Dare to hope

Someone deeply distressed, wonders why God doesn't help in times of trouble.

Does it mean God doesn't care? 

God knows what's happening but stands aloof?

"Why, O Lord, do you stand far off?

why do you hide yourself in times of trouble?" (Psalm 10:1 NIV)

Psalm 10 speaks about a powerful ruler who says to himself 

"Nothing will shake me: I will always be happy and never have trouble"

while he murders the innocent and oppresses the weak. According to the Psalmist this man has no respect for God and says to himself 

"God has forgotten; he covers his face and never sees."

Reading this psalm, I found myself thinking about the current situation in places like Libya. The Psalm ends with an affirmation that God does see and cares about people's trouble and grief:

"You hear, O Lord, the desire of the afflicted; you encourage them, and you listen to their cry".

When I read this, my thoughts were of the catastrophic disaster caused by the earthquakes and tsunami in Japan and the apalling suffering and destruction in that region. Where is God? Is God at work in the mobilisation of international resources working with the Japanese at this time? This is not the time for a theological discussion. It's time to pray and give and help as we are able.
 
Prayer following the Earthquake in Japan, from the Church of England website.

O loving Creator, 

bring healing and hope to those who, 

at this time, grieve, suffer pain, 

or who have been affected by the earthquake and tsunami in Japan. 

We remember those who have died and we pray for those who mourn for them. 

We pray for those who may be affected as the tsunami spreads across the Pacific. 

May we all be aware of Your compassion, O God, 

which calms our troubled hearts and shelters our anxious souls. 

May we pray with humility with our troubled and struggling brothers and sisters on earth. 

May we dare to hope that through the generosity of the privileged, 

the destitute might glimpse hope, warmth and life again. 

Through our Saviour Christ who lives with us, comforts us and soothes us. Amen.

 

This post is the 6th of a series of Lenten daily reflections based on Bible readings from the Common Worship Lectionary of the Church of England. This one is based on Psalm 10.