THE WORD FOR TODAY THURSDAY 1 NOVEMBER, 2018. WHERE TO GO FOR HELP

“Unto thee, O Lord, do I lift up my soul.” Psalm 25:1

WHEN YOU need help, turn to Psalms chapter 25 and note what David did. (1) He knew where to go. “Unto thee, O Lord, do I lift up my soul.” Recently a reader called us to ask for prayer for a family member who had just been diagnosed with stage four cancer. How quickly our lives can change! Where can we turn in such moments? To God. He’s known by many names in Scripture, and one of them is Jehovah-Rapha—the Lord who heals you. How wonderful! His Word says, “He heals your diseases—every one” (Ps 103:3 TM). With God no sickness is incurable, which means you can go to Him today with confidence. (2) He knew Who to trust. “O my God, I trust in thee” (Psalm 25:2). A man or woman without God has to fill the role of God in his or her own life. That may be okay in good times, but what about malignant cells, faulty heartbeats, layoffs at work, home foreclosures, and phone calls that bring bad news in the wee hours of the morning? To whom do you turn then? “Unto thee, O Lord!” (3) He knew how to pray: “Show me, teach me, lead me.” “Show me thy ways…teach me thy paths…Lead me in thy truth…for thou art the God of my salvation” (vv. 4-5). Theologian Richard Foster says, “To pray is to change. It’s the central avenue God uses to transform us. If we’re not willing to change we will soon abandon prayer.” So have you prayed about it? If not, get into God’s presence right away. That’s where you’ll find the help you need.

Bible In A Year: Isa. 30-33, John 7:14-24, Ps. 104:1-23, Pro. 28:5-8