Scripture - Ps 88:1-2 O Lord God of my salvation, I have cried out day and night before You. Let my prayer come before You; Incline your ear to my cry.
Ex 2:23-25 Now it happened in the process of time that the king of Egypt died. Then the children of Israel groaned because of the bondage, and they cried out; and their cry came up to God because of the bondage. 24 So God heard their groanings, and God remembered His covenant with Abraham, with Isaac, and with Jacob. 25 And God looked upon the children of Israel, and God acknowledged them.
Observation - O God here our cry, I have cried before you night and day, let my prayer come before you. That is the cry of every Christian. To know that our prayer is coming up before God. The writer in Psalms is expressing what many of us so desperately want and need. That our cry come before God. That somewhere in the heavenlies God is aware of our petition. We so desperately need to know that when we pray it isn't falling on deaf ears but that God is truly listening. "I'm listening" is a popular tv advertisement expressing that with this particular service you can always here and always communicate. God is expressing the same thing. When the children of Israel were in bondage, trouble, catastrophe, dilemma, or whatever descriptive word you choose to place there, they cried out to God and God looked upon Israel because of their bondage. God sees our trouble and when we cry out - it goes before heaven and a petition, right in the sight of God - The bible says, "make your request known to God for He cares for you" - God cares about out situation, circumstances and will respond to our needs.
Application - This scripture seems really appropriate for the 5th day of fasting and prayer. Sometimes we can get to the place where we don't know if God is actually hearing us or are we just mouthing words in prayer for our benefit. We don't see the immediate result of our prayer and think somehow that God isn't listening. Well God would say today "I'm Listening!". He hears the cry of his people and turns to them and acknowledges them. God's love compels him to turn our direction in time of need. He is our very present help in time of need.
Prayer - Father - this week I need you more than ever. Father help me to know that you are listening to the cry of an and unworthy foot soldier in your army. God give me strength to move beyond the challenges and the circumstances and to redeem the thinking, the action the strength in a way that glorifies your kingdom.
