In the news story there was a group of workers in high visibility vests and safety hats standing in front of one of these piles of debris, and a couple of the workers had their hands on their hips. And it looked to me as if they were saying to each other, where do we start?
What a wonderful thing to witness the compassion and help that comes to us sometimes when tragedy strikes. Every now and then we see humanity at it's best when governments, friends, family, and neighbours rally to help us rebuild after our lives are messed up tragically.
These workers in Japan no doubt had a plan in mind to tackle the task ahead, but I couldn't help but think about how overwhelming it must be to look at hundreds of these piles of debris, and miles and miles of devastation. And then factor in the thousands of dead whose bodies are in amongst the debris and you have an overwhelming task in front of you.
Many of us have experienced this kind of helplessness at a personal level. We stand numb, devastated, unable to even begin to start to put the pieces back together. Our lives don't resemble what they did just a short time ago, and we think, where do I even start?
If this is you, the Scriptures record a prayer that seems to be very fitting. It's found in Psalm 61, and starts like this: O God, listen to my cry! Hear my prayer! From the ends of the earth, I cry to you for help when my heart is overwhelmed. Lead me to the towering rock of safety, for you are my safe refuge, a fortress where my enemies can't reach me (NLT).
We can't be certain what was going on in this man's life when he wrote the prayer, but it was probably one of these two events: The first was when he was serving in the palace as a musician for the king. The king was jealous of him and began to look for ways to have him killed. He was forced to not only leave his family and home, but to leave the country and live in caves and the forest for years until the king died. The other event that may have been happening was when, later in life when he himself was king, his own son turned the army and the people against him and once again forced him to leave his home, and the capital, and find shelter among a few faithful friends.
I like the first few words, O God, listen to my cry! It's like there aren't even any words to pray - just a cry for help. I don't think that our heavenly father is tied down to only answer certain words or sentences. I don't believe that God only responds to carefully spoken prayers that are all neat and tidy. Sometimes our lives get all messy, and our prayers (spoken or unspoken) resemble our circumstances.
Verse 2 says, . . . when my heart is overwhelmed. Lead me to the towering rock of safety. How good is that?? It's difficult for me to describe to someone else the personal connection I have with Jesus, but it's real! He's not a figment of my imagination (though some will insist that he is). I have never had my house leveled by a tsunami, but I have experienced depression, helplessness, and debilitating weariness; and I've also felt the towering rock of safety respond to me with invisible hands of comfort and support. His help may come in a number of different ways - through unexpected people, places, and events - but I have known that he is there. Money can't buy it; being clever won't help. Getting all religious won't help a scrap either, because God isn't religious. He loves people, and gets involved in their messes. He's not a formula, but a person. Just because you can't see him doesn't mean he isn't there. That's a silly assumption!
But it may cost you your pride; you may have to humble yourself in your heart to admit that you need help. The man who wrote this prayer, above, is the same man who killed a 9 foot giant earlier in his life. How much had his situation changed?
But he did humble himself, and cried out to God for help. The help you receive may not come exactly as you want it to, but that may not be a bad thing. Life is full of changes, and maybe a change of heart and attitude is a change for the better.
Talk soon . . . dmd
