Sabbath Psalms - Unanswered Prayers

Psalm 22:2 My God, I cry out by day, but you do not answer, by night, but I find no rest. (NIV)

We’ve all been there at some point in our lives – crying out to God for help, but receiving no response. Usually, the prayer is about our health or the well-being of a loved one. Instead of getting the answer we want, nothing changes, leaving us feeling bewildered, abandoned, even forsaken by God. It makes us question God’s existence, as well as asking what’s the point of having faith if God won’t do what we want?

The Bible doesn’t shy away from those hard questions. Psalm 22 is a prime example of someone who is feeling forlorn and forgotten by God. The writer is feeling vulnerable and lost, finite and frail, so he is looking to God for strength and deliverance, renewal and restoration. It’s a painful psalm to read because it’s written by a tormented soul and even though it ends with some sort of resolution, the sorrows expressed appear to be unanswered and relentless.

Jesus quoted the beginning of this psalm when He was brutally nailed to the Cross. In His final moments of life, He truly identified with the pain, loss, and suffering which all human beings experience. He could have chosen to run away before He was arrested to save His life. He could have called down legions of angels from Heaven to rescue Him from death and destroy His enemies. Instead, He chose to accept a painful end to His life, so that He truly became one of us, as well as the prophesied “Man of Sorrows” described in Isaiah 53.

Perhaps you are going through a hard time and praying for someone you love. Maybe you feel as though your prayers are unanswered and that God doesn’t care about your plight. It’s an awful feeling and heavy burden to bear. I’ve been there, too, but what got me through it was an understanding that Jesus knew exactly what I was facing and had felt the same kind of pain. In other words, He walked beside me to help me endure. I hope and pray He will do the same for you.

Point to ponder: What painful prayers and burdens am I currently experiencing?

Prayer: Lord Jesus, today we appeal to Your humanity and not Your divinity. Today, we pray for You to walk alongside us as we journey through a path of pain and loss. Help us to endure and enable us to overcome. In Your Holy Name, we pray. Amen.

John Stuart is a Scottish presbyterian pastor now living in Knoxville, Tennessee.

Short Sermon: Protected by Prayer - John 17:6-19

 A short sermon on John 17:6-19 - what happens when we find it hard to pray?

Short devotion: Sanctuary - Psalm 141:2

 

Today’s Bible readings can be found at this link: Psalm 141:1-10 & Acts 21:1-14.

 Psalm 141:2    May my prayer be set before you like incense; may the lifting up of my hands be like the evening sacrifice. (NIV)

 In ancient Bible times, people used to stand before the altar in the Temple and raise their hands as they prayed to God. It was a beautiful way to focus on what needed to be expressed and the scent of the incense, along with the rising smoke, made the person praying feel assured that their words were being carried up to God in the heavens. The sanctuary, therefore, became a holy place of safety and security, as well as of hope and faith.

 For most folks today, the loss of sanctuary is being keenly felt during this pandemic. That familiar and sacred space where we would gather to worship, as well as to pray, has been temporarily taken from us. It means that we’re left with a spiritual emptiness which cannot be filled with anything else. Some may say that the church building is not important, but that’s not true: sanctuaries have always been a part of our faith and it’s where we mostly encounter God’s presence with His gathered people. Like the psalmist of old, we need a sacred space where we can quietly sit or stand before God, expressing to Him our worries and issues, as well as our confessions and complaints.

 Hopefully, one day soon, we can gather again as a people of God in our sanctuaries. After Thanksgiving, our own sanctuary will open during the week for church folks to drop in and quietly pray. The sacred space is still there; the holiness of God can still be found in that peaceful place which is dearly missed and fondly loved by all of us.

 Point to ponder: What have been some of the most memorable experiences for me in the church sanctuary?

 Prayer: Lord Jesus, even You found sanctuary in the synagogues You visited each Sabbath and the Temple that You attended during special feasts. We miss being together in our sanctuary, so please help us to find a safe and reassuring way to enter that dear holy place. In Your Sacred Name, we pray. Amen.

 John Stuart is the pastor of Erin Presbyterian Church in Knoxville, Tennessee. If you want to see what’s happening at the church, visit the website at www.erinpres.org.

 Today’s image is one of John’s psalm drawings based on Psalm 85. If you would like to view a larger version, please click this link: Psalm 85.

Devotion on Prayer: Many Prayers - 2 Corinthians 1:11b

Today’s readings

Judges 5:19-31

2 Corinthians 1:8-17

2 Corinthians 1:11b   Then many will give thanks on our behalf for the gracious favor granted us in answer to the prayers of many.

            I was reading another church’s newsletter this morning. It contained a special ‘thank you’ note from one of the members. He was expressing his gratitude for the many prayers that people in his congregation had given to God, especially when he was undergoing some serious and complicated surgery.

            It’s wonderful to read those kind of notes. Not only does it help the person express his gratitude to God and His people, it also encourages others to use prayer as a means of obtaining God’s help in different situations. As the Poet Laureate Lord Tennyson once wrote, “There is more wrought by prayer than the world dreams of.”

            Perhaps you or someone close to you is going through a hard time, or some sort of crisis – whether medical, financial, or relational – is presently occurring. Never underestimate the power of prayer, especially when those prayers are sent up by a whole host of people. At the wee church that I serve, we employ an email prayer chain so that whenever someone is in hospital or experiences something troubling, the majority of our people are quickly notified and the praying begins.

            Even Mahatma Gandhi had this to say about the efficacy of prayer: “Prayer is not an old woman's idle amusement. Properly understood and applied, it is the most potent instrument of action.” 

Questions for personal reflection

What type of prayers do I usually bring to God? When have I seen prayer work in my life?

Prayer:            Lord Jesus, You taught us how to pray and You also showed the power of prayer. As Your followers, help us to make prayer a regular part of our lives. Encourage us to see prayer as a sacred means of being spiritually connected to You. In Your Holy Name, we pray. Amen.

John Stuart is the pastor of Erin Presbyterian Church in Knoxville, Tennessee. If you would like to make a comment or ask a question of today’s message, please send him an email to traqair@aol.com.

Today’s image is one of John’s latest bulletin drawings. It’s called “Mackintosh Poppy” and has been drawn for Remembrance Day (Nov 11^th) of this year. If you would like to view a larger version, please click on the following link: http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2839/10594576655_b2f63d3fe3_b.jpg