that entire area” (Job 1:3). The Lord Jesus Christ was born and raised in the house of Joseph, the carpenter (Mathew 13:55). Carpenters do not create works of beauty to donate for free. To prosper they must run sustainable enterprises which pay taxes and make profit.
The Apostle Paul would often rely on enterprising people to support him in his ministry. One of his worthy converts “was a woman named Lydia, a dealer in purple cloth. She was a worshiper of God. The Lord opened her heart to respond to Paul’s message, she invited us to her home. “If you consider me a believer in the Lord,” she said, “come and stay at my house” (Acts 16:14).
Though Paul was a ranked Jewish legal scholar once he went to the mission field, other than cling to his titles by burdening his hosts he often dabbled in tent making to support himself. In Corinth he teamed up with an amazing couple, Priscilla and Aquila, and “because he was a tentmaker as they were, he stayed and worked with them” (Acts 18:3). This couple run a successful tent making business that enabled them support mission work.
And then of course, there is the noble woman of character, as told in Proverbs 31, who “selects wool and flax and works with eager hands. She is like the merchant ships, bringing her food from afar. She considers a field and buys it; out of her earnings.. She sees that her trading is profitable...She makes linen garments and sells them, and supplies the merchants with sashes (vv 13-25). What better illustration is there to emulate being enterprising.
When the body of believers is filled with enterprising people it generates resources important for church upkeep. Further, the work of God is then supported without being dependent on sources that might compromise the mission, as sometimes we see!
Prayer for today: Lord father God of creation, as we see in scripture you have given us the gift of enterprise, and so, I pray to use this gift such that you bless me as you did to our father Abraham and all other great saints before for the glory and expansion of your kingdom, this I pray in Jesus’s name!
