Receiving God’s Help During Sin’s Consequences

Receiving God’s Help

Psalm 38:15, 21-22

“I wait for you, O LORD; you will answer, O Lord my God…O LORD do not forsake me; be not far from me, O my God. Come quickly to help me, O Lord, my Savior.”

David was suffering. Physically, emotionally, spiritually. And it was all because of sin; his sin. Yet, throughout this entire Psalm David asks God to intervene; in the face of sin’s consequences, under the hand of God’s own discipline.

I marvel at how well David must have known God to be confident that he could seek–and expect–God’s help, even while under God’s chastisement!

Which begs the question: How well do we know God?

Would we have the same courage, confidence, the same gall to seek God’s help in the midst of suffering some well-deserved consequences for our own sin?

What right would we have? What ground could we claim? None, based on merit, surely, but what about relationship…

Ah, here is David’s secret! He based his appeal not on religious formality, but on relational familiarity. David knew his God. His confidence was born of a long time intimate relationship between revered Father and adored son. You see, David knew something we often forget: A repentant, beloved child can ask anything and they will be heard.

Every time.

Any time.

No matter what.

So it encourages us to seek God’s help–His intervention, even–whenever we suffer the sting of sin’s consequences or labor under God’s discipline. Because we know that though we may not receive everything we ask, we will still receive something, and usually much more than we deserve, simply because we are the beloved children of a generous Father.

So today, I’m going to seek His intervention, whether or not I think I deserve it, because I want to know my Father…

…just like David did.

Perhaps you are struggling under the weight of sin’s consequences. If you want to know God as intimately as David, will you pour out your heart to God, seek forgiveness, and boldly ask for His help today?