Psalm 28:6 - "Praise be to the Lord, for he has heard my cry for mercy."
It's not just my job.
It's the world in which we live.
Many people find it hard to praise God.
I talked at length to a number of them yesterday.
You probably did, too. Not necessarily the ones I talked to, of course. But you probably talked to at least a couple of people who find it hard to praise God. You just may not have known it.
People who find it hard to praise God are people who are just flat out overwhelmed by difficulties in their personal life, usually, because of financial issues, marital issues, health issues, the needs of their parents, or problems with their kids. They can't see God to praise him for who he is because their issues are so big and just right up in their face.
That was certainly the case with the people I talked to yesterday who found it hard to praise God. Two of them, in particular, were from our church's surrounding community. They were just kind of drawn by the spirit through referrals to our church. The people who referred them, one being a member and the other not, told the people that they were sure that the pastor would make time to listen to them. And that's what I did. So I didn't really talk to them. I listened to them.
And prayed with them.
To help them to see that God is listening.
Even though it's hard for them to see beyond their many issues.
And I didn't listen to them at length because I'm a nice guy. I didn't pray with them to help them to see that God is listening because I'm a nice guy.
I listened to them because God sent someone into my life who always listens to me. And it helps. It helps when someone listens to me. Because after listening to so many others in the day, I sometimes don't feel like praising God. Instead, I feel overwhelmed by all the people problems I've had put in front of me that day. But when my special someone listens, it feels like God is listening. And when God listens to me, then my soul is watered, and I can't help but praise God for who he is and for the one he sent me who listens to me.
That's what God is talking about in today's Bible verse from Psalm 28:6 - "Praise be to the Lord, for he has heard my cry for mercy."
That's what the people yesterday were talking about when they said they felt closer to God after I listened to them and prayed with them.
And that's what the people in front of you needed yesterday. It's why they talked to you. Because you listened. And it made them feel closer to God.
Dear God, we praise you for listening to us. And we thank you for the people you sent us who listen to us. And for the people who will pray with us. And pray for us. Help us, Lord, to be that person for others who listens to them and prays with them so that more people might praise you today for bending your ear to us all. Amen.
Psalm 28:6 - "Praise be to the Lord, for he has heard my cry for mercy."
Praise God!
Pastor Chris
"The gospel is the story of Jesus [what God's only Son has done for us that we can't do for ourselves], spoken as a promise." - Robert Jenson
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