DO NOT LOSE HOPE!

READ PSALM 102

GOD IS NOT ANNOYED BY OUR CRIES!

Psalm 102:9

For I eat ashes like bread

and mingle tears with my drink,

Can you imagine a more vivid description of experiencing difficulties in life? One of the wonderful aspects of the psalms is that they model for us what God wants us to do in our difficult times. He does not want us to pretend that things are easy. He does not want us to put up a front of spiritual sufficiency. He does not want us to minimize the difficulties. Honest cries and real tears do not offend God. We have a God who knows how to sympathize with us.

Hebrews 4:14-16

            Since then we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

God is not surprised by our difficulties; He is not offended by our weakness. God was tempted with every situation that we will ever face. In fact, His trials were greater and harder than ours. His experience causes Him to be compassionate towards us. We can cry out to God, knowing that He will dispense to us mercy and grace. His goal is for us to draw near, so that we may know His compassion.

The psalmist has lost his appetite, his tears are abundant, and his days are dark. Although things are grim, he does not lose sight of where his hope lies.

Psalm 102:1-2

Hear my prayer, O LORD;

let my cry come to you!

Do not hide your face from me

in the day of my distress!

Incline your ear to me;

answer me speedily in the day when I call!

I love to think that God is inclining His ear toward His desperate children. Our cries are not drowned out by others; our needs are not minimized compared to those of others. God is able to give complete attention to us. He is not confused or limited in any way by the gravity of the situation, nor by the abundance of problems in the world. He is totally attentive to our cries.

The writer reminds us of God’s individual attention.

Psalm 102:17

he regards the prayer of the destitute

and does not despise their prayer.

God is not annoyed by the cries of His children. He is not offended by our deep despair. He certainly does not want us to live in desperation, which is why He inspired the psalmist to pen this song.

Psalm 102:18-22

Let this be recorded for a generation to come,

so that a people yet to be created may praise the LORD:

that he looked down from his holy height;

from heaven the LORD looked at the earth,

to hear the groans of the prisoners,

to set free those who were doomed to die,

that they may declare in Zion the name of the LORD,

and in Jerusalem his praise,

when peoples gather together,

and kingdoms, to worship the LORD.

Reading of God’s faithfulness throughout the generations needs to have an impact on our understanding of His trustworthy character. As we watch the children of Israel, we constantly see God’s faithfulness in spite of their wandering. We see God’s forgiveness and mercy in spite of their repetitious sins. We see God’s restoration after seasons of treachery and rebellion. God wants us to abandon ourselves into His careful and caring hands.

We also need to remember that God is infinite.

Psalm 102:25-28

Of old you laid the foundation of the earth,

and the heavens are the work of your hands.

They will perish, but you will remain;

they will all wear out like a garment.

You will change them like a robe, and they will pass away,

but you are the same, and your years have no end.

The children of your servants shall dwell secure;

their offspring shall be established before you.

God wants to be our foundation, our surety, our hope… our all.

We are blessed when we trustingly throw ourselves into the arms of our eternal God! Difficulties and desperation do not surprise or dismay our God. All He wants to hear is: “Not my will but your will be done!”

God’s arms are long enough to reach down to us, strong enough to carry us, gentle enough to show us His great love for us!