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WEEKLY
Volume 4 Number 36
31 January 2010
Cry unto the LORD
(Message delivered by Rev Hien Nguyen at the
Worship Service, 2:00 pm, Jan 31, 10)
Text: Psalm 107
In great troubles, distresses,
afflictions or trials, many in this world usually turn to and cry unto
their “gods” or able men with power or high positions in society.
Disappointedly, their “gods” are not the living and true God and unable
to help or deliver them. How about you and me? The Psalmist shares his
sure experience of the living and true God’s deliverance and help for
those who cried unto Him, and he repeats four times, “Then they cried
unto the LORD in their trouble, and he delivered them out of their
distresses” (Ps 107:6, 13, 19, 28). God uses the Psalmist to command
us to give thanks to Him, “O give thanks unto the LORD, for he is
good: for his mercy endureth for ever” (v 1) and to praise Him for
His goodness and wonderful works (four times), “Oh that men would
praise the LORD for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the
children of men!” (vv 8, 15, 21, 30). Then God challenges us,
“Whoso is wise, and will observe these things, even they shall
understand the lovingkindness of the LORD” (v 43). Are you and I
wise? Then let us observe God’s goodness and wonderful works for four
groups of people who cried unto Him in their trouble in Psalm 107.
Cry unto the LORD for Guidance and
Provision
The first group are those who cry for
God’s guidance and provision. They “wandered in the wilderness
in a solitary way … hungry and thirsty, their soul fainted in them. Then
they cried unto the LORD in their trouble, and he delivered them out of
their distresses. And he led them forth by the right way…For he
satisfieth the longing soul, and filleth the hungry soul with goodness”
(vv 4-7, 9). The people of Israel wandered in the wilderness for forty
years due to their unbelief and disobedience. They did need God’s
guidance and provision day by day until they were settled down in the
Promised Land. Many are wandering and trying to find a place to settle
down. They do not know where to go and to stay. We remember when we were
troubled by a trouble-maker at our previous rental place, we cried unto
the Lord for help and deliverance and guidance, and we must thank God
and praise the Lord for His goodness and mercy in guiding us to find a
good place to settle down and graciously providing all our needs. I
believe that when you recall how the Lord led you to find a place to
settle down and provided all your needs, you would thank the Lord and
praise Him for His goodness.
Spiritually speaking, many are still
“wandering” in the wilderness of this world even in the world of
religions, seeking a rest for their souls. They do not know where to go,
which church to attend. They have tried studying many religions and
attending many temples or churches, but their hearts are still empty,
hungry and thirsty for the living and true God and for His Truth. Some
of them cried unto the Lord, and He graciously led them to find a
Bible-believing church to be nurtured by His Word. Sadly, many are just
self-complacent while they are still far away from the Lord and His
Truth. Truly, it is God’s grace and mercy alone to draw us to Himself
and make us thirst for Him and His Truth, “No man can come to me,
except the Father which hath sent me draw him” (John 6:44). I must
thank the Lord for providently guiding me to meet Rev Dr Timothy Tow and
to the sound training at the Far Eastern Bible College in Singapore and
to True Life Bible-Presbyterian church while I was hungry and thirsty
for Him and His Truth but could not find rest at a liberal and modernist
Bible college. Dear friends, have you found a rest unto your souls?
Please do not be self-complacent. Come to the Lord Jesus Christ Himself
and cry unto Him for guidance and provision, and He will lead you “by
the right way” and satisfy your “longing soul” and fill “the
hungry soul with goodness”. Our Lord Jesus promises, “Come unto
me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.
Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in
heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls” (Matt 11:28-29).
Cry unto the LORD for Deliverance
The second group are those who cry for
God’s deliverance. They “sit in darkness and in the shadow of death,
being bound in affliction and iron; Because they rebelled against the
words of God, and contemned the counsel of the most High: Therefore he
brought down their heart with labour; they fell down, and there was none
to help. Then they cried unto the LORD in their trouble, and he saved
them out of their distresses. He brought them out of darkness and the
shadow of death, and brake their bands in sunder” (vv 10-14). These
people got troubled because they “rebelled against the words of God,
and contemned the counsel of the most High.” Dear friends, it is
serious and foolish to doubt, criticize and rebel against the words of
God as by so doing, we arrogantly dare to rebel against God Himself. The
people of Israel were sore troubled, oppressed and afflicted by their
enemies due to their rebellion against God’s Word, but when they humbled
themselves in repentance and cried unto the LORD, He sent a deliverer to
deliver them, “when the children of Israel cried unto the LORD, the
LORD raised up a deliverer to the children of Israel, who delivered
them” (Judges 3:9, 15). Dear friends, it is wise to trust in God’s
Word and submit to God’s Word without any doubt or rebellion. When you
and I are in trouble and in the bondage of sin, sinful nature and
worldliness, let us turn to Him and cry unto Him for deliverance; and we
shall thank Him and praise Him for His goodness and His wonderful works.
Cry unto the LORD for Healing
The third group are those who cry for
God’s healing. We have learnt not to judge others in their illness as
God may use illness to mould His children and purify them like Job or to
keep His children humble like the apostle Paul. Here in this Psalm, God
uses illness to chastise His children due to their sins, “Fools
because of their transgression, and because of their iniquities, are
afflicted. Their soul abhorreth all manner of meat; and they draw near
unto the gates of death. Then they cry unto the LORD in their trouble,
and he saveth them out of their distresses. He sent his word, and healed
them, and delivered them from their destructions” (vv 17-20). God’s
Word warns us of our unrepentant sins, “For this cause many are weak
and sickly among you, and many sleep” (1 Cor 11:30). Dear friends,
the best way when we are sick is to examine ourselves, confess our sins
unto the Lord, cry unto the Lord for His healing, and ask
Bible-believing elders/pastors to pray for us before going to see the
doctor. God is able to heal us directly or use doctors, nurses, medical
equipment and medication to heal us.
If He wants to use illness to keep us humble, His grace will be
sufficient for us to see us through day by day, “My grace is
sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weaknes” (2
Cor 12:9). My dear friends, I am sure that you do not like illness.
Then, you and I must not like sins either. A healthy and pure heart and
mind are able to sustain our feeble bodies by God’s grace and strength.
Cry unto the LORD for Help
The fourth group are those who cry for
God’s help at their wit’s end, “They that go down to the sea in
ships,… For he commandeth, and raiseth the stormy wind, which lifteth up
the waves thereof. They mount up to the heaven, they go down again to
the depths: their soul is melted because of trouble. They reel to and
fro, and stagger like a drunken man, and are at their wits’ end. Then
they cry unto the LORD in their trouble, and he bringeth them out of
their distresses. He maketh the storm a calm, so that the waves thereof
are still” (vv 23, 26-29). Here, we see that God commands and raises
the stormy wind to teach the children of men of their weakness,
nothingness, helplessness and hopelessness so that they may humbly turn
unto the Lord alone and cry unto Him for help. Jesus’ disciples cried
unto Him for help at their wit’s end after having helplessly struggled
with the windy storm, and Jesus said unto them, “Why are ye fearful,
O ye of little faith? Then he arose, and rebuked the winds and the sea;
and there was a great calm” (Matt 8:26). Dear friends, in the windy
storm of our lives such as loss of our loved one, loss of job, family
breakdown, fierce opposition, big problems, great difficulties, lasting
trials, etc let us trust in our God’s goodness and sovereignty. God is
still on the throne and in control over all things and able to make all
things work together for good unto His obedient children (Rom 8:28). Let
us wholeheartedly cry unto the Lord for help to experience His goodness
and wonderful works among the children of men.
Conclusion
Dear friends, in our daily walk with
our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ in this world of sin, deception and
sorrows, we should not be surprised when we encounter troubles,
opposition, difficulties or trials. Our Lord is still sovereign, so let
us trust in our Lord and His sovereignty, goodness and power and cry
unto Him for guidance, provision, deliverance, healing and help. It is
foolish to doubt and rebel against God’s Word or to live in sins. God
will not hear the cry of those who reject His Word or cover their sins,
“He that turneth away his ear from hearing the law, even his prayer
shall be abomination” (Prov 28:9; cf. 1:24-28), and “If I regard
iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me” (Ps 66:18). Satan
will turn back when we cry unto the Lord for help. May the Lord help you
and me keep on seeking Him and His Word with trust and submission and
crying unto Him for His guidance and help daily until He comes again,
“Be merciful unto me, O Lord: for I cry unto thee daily” (Ps 86:3)
and “I will cry unto God most high; unto God that performeth all
things for me” (Ps 57:2), and “When I cry unto thee, then shall
mine enemies turn back: this I know; for God is for me” (Ps 56:9).
Amen.
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