Heard
Psalms 22:1-5 KJV
(1) <To the chief Musician upon Aijeleth Shahar, A Psalm of David.> My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? why art thou so far from helping me, and from the words of my roaring?
(2) O my God, I cry in the daytime, but thou hearest not; and in the night season, and am not silent.
(3) But thou art holy, O thou that inhabitest the praises of Israel.
(4) Our fathers trusted in thee: they trusted, and thou didst deliver them.
(5) They cried unto thee, and were delivered: they trusted in thee, and were not confounded.
Our home has two levels, with the bedrooms on the upper level and the living, dining, and office areas below. There are many times when communication is necessary with one of the kids up in their room, but I’ve found that no level of shouting will produce a response. (of course there’s the temptation to think maybe you’re just being ignored) It can actually be quite frustrating when you’re occupied with something that’s really important- like maybe catching the end of Andy Griffith or a Broncos game- and you get no answer from yelling that threatens to damage your vocal folds. Somehow walls and floor levels are doing their job, creating separation and privacy and the ability for our precious ones to have their own ’space’. They’re usually occupied with their own focus, which often includes some kind of media with its own volume and visual distraction from the ‘important’ communication they should be heeding. I’ve found that the best way to avoid the frustration on both my part and theirs is to just take the time and effort to climb the stairs, open the door to where they are, ask them to turn down the volume level and speak to them face to face in a normal speaking voice. It’s not that they don’t want or care to hear me, it’s just that there’s so much separation between us that communication is impossible.
I find it interesting that David, the man after God’s own heart, spews forth these expressions of communication frustrations with God. The opening statements of this Psalm would seem to just bring further despair to the heart of one going through a similar time in their relationship with God. -”If David, the giant killer, couldn’t manage to get God’s ear, how in the world will I?” It would seem, though, that maybe David had a similar issue with God as I’ve had with my kids- there were just too many levels, walls and distractions that had risen to separate and disable communication. While further shouting and mental anguish would do nothing to resolve the problem, there was something David began to do that changed everything. Instead of just remaining in his anguished state of discouragement, David got up off the couch and began to mount the stairs to the holy place where God was waiting. His focus began to change from his predicament and pitiful situation to the One who is holy and inhabits the praises of Israel. He began to experience a door opening and distracting volume levels going down and visual distractions becoming dim as He drew close to God in praise and worship. It was true that there had been no apparent response from his Father, but this wasn’t because God wasn’t ready, willing and able to do far above what could be imagined or thought. It was just because too much had disabled communication by way of barriers and diverted focus. To rehearse the problem and the failure would be the same as just staying downstairs, while rehearsing the known goodness and mercy of God was just like walking right up to Him where a face to face talk could take place. David had come to know just how important it was to have God’s ear, and he also learned the power of praise and it’s transforming impact on communication. From a despairing, hopeless failure he could consistently rise to a place of victory and overcoming power as God became big once more and old things were left behind in the other room and His nearness eliminated all distractions.
He’ll hear, He’ll respond, He’ll bless and He’ll restore with the simple effort taken to move from that separation to His holy place of refuge and peace. The frustration doesn’t have to continue and prevail, if we’ll just go up and take our seat at His side in heavenly places by letting praise, adoration and worship occupy our hearts. Right there before Him the smallest whisper will be heard.
Psalms 22:23-24 KJV
(23) Ye that fear the LORD, praise him; all ye the seed of Jacob, glorify him; and fear him, all ye the seed of Israel.
(24) For he hath not despised nor abhorred the affliction of the afflicted; neither hath he hid his face from him; but when he cried unto him, he heard.
