But I am poor and needy;
Yet the Lord thinks upon me.
You are my help and my deliverer;
Do not delay, O my God.
(Psalm 40:17)
What kind of challenges are you facing today?
Perhaps you’re under financial stress, or there’s pressure on your marriage and family, or you have a wayward teenager. Or perhaps you just received bad news from your doctor that’s shaken your world.
Whatever you’re facing, you’re not alone.
Even David, when he was the king of Israel, declared he was “poor and needy.” And in his anguish, he gave us several things to consider whenever we face challenging times.
First, we must admit our need. The truth is, we are ALL “poor and needy” in some respect. Both recognizing and admitting our need to God is essential if we want to receive His help.
Second is this important truth: “The Lord thinks upon me.” The Amplified Bible says this, “The Lord takes thought and plans for me” (AMPC). God is not aloof or calloused or uncaring about your troubles. He’s thought about you, and He’s made plans for you.
David says to the Lord in Psalm 31:7, “You have considered my trouble.” And the Lord has thought deeply about your trouble too. He has thought deeply about the situations of your life. What you’re going through today is not unknown to God. He knows about your trouble, and He’s already made plans to help you.
But it doesn’t stop with Him thinking about you and planning for you. He takes the next step and gets involved. As David declares, God is your “help and… deliverer” in times of trouble.
You and I serve a God who knows what we’re going through.
He knows how we’re feeling, and He desires to get involved. As Psalm 46:1–2 says,
“God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, even though the earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea.”
God is not distant. He is very much present. And He’s here to help you in your time of need. But you might be thinking, “Then why hasn’t He helped me?”
You’ll find at least a partial answer to that in James 4:2, where the Scripture declares, “You do not have because you do not ask.”
When asking for help, I believe it’s important for us to specifically articulate to God what we need. Call it the focus of faith, if you will, but it’s a principle that we find throughout the Bible.
Blind Bartimaeus is a classic example. We read his story in Mark chapter 10, where he cried out to the Lord, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” Jesus called him over and asked him a seemingly ridiculous question: “What do you want Me to do for you?”
Wasn’t it obvious? Everyone knew what Bartimaeus needed! But Jesus wanted Bartimaeus to be specific in his asking—to focus his faith, if you will.
It’s important that we make our requests known to God—not some vague plea, but a specific request regarding our specific need. Our heavenly Father wants to help us because He loves us and knows we’re “poor and needy.” And as the old song says, “Help is just a prayer away.”
