“I cried to to the Lord and He heard my voice and He answered me..” Until I began looking for variations of this verse in the Psalms, I didn’t realize how many places* it could be found. Initially, I was reading a note about Psalm 3 and discovered that there are many meanings of the Hebrew word often translated ‘voice’. One definition is ‘the bleating of a lamb for its shepherd’. That one struck a chord. What a perfect picture of us as we, His lambs, cry to Him:
“Help…. I’m stuck!”
“Help…I’m hurting!”
“Help…I really messed this one up big time!”
“Help…I’m lost!” “Help…my children are lost,”
“Help! I am so hungry!”
“Help…I can’t pay my bills!”
“Help…I am all alone!”
“Help…I don’t know what to do!”
“Help…please use your crook to extricate me from this mess!”
“Help…I want to love and praise You more, to serve You better!”
So many cries of our hearts, so much bleating from so many lambs. And yet none are ignored, none unheard or insignificant to our Shepherd. “He heard my bleating and He answered me….” It may seem at times that He isn’t listening, isn’t seeing us, or doesn’t really care. But this is NEVER so. He is never indifferent to our cries or too busy to help, as humans may sometimes be We can’t always see the manifestation of His response, but we can be assured of it.
If you are from a liturgical church background, rooted in century after century of faithful prayer, you may remember litanies and group prayers to which the congregation responds, “Lord, hear our prayer.” Although respectful of this bleating, I now find myself unable to join in* because when I start to do so, He speaks to my heart saying, “I ALWAYS hear your prayers.” He most certainly understands the intent of such petitions. Yet I hear Holy Spirit say, “Know me for Who I Am..” I am the One Who Always Hears, Who always cares, Who Always responds. You don’t need to come as a beggar or a ‘begger’. I want you well and whole even more than you yourself do.
Yes, David prayed “Hear me, Lord…why aren’t you helping me…why are you ignoring me?,” Yes, these are natural cries, especially when nothing seems to be changing (according to our natural eye). There are also things which can block** us receiving what He wants us to have. Instead of praying, “Hear me, Lord,” let’s pray, “Lord, help me receive everything You have for me, everything you suffered and died for me to receive. Remove every barrier. You are ‘The Breaker!’*** Help me receive Your Shalom!”****
Our bleating tugs at His heart, just as the cries of our own children do. He is a much better Father than we ever thought of being. Think of what happens to your heart at the bleating of your own children and grandchildren, and you will have a tiny glimpse of the depth of The God of All Comfort’s compassion and concern for YOU.. if you are crying out, bleating for your Shepherd’s help, know that He loves you immeasurably beyond what you can even imagine. Thank Him for this all-embracing, overwhelming love, even if you can’t sense it right now. Trust Him. Trust IN Him. Trust in His compassion for you and His desire for your Wholeness, as well as of those whom you love. Praise Him in the dark and lonely places and picture Him running to answer your cry for help. He is not named “The Rescuer”***** for nothing.
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Notes
Here are a few of the Psalms which include “I cried to the Lord…” Go on a treasure hunt. Look them up and be encouraged!
*Psalm 3, Psalm 17, Psalm 18, Psalm 34; Psalm 118, Psalm 120
**Some of the blocks: **”the world, flesh, and the devil”; unforgiveness, bitter roots, unbelief, deception in a variety of forms….
*** The [a]breaker [the Messiah, who opens the way] shall go up before them [liberating them]. They will break out, pass through the gate and go out; So their King goes on before them, The Lord at their head.” So their King goes on before them, The Lord at their head.” —Micah 2:13-14
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