Saint Louis, Missouri, United States - 2014 Lenten Devotions from Lutheran Hour Ministries by Reverend Wayne Palmer "Helpless" Monday, 24 March 2014 - Read Psalm 62

Saint Louis, Missouri, United States - 2014 Lenten Devotions from Lutheran Hour Ministries by Reverend Wayne Palmer "Helpless" Monday, 24 March 2014 - Read Psalm 62: For the Chief Musician. To Jeduthan. A Psalm by David.
1 My soul rests in God alone.
    My salvation is from him.
2 He alone is my rock and my salvation, my fortress—
    I will never be greatly shaken.
3 How long will you assault a man,
    would all of you throw him down,
    Like a leaning wall, like a tottering fence?
4 They fully intend to throw him down from his lofty place.
    They delight in lies.
    They bless with their mouth, but they curse inwardly.
Selah.
5 My soul, wait in silence for God alone,
    for my expectation is from him.
6 He alone is my rock and my salvation, my fortress.
    I will not be shaken.
7 With God is my salvation and my honor.
    The rock of my strength, and my refuge, is in God.
8 Trust in him at all times, you people.
    Pour out your heart before him.
    God is a refuge for us.
Selah.
9 Surely men of low degree are just a breath,
    and men of high degree are a lie.
In the balances they will go up.
    They are together lighter than a breath.
10 Don’t trust in oppression.
    Don’t become vain in robbery.
If riches increase,
    don’t set your heart on them.
11 God has spoken once;
    twice I have heard this,
    that power belongs to God.
12 Also to you, Lord, belongs loving kindness,
    for you reward every man according to his work.
TEXT: Be not far from me, for trouble is near, and there is none to help (Psalm 22:11).
Does God ever seem so far away He doesn't see your struggles or hear your prayers? Do you ever feel tempted to give up on Him? Satan and the enemies of Jesus tried to shake His confidence in His Father; they tried to make Him feel abandoned: 
"He trusts in the Lord; let Him deliver him; let Him rescue him, for He delights in him!" (Psalm 22:8).
The direst of troubles are upon Jesus, but wherever He might turn He can find no help in this world. The Jewish leaders should have welcomed and honored Him as the coming Messiah-but they rejected Him and forced Pilate to sentence Him to execution. 
He could have expected protection from the Roman governor who declared Him innocent-but he had Him flogged and washed his hands of Him. 
The Roman soldiers should have treated Him with professional detachment-but they heaped their cruel abuse and mockery on Him. 
Even the passersby turned against Him in childish taunting and mockery. 
His friends were gone-each deserted Him-except for John who alone stood by His cross. But even John was helpless to do anything to help Him. 
In quiet confidence Jesus turns to the only One who can help Him, "Be not far from Me, for trouble is near, and there is none to help." With His Father forsaking Him, Jesus was truly alone with our sins and guilt, and God's crushing wrath. But Jesus persistently lays His desperate situation before His Father and pleads for help. "In the days of His flesh, Jesus offered up prayers and supplications, with loud cries and tears, to Him who was able to save Him from death, and He was heard because of His reverence" (Hebrews 5:7).
THE PRAYER: Lord Jesus Christ, as the song beautifully says, "When other helpers fail and comforts flee, Help of the helpless, O abide with me." Amen.
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