March 21—A Pearl for Today
“The eyes of the Lord are upon the righteous, and His ears are open unto their cry” (Ps. 34:15 NASB).
CRYING FOR HELP IN ALL THE WRONG PLACES
A busy lifeguard was once asked how he could distinguish a cry for help from the playful noises of a crowded beach: screams of people getting dunked, kids playing volleyball, mothers yelling for lost children, and such. He replied that he had never failed to recognize a genuine cry for help. There is an urgency that is easily recognized, he explained. As parents we can tell when a child is just being boisterous, and when there is a sense of urgency or emergency. Our ears are attuned, and we rush to help.
Just as a lifeguard and parents can distinguish a genuine cry for help, so “the eyes of the Lord are toward the righteous and His ears are open to their cry.” Often when we cry for help, we cry to the wrong people. When you have a need, to whom, what, or where do you go first? Frequently we go to friends, pastors, family, or a mate before we go to our heavenly Father. We call, last of all, upon the One who can be of the most help. He just lovingly waits for our prayer for aid.
Peter, when he began to sink in the waves, cried out, “Lord, save me!” What would you think of Peter, if, even with the Lord standing right there, he had called to the disciples in the boat, “Hey guys, I’m sinking! Would you throw me a life preserver?”
This is what we must look like to the Lord. We seek help, and do not realize He is right there with us. He waits and listens until we express our dependence and need for His intervention and assistance.
We hear people in desperate situations say, “All we can do is pray.” Why is prayer our last resort? Why haven’t we prayed all along? The first thing we need to do when we face a crisis is to pray in a voice that God recognizes as a genuine cry for help.
A prayer in need is a prayer in deed.