THANKFUL

Chatting with Jesus
Friday, February 7, 2025

Lord, the psalmist recounted time and again how you answered his prayers when he was neck deep in alligators, although these reptiles are not mentioned in Scripture. His enemies relentlessly pursued him. Sometime, more than he wanted to admit, his troubles arose from his boneheaded decisions. Oh, how I can relate to that.

Something else I can relate to with the psalmist. As you did with him, you listened to my prayer too. And I find that amazing. With all going on in the universe, keeping everything in order, implementing your will throughout the Earth, you stop all you’re doing, bend down from Heaven, and listen to our prayers. Especially our prayers for mercy.

“I love the Lord, because he hears my voice and my prayer for mercy” (Psalm 116:1).

Lord, I must stop here and try to take this all in. Out of the billions of voices lifted to you daily, you recognize my voice when I call out to you. My puny, often stuttering, crackling voice. When I plead for mercy, you don’t close your ears to my cries. I love how the psalmist describes your actions.

“Because he [you, Lord God] bends down to listen, I will pray as long as I have breath!” (Psalm 116:2).

Lord, because you care enough about me, you stop what you are doing just to listen to my voice. How can I not praise and worship you? The psalmist long ago burst with such gratitude.

“Then I called on the name of the Lord: Please, Lord, save me! How kind the Lord is. How good he is! So merciful this God of ours!” (Psalm 116:4, 5).

Lord, I share with the psalmist’s gratitude. Amen, Jesus.