God

[Chrysostom]

When the heart cries out in anguish, even without words, the groan itself is a prayer. As Moses cried out though his voice was silent, and God answered him; as Hannah's lips moved but her heart poured forth its sorrow, and the Lord granted her petition; so too your cry, short as it is, reaches the ears of Him who searches the heart. The blood of Abel cried from the ground, and the Lord heard. Do not think that because you have only these few words, God does not listen. The broken spirit, the contrite heart, He will not despise.

But let this cry be joined with a willing soul. The help from above is given to those who rouse themselves and do their part. Judas received help and perished because he would not; Peter was willing but fell when he relied on his own strength. Learn from both: we must have our own purpose set on God, and then we shall obtain the succor from above. So now, lift up your heart with boldness to the throne of grace, for now is the accepted time, now is the day of salvation. Do not wait until the door is shut; come while the Master still sits granting pardon.

And as you cry out, continue in prayer with watching and thanksgiving. Give thanks even in the midst of trouble, for tribulation itself is a gift when it drives you to cling more tightly to Christ. If you are wakeful, you will not need the prayers of others in the same way, but still do not despise them. Ask the faithful to pray with you, for a brother aided by a brother is like a fortified city. Yet do not place all your reliance on them while you yourself sleep. Rise up, shake off sloth, and serve the Lord in newness of spirit. He who gives you the will also gives the strength to run, if you do not shrink back. Sin shall not have dominion over you, for you are not under law but under grace. So let your cry be the beginning of a renewed struggle: turn your pain into prayer, your fear into faith, and your groaning into thanksgiving. God will help in time of need; He is faithful. Only draw near, and do not turn back.

 

[Silas]

When the cry you just lifted is all you have, you are not at the end of hope. You are in the exact place where God begins His most profound work. That unadorned, desperate plea is often the first sound of real victory, because it comes from a heart that has finally stopped looking for a self-help formula or a human fix. You have reached the point where you know, with absolute clarity, that vain is the help of man. Your help must come from the Lord who made the heavens and the earth, and you are calling out to Him. That is good.

Do not worry that your prayer feels abrupt or lacks polished words. Prayer is not an exercise in eloquence. David, when his heart was overwhelmed, cried out with a loud wailing. When he was brought very low and his enemies were stronger than he, his prayer was a simple, honest, “Hear my cry, O God. Attend unto my prayer. Make haste to help me.” From what felt like the ends of the earth, he just let go. You can cry to God from any place, and in your desperation you have done the wisest thing a person can do. You have placed yourself in His hands. Your weakness is not an obstacle; it is the very consciousness that opens the door for His strength.

There is a real danger in coming to God only for the relief or for the thing you desperately want, seeking the deliverance more than the Deliverer. But even so, start right where you are. Prayer always begins with relationship. If you can cry out to Him, even as a first faint reaching, know that the Father’s ear is always open to the children’s cry. And if you are not sure you even have that relationship, the one prayer He wants to hear most is the honest confession of your need for His mercy. That establishes the relationship and opens up this glorious opportunity for you right now.

This is not about trying to make a deal or trying to convince a reluctant God to move. He has been wanting to work in your life all the while, but He will not violate your will. Your cry, however desperate, is you opening the door for Him to do what He has been waiting to do. The purpose of prayer is not to get your will accomplished upon the earth, but to get His will accomplished, and His will for you is ultimately for your eternal good and His glory.

So bring every overwhelming problem to the Lord in prayer now, but do not let the problem seem bigger to you than your God. You are not bringing a defeated, hopeless situation to a defeated, helpless deity. The moment you cry out to that rock that is higher than you, assurance can begin to minister to your heart. Even while you are still on your knees in desperation, the Spirit of God brings comfort and an inner knowledge of His help. The snare may feel tight around you, but the snare is broken. You are escaping, for your help is in the name of the Lord.

Let this be your first resort, not your last. Pray, and then set a watch. Fight for what is good and right, but do so in His strength, going forth in His name. Do not tarry, Lord. We look to You, waiting for the signs of Your mercy, until that mercy comes upon us. We ask for Your peace to stand guard within. Strengthen Your child now by Your Spirit. In Jesus’ name.