God! Can You Hear Me?

How many times have you been in a place in life where you wonder if God even notices you?   If He is even paying attention?  If He even cares?  Maybe you even dared to pray, but wondered if He was even listening.

You think you are the only one?   Maybe you even feel guilty because you follow Jesus but have emotions of hopelessness, abandonment or just plain stressed out by life at times.  Or maybe you have done something so stupid, so foolish that everybody who seemed to “love you” turned their back and left you to rot.  And you begin to wonder if they did – maybe God did too.

You aren’t the only one.  Would you believe that there was a guy that was described as a guy after God’s Heart who felt the same way?   This was a guy whom God had richly blessed, protected and delivered time after time – but look at what he wrote:

Help, GOD—the bottom has fallen out of my life! Master, hear my cry for help!  Listen hard! Open your ears! Listen to my cries for mercy.  Psalm 130:1-2 (MSG)

GOD—the bottom has fallen out of my life! Master, hear my cry for help!  ²  Listen hard! Open your ears! Listen to my cries for mercy. ³  If you, GOD, kept records on wrongdoings, who would stand a chance? ⁴  As it turns out, forgiveness is your habit, and that's why you're worshiped. ⁵  I pray to GOD—my life a prayer— and wait for what he'll say and do. ⁶  My life's on the line before God, my Lord, waiting and watching till morning, waiting and watching till morning. ⁷  O Israel, wait and watch for GOD— with GOD's arrival comes love, with GOD's arrival comes generous redemption. ⁸  No doubt about it—he'll redeem Israel, buy back Israel from captivity to sin. Psalm 130:1-8

Thoughts and Questions

Verses 1-2 – THIS IS WHERE I AM

In the Hebrew Mind the ocean represents fear, the unknown, the untamed.

Mark’s Paraphrase:  “Things are out of control.  I feel like I am drowning!  Where are You?  Can You hear me?  Are You listening?”

Notice he cries for “Mercy” – Mercy is for when you are guilty.  Perhaps it was his own actions that got him in to this mess.

Verses 3-4 – THIS IS WHO YOU ARE

God forgives in – casts it from east to west – remembers it no more.

When you find God, you find total forgiveness.

Holiness – consistence in life.

Mark’s Paraphrase:  “God – truth is none of us is worthy of You.  You forgive over and over and over.  That is why we worship/are in awe of You.”

Verses 5-6 – THIS WON’T LAST FOREVER – THIS IS WHAT I’LL DO

God is always faithful.  I will wait for Him.

I wait expecting Him to act – not just hope – but expect.

Mark’s Paraphrase:  “I pray – and wait for you to lead and provide.   If not, I’m screwed – I have nothing else.   I wait expectantly for You to act.”

Verses 7-8 – I’M NOT ALONE

Mark’s Paraphrase:  “Hey everyone.  When God gets here He brings love and redemption.  Have confidence, He will deliver us.”

Conclusion

 You may be going through a terrible time in your life right now.   Perhaps you did something foolish that took you someplace you never intended to go.  Perhaps you are just being blasted by the storms of life.   One thing you can do is Pray.   Prayer is simple - just talk to God.  Be honest with Him - about your feelings, your fears, your hopes, your frustrations.  Don't pretend - just tell Him.  He is listening - He does care - He will act.   

It may not change your circumstances, the suffering may not end immediately, but you will realize you aren't alone.  And you will realize there is hope.  God has always been faithful.  He was in the Bible.   He is/was to people all around you - ask them.   When you find Him you find forgiveness.  You find restoration.  You find acceptance.  You find hope.

The same is true of people.   When you find one who follows Jesus you find forgiveness, restoration, acceptance and hope.

What you are going through won't last forever.   Dawn always comes and things look worse at night.   Look for God to act.   Look to Him.  Listen for Him.  He is at work in your life and all around you.  Stop focusing on your situation and focus on Him.

Realize you aren't the only one who has is going through difficult times.  Everyone has a story.  In the immortal words of REM - Everybody Hurts.   It may do you well to find them and help them, talk to them, encourage them.   It will do you both well.

You will make it through this.  It won't be easy, it may not be quick, but you will make it through this.  Talk to Him.  Look for Him.  Listen for Him.

This won't last forever.  You are not alone.

You will make it through this.