August 27 – Rescued from trouble

The godly cry out and the Lord hears; 
he saves them from all their troubles. (Psalm 34:17 NET)

When I am asked why God doesn’t rescue godly people, I know I’m being asked a loaded question.  Behind this question are hidden fears that God doesn’t care, or that His promises are meaningless, or that His promises are meant for others, and not for us.  This short and powerful promise of rescue is from a God who really does care, is meant to be taken literally, and is meant for all who are both godly, and who cry out.  

In the book of Genesis, Joseph rescued his family from a terrible famine, and brought them to Egypt where their needs were provided for.  But God’s people didn’t go back home after the famine.  They remained in Egypt for many generations and dabbled in idol worship there, even though they knew they were to be separate for God. They eventually became slaves, brutally oppressed and mistreated in a foreign land.  Over 400 years passed before God heard their cries, but when He did, he immediately sent Moses to rescue them.  Was God uncaring for 400 years, or were His promises empty?  The problem was, that though He had chosen them, they had chosen not to be godly and not to cry out.  It took them 400 years to turn back to Him.   

There is a difference between routine, mediocre prayers, and prayers of faith.  The cries of the godly are powerful cries of revolt against evil.  The cries of true believers always bring about results.  True believers aren’t perfect – they’re just those who steer clear of the world’s principles and solutions, and who seek God above all.  They place a high priority on remaining uncontaminated.  They refuse to tolerate the things of the devil.  

If you find that your prayer life has devolved into an ordinary recitation of, “God bless this, and God help me with that,” but has no life, no revolt and no conviction, it’s time to awaken that dormant faith that God has given you as His gift.   If you find that you are enjoying flirting with the things of the world and are being drawn into it’s mindset, then it’s time for a radical cleansing of a contaminated heart.  We all need to be rescued from trouble; none of us can afford to waste time like the Hebrew slaves. The promise that God will rescue you from your troubles is meant for now, today.  Choose to become a godly one who cries out to Him, and you’ll see this promise come true in amazing ways.