On The Lookout

ON THE LOOKOUT

a prayer to open

Here’s my heart, Lord. Speak what is true.

Here’s my life, Lord. Speak what is true.

I waited patiently for the LORD to help me,

and he turned to me and heard my cry.

He lifted me out of the pit of despair,

out of the mud and the mire.

He set my feet on solid ground

and steadied me as I walked along.

He has given me a new song to sing,

a hymn of praise to our God.

Many will see what he has done and be amazed.

They will put their trust in the LORD.

Oh, the joys of those who trust the LORD,

who have no confidence in the proud

or in those who worship idols.

O LORD my God, you have performed many wonders for us.

Your plans for us are too numerous to list.

You have no equal.

If I tried to recite all your wonderful deeds,

I would never come to the end of them.

You take no delight in sacrifices or offerings.

Now that you have made me listen, I finally understand—

you don’t require burnt offerings or sin offerings.

Then I said, “Look, I have come.

As is written about me in the Scriptures:

I take joy in doing your will, my God,

for your instructions are written on my heart.”

I have told all your people about your justice.

I have not been afraid to speak out,

as you, O LORD, well know.

I have not kept the good news of your justice hidden in my heart;

I have talked about your faithfulness and saving power.

I have told everyone in the great assembly

of your unfailing love and faithfulness.

This psalm could be summarized in four short sentences:

I cried out to God.

He heard my cry and saved me.

My eyes were opened to his goodness and power.

Now I can’t help but tell everyone about who God is and what he’s done!

This experience is universal for followers of Jesus. Each of us has a story to tell that follows this pattern. After all, this is the way God works. He doesn’t force himself on us, but when we cry out to him, not only does he listen, but he acts. And he acts to save—whether in the macro sense of saving us through Jesus’ death and resurrection or in the micro sense, such as saving us from anxiety and worry when we pray for peace. The only question is whether we have eyes to see God’s saving acts for what they are and praise him for those acts. In the New Testament story about the ten lepers Jesus healed, the ten lepers called out, “Jesus, Master, have pity on us!” (Luke 17:12-13, NIV). Jesus healed all of them, but only one praised God and thanked Jesus for saving him from a continued life of physical deformity and social alienation. Only one had eyes to see God’s goodness and power in the healing and responded with gratitude and worship. How might our lives be shaped if we constantly looked for God’s saving acts, expressed our thanks to him for these acts, and then shared about them with others?

• Read this passage again slowly. What word or phrase stands out to you? Why do you think that word or phrase speaks to you? What does it say?
• Reflect on the pattern set out in today’s psalm, expressed in the four statements above. To which of the four statements do you feel resistance? Why do you think that is?
• How have you seen God act in your life over the past month? What was your response? Who do you think could benefit from hearing about your experience?

Thank you for hearing me, Lord. Thank you that at the softest whisper in my soul for help, you are listening. Thank you that I don’t even have to have the words fully formed before you hear and act. Keep saving me; keep refining me and transforming me. May I never take for granted the ways you act in my life out of your goodness and mercy. And may I be an extension of these very traits to others so that to come to know me is to be introduced to you. Amen.