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Psalm 86:1-2. "Incline thy ear, O Lord, and answer me, for I am poor and needy. Preserve my life, for I am godly; save thy servant who trusts in thee."

 

This morning I was having a conversation with my daughter, who has been a bit down and anxious lately. She is concerned about how messed up everything seems to be, and how difficult it is for her generation to find its footing. I agreed with her when she said the world puts too much emphasis on money, and I felt for her as she said she doesn't care too much about money, but she feels forced by the reality of the world to make it such a priority. I said that the world definitely has misplaced priorities because of the influence of the devil. While there are very good things in this world, because God created it to be good, we messed it up when we fell, and we keep messing it up. But, I said, if we truly trust in God, He will take care of us.

 

I reminded my daughter that a few years ago our family was suddenly thrown into a very uncertain time, and I was overwhelmed with concern about so many things: physical and mental health for several members of my family; finances; jobs; and much more. Up to that point, I had felt fairly in control of my life, but practically overnight I realized how little control I had, and how poor and needy I was. In that need, though, I turned to God completely, realizing I could do nothing to save myself or those I love, and He answered me in a most miraculous way. My daughter (who is struggling with God and her faith) asked somewhat suspiciously if I was saying I felt I was being rewarded for "good behavior." I said no, rather, I felt that when I stopped trying to rely on myself or others to care for me and my needs, and trusted God to do it, He did. He was just waiting for me to let go of my worldly attachments and self-reliance and ask Him to step in. (By the way, I also am not saying I did not have to do anything. In fact, God's message to me was very clearly that I did have to do something, something I realized I was trying to avoid doing! We have to cooperate with God when we turn to Him.)

 

David is not saying here that he should be rewarded for being godly, he is reminding God that he trusts Him, and asking God to save him. Despite being a rich and powerful king, David realizes he is not in control, he is poor and needy and requires God's help. It is in this way that David is godly.

 

God created the universe and everything in it, including David, me, and my daughter. God does not create what He does not love; and He especially loves us, His images. He wants us for His own. I think it is fairly obvious that God is doing something in the craziness of this world right now; He is calling us back because He loves us and we have strayed from Him. We have to remember that He has literally everything at His disposal to assist us, all we have to do is turn to Him in our need, rather than relying on the things of this world, or our own strength, or other people to save us. When we acknowledge we are poor and needy and ask our Father for help, He is overjoyed to step in and pour out His gifts upon us.

 

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"You are sleepless; you want to judge everything, direct everything and see to everything and you surrender to human strength, or worse - to men themselves, trusting in their intervention; this is what hinders My words and My views. Oh how much I wish from you this surrender, to help you; and how I suffer when I see you so agitated! Satan tries to do exactly this: to agitate you and remove you from My protection and to throw you into the jaws of human initiative. So, trust only in Me, rest in Me, surrender to Me in everything." Surrender Novena Day 6.