needs Archives - Pastor Terry Lema's Daily Devotions

I was catching up with a long-time friend recently who has endured a lot in the past few years. One difficulty after another with little time in between to catch his breath.

Compounding trials are some of the most difficult times in life to endure. It is hard to get the victory when you become more and more worn down.

As I prayed for my friend, two words came to mind – compassion and abundance. I found those two words in a psalm of David. But before we get to the verse with those two words, listen to how the psalm begins: “Bow down Your ear, O LORD, hear me; for I am poor and needy.” [86:1 NKJV]

Interesting that David asks God to bow down His ear to him. It is as if David cannot lift his own head up to the LORD but must ask God to bow down to his level. I know I have felt that way a few times in my life. Trials and difficulties had beaten me into the ground and unless God came to my level, I would have been bereft of any comfort.

But God did bow His ear to David’s need and He did bow His ear to my needs also. David acknowledges that in verse 15.

“But You, O Lord, are a God full of compassion, and gracious, Longsuffering, and abundant in mercy and truth.” [Psalm 86:15 NKJV]

God is full of compassion. God is abundant in mercy. No matter how many trials or difficulties assault us, they will never exhaust God’s compassion or abundant mercy.

Today: Thank you LORD that you are willing to come down to us when we are beaten down by life, and that the deep wells of your compassion and mercy never run dry.

I’ve spent the last five days thinking, talking, and writing about last week’s Prayer Summit. I shared with the church on Sunday what I’ve shared in these devotions. After today, I’ll be writing about something else, putting the Prayer Summit to rest, but, there is a part of me that in all the thinking, writing and talking I’ve done that has still been unable to express what is deep inside.

Sunday night we were watching an XFL game, sort of. Bob had it on, and I was half listening to it as I rested in the big living room lounge chair. I was tired from the busy week, wanting to just curl up in my blanket and vegetate. Deep inside my spirit I was sensing something I couldn’t yet put into words. I still can’t.

Part of me wanted to cry before the LORD, part of me simply wanted to rejoice. I think I was simply overwhelmed in soul and spirit by the absolute, loving, faithfulness of God. Moses said of him in Deuteronomy 7:9: “Know therefore that the LORD your God is God; he is the faithful God, keeping his covenant of love to a thousand generations of those who love him and keep his commands.”

The Psalmist wrote: “For the word of the LORD is right and true; he is faithful in all he does.” [Ps 33:4]

And Paul wrote to the Thessalonians: “The one who calls you is faithful, and he will do it.” [1 Thess 5:24]

And while my word is not the inspired Word of God, this morning it does come from a personal experience with the Faithful God. I did not know what to expect at the Prayer Summit. The Faithful God, however, knew exactly what He would give me there … and He was faithful to my deepest needs that I had not yet even been able to voice.

Thank you, Faithful God, for your gracious, wonderful faithfulness to us. Amen & Amen.

needs

Abundant

Unexpressed Needs