Cry Out

“Then they cried to the Lord in their trouble, and he delivered them from their distress.”        Psalm 107:6

Psalm 107 repeats this phrase at the end of every stanza. After describing some affliction or hardship of a certain group of people, the turning point of each story is the people’s cry to the Lord, and his faithful deliverance of them from their trouble. The more I read this Psalm, the more I am encouraged by several things…

First, we see a diverse number of sufferings described here. Desert wastes, darkness, hunger, sea squalls, the list goes on. No matter what the calamity though, the Lord is able to deliver his people. God is able to deliver us from any adversity, from any hardship. He is above every storm, and stronger than any wave.

Secondly, I believe it’s important to notice that deliverance comes after a cry has been bellowed. Many of us want to be delivered from our circumstances, but we try to do it by our own power, or through substance abuse, or by tearing others down and climbing over them. We try anything other than humbly calling out to God for help. God’s deliverance is available, but it comes most readily to those humble enough to cry out for it. God is attentive to our prayers, so why wouldn’t we call out to him?

PRAYER: Heavenly Father, you are strong enough to deliver me from any storm. I thank you that you are attentive to the cries of your people. I pray now that you would be attentive to my cry. Deliver me from my troubles. Lift me out of my calamity, and place me on the solid rock of Christ. Help me to always turn to you in distress, for you are the only one who can truly deliver me.