We pray to a God who hears us, who answers us, and who teaches us.
We pray to a God who corrects us, who equips us, and who sends us.
We pray to a God who is loyal, who is a giver, and who loves us more than we will ever know.
Whenever I am in deep trouble, you make me live again; you send your power against my enemies’ wrath; you save me with your strong hand. The Lord will do all this for my sake.
Your faithful love lasts forever, Lord! Don’t let go of what your hands have made.
Sometimes we pray when things are going well, and sometimes we pray when things are going really badly. Both types of prayers are acts of big faith. When you’re celebrating and life is great, it takes big faith to say, “God is a God who helped me here!” When you’re in a terrible situation, when you’re really hurting or really angry, it takes big faith to say, “God is a God who saves me.”
In Psalm 138, the psalmist helps us remember these truths, and reminds us that God does all this because God loves us. God loves us enough to give us life and new life, and God loves us enough to bring justice and freedom into situations of oppression and fear.
Faith is remembering that this is who God is and that this is what God does. And the best part? God is faithful even when our faith flickers on and off — when we remember to pray and when we forget. God made us, and God never lets us go!
Rebecca Poe Hays
Holy God, you made me and you make me live.
When I’m in trouble, save me.
When I’m safe, remind me of your love.
In the name of Jesus who teaches me to pray, amen.
Just keep praying — just keep PRAYING!