1,941 days ago from this writing my dad took his last breath on earth and opened his eyes as his faith was made sight. His day of death here and life forever there is a day I will not forget. It was a hard and holy day for our family.
How much more does the Father hold holy the day His Son took His last terrestrial breath? But the eternal implications of that day holds this to be a good day, Good Friday.
As we move into the next portion of Psalm 22, we see it with the backdrop of Good Friday. That seems to give this passage even more significance when we consider that this particular psalm was on the mind of Christ as He gave up His life.
Take time to ask Him to speak through His Word.
Good Father, would you open my understanding to your good Word today? Amen.
Let’s slow down and examine verses 22-24 from Psalm 22.
I will tell of your name to my brothers; in the midst of the congregation I will praise you: You who fear the LORD, praise him! All you offspring of Jacob, glorify him, and stand in awe of him, all you offspring of Israel! for he has not despised or abhorred the affliction of the afflicted, and he has not hidden his face from him, but has heard, when he cried to him.
When we slow down to lean into the verses of Scripture, it is not unlike a gardener watering the soil of a dry plant. If the gardener were to dump a bucket of water on a dry plant, the soil wouldn’t have time to absorb any, all the refreshment would run right off leaving the plant dry. But if the gardener were to slow down, lean in, and gently pour small amounts of water at a time on the cracked soil, then the water would soak into the soil nourishing the plant well.
As we examine these verses let’s let the Word roll over in our minds slowly and allow the Gardener to tend our soul with the truths here.
The psalmist has found himself in a dark season of suffering yet he has called out to God and been met with God’s nearness and faithfulness. In response we see the psalmist proclaim “I will…" to the Lord in joy! “I will tell of your name!” “I will praise you!”
The psalmist then invites “you who fear Yahweh” to praise Him too! The psalmist is overjoyed not because his circumstances have magically been alleviated but because of what he says in verse 24. God did not despise the affliction of the afflicted or hidden His face from him but rather He has heard!!
We can notice here the lesson being taught that God hears when we cry to Him. Also we can see that our praise to God is not simply an overflow of answered prayer or comfortable circumstances but rather praise ought to overflow when we remember that the holy, personal, covenant-keeping God, Yahweh hears us.
The attention and interest of a concerned parent is the hearing that God has when we, His children cry out to Him.
Like a tender, attentive mother who is easily stirred towards her newborn as the child lets out cries of hunger or distress is your Father in Heaven towards you.
The cries of Jesus from the cross on Good Friday were not missed for a moment by the Father. Because of the gift of Jesus’ blood on His children, the Father misses not one of your cries either. He is so near.
How today can we walk in this truth and allow it to take root in our souls?
If my Father in Heaven is attentive to my cries, I can turn to him for anything, big or small and KNOW He is hearing me. Also to follow the example of the psalmist, I can begin to praise God today, even in the midst of trials or suffering because my praise need not be based on my comfort but on who my God is, a listening, attentive Father.