In God’s Eyes, We Are Always Poor and Needy

Today we’re back with David Kitz at I Love the Psalms. Since we last connected, David has released Psalms 365, a daily devotional. (I love the title!) See below for details. For more about his ministry, http://www.davidkitz.ca/. Click the header below to read this one at source and see the original photograph he paired with today’s thoughts.

I Am Poor and Needy

Reading: Psalm 86
A prayer of David.
(Verses 1-7)
Hear me, LORD, and answer me,
for I am poor and needy.
Guard my life, for I am faithful to you;
save your servant who trusts in you.
You are my God; have mercy on me, Lord,
for I call to you all day long.
Bring joy to your servant, Lord,
for I put my trust in you.
You, Lord, are forgiving and good,
abounding in love to all who call to you.
Hear my prayer, LORD;
listen to my cry for mercy.
When I am in distress, I call to you,
because you answer me (NIV).*

Reflection
What posture or position do you take when you pray? Do you kneel, stand or lie prostrate? Do you bow your head, or raise your head and look heavenward? Do you fold your hands or raise them to God?

The Bible describes people taking various positions or postures in prayer. We cannot be certain of the physical position that David took when he prayed the words of Psalm 86. But we can be sure of this. In his heart David assumed a position of humility. His opening statement reveals a man with a humble heart.

Hear me, LORD, and answer me, for I am poor and needy.

David spent about forty years as the King of Israel. Though his early years were a struggle for survival against the murderous schemes of King Saul, David’s later years were blessed by victory and prosperity. But here in this psalm David calls himself poor and needy. He exemplifies for us the first of Jesus’ Beatitudes.

“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 5:3).

In God’s eyes we are always poor and needy. Though I may have billions of dollars, what is my piddling prosperity in the sight of the owner and Creator of the universe? Can that money buy me an hour in heaven? Can it buy me immortality? Of course it can’t. Despite his vast wealth, Apple founder Steve Jobs was unable to buy a longer life. In the end, like King David, Jobs found he was helpless, poor and needy.

In light of this truth—in the light of eternity—let us come—poor beggars that we are to the mercy seat of God. There we can lay our burdens down. There we can humbly bring our petitions. There we can meet with Jesus.  

For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your ancestors, but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect ( 1 Peter 1:18-19).

Response: LORD God, I confess I am poor and needy. My future, my whole life is in your hands. I do not own my next breath. When I am in distress, I call to you, because you answer me. Amen.

Your Turn: Pride and prayer don’t fit well together. What positions do you take when you pray?

* New International Version, Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica

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Some good news: The first volume of Psalms 365: Develop a Life of Worship and Prayer by award-winning author David Kitz will be published in December, 2020, by Elk Lake Publishing. Two additional volumes will follow in 2021 to complete the three volume set of devotions from the Psalms.

We Are The Broken

Today’s post is by Iris, one of the writers at a multi-author website we have visited before, Laced With Grace. Click the title below to read at source, and then look around at other articles. (I had a hard time choosing!)

We Are All Broken

“But we have this treasure in jars of clay, to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us. We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; always carrying in the body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in our bodies. For we who live are always being given over to death for Jesus’ sake, so that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh. So death is at work in us, but life in you.” ~ 2 Corinthians 4:7-12

…It is our human nature that we want to be accepted by others. And if we are honest with ourselves, we strive for that daily. We want to be part of the ‘in-crowd’; yes even followers of The Way are not immune to that.. We want others to hear our voice.

But here is just the thing: we cannot please everyone around us, and especially not on social media. Remember when you were in school (the upper grades)? Although I did not go to school in America, there are always clicks [cliques] (in-crowds) no matter where you attend school. We strive to be part of that.

Over the years I have heard over-and-over…’you don’t amount to much’…’you don’t have what it takes to become popular’…

This morning as I was driving to work, I heard the song “Everything Comes Alive” by We Are Messengers. When you watch the song on YouTube, the singer has a testimony at the beginning and at the end. I encourage you to check it out when you have time.

You see, we are all broken. Some more than others. I know that I am broken, but my hope is not in what others think of me/my work or if others want me to part of their in-crowd. But God, in His mercy and grace, uses our brokenness to point to Him. We just need to be open to that and let Him use us for His Glory.

Lord of mercy and grace. We are all broken. Help us to recognize our brokenness and help us to be open to be used by You for Your glory. In the precious name of Jesus. Amen

Related:

• October, 2010 – Unpacking the Meaning of Brokenness*
• November, 2014 – Replanted, Rebuilding, Repaying, Repairing

*Some of the same material appeared in an expanded chart form in August 2013 – The Proud vs. The Broken