The Grands Letter

Dear Grands,

Psalm 88:9-14, “My eye has wasted away because of affliction; I have called upon You every day, O LORD; I have spread out my hands to You.
10 Will You perform wonders for the dead? Will the departed spirits rise and praise You? Selah.
11 Will Your lovingkindness be declared in the grave, Your faithfulness in Abaddon?
12 Will Your wonders be made known in the darkness? And Your righteousness in the land of forgetfulness?
13 But I, O LORD, have cried out to You for help, and in the morning my prayer comes before You.
14 O LORD, why do You reject my soul? Why do You hide Your face from me?

Have words like these ever caused you to wonder? They certainly gripped the thinking of the Psalmist. We cry out to the LORD in our affliction, never questioning His ability to resolve our misery; rather, we are wondering why He hesitates in meeting our need.

The LORD is indeed a God of love. The word “love” is itself mentioned multiple times in the Bible. He is also a God of joy, also mentioned multiple times in Scripture. Yet, the psalmist cries out in tears over his affliction without the slightest response from the LORD.

Many of us have experienced crises in our lives, causing us to cry out for divine help. Yet, the LORD has not always responded with the relief we have sought. Why is this? We know He is competent to relieve us. Why does He not do so? He remains silent, as if He has not heard us. Yet, He has. We know He has!

David cried out in the Psalms, “I waited patiently for the LORD; and He inclined to me and heard my cry. He brought me up out of the pit of destruction, out of the miry clay, and He set my feet upon a rock making my footsteps firm. He put a new song in my mouth, a song of praise to our God; many will see and fear and will trust in the LORD” (Ps. 40:1-3).

Many years prior to David’s cry, God made a promise to Abraham, saying “I will surely bless you and I will surely multiply you.” Abraham patiently waited, and in time he obtained the very promise he had sought from the LORD (Heb. 6:14-15).

God is faithful. He does not forget. We ,must be patient and keep all matters before Him in prayer. If His answer is “yes,” He will provide our needs. If His answer is “no,” we are still His children. He will have yet a better way. Keep the faith!

Heartily in Christ Jesus,

(Dado III)

Gene L. Jeffries, Th.D.
Springdale, Arkansas 72764
United States of America

“We never know that Christ is all we need until He becomes all that we have.” – Corrie ten Boom