Psalm 102

“For the LORD will rebuild Jerusalem. He will appear in his glory. He will listen to the prayers of the destitute. He will not reject their pleas.” (Psalm 102:16–17, NLT)

My favorite Sunday of the year is when we do our Worship in the Park. Each year we go to Ann Morrison Park and conduct our worship service under the trees with passersby on the Greenbelt drinking it all in. Then we walk down the riverbank, and several of us go into the Boise River to baptize whoever wants to be baptized. The rafters watch with their eyes glued on the people participating in this ancient ritual with the congregation on the riverbank cheering them on. There are many tears of joy—often because people have been earnestly praying for family and friends to come to know Jesus, and they are witnessing the answer to their prayers.

I believe that we easily underestimate the power of prayer. Sadly, it is often the last thing we do. We do not prioritize it in our schedules as Jesus and the apostles did. Consequently, we do not see God move as powerfully as He would move if we were earnestly praying.

However, last Sunday I was encouraged to see so many people gather between services to pray for the missions and missionaries we support. We do not see things happen in the physical realm until we first lay the groundwork in the spiritual realm through our prayers.

Psalm 102 is the prayer of an afflicted person. We often try to avoid affliction, but God uses affliction to teach and shape us.

“Before I was afflicted I went astray, but now I keep Your word.” (Psalm 119:67, NKJV)

Rather than avoiding affliction or complaining about it, we should use it as a springboard to pray. This is what the psalmist did, and he turned his suffering into an occassion to worship God, who always demonstrates mercy in His time.

“You will arise and have mercy on Zion; for the time to favor her, yes, the set time, has come.” (Psalm 102:13, NKJV)

In our times of affliction and earnest concern, God hears our prayers. He delivers His children who call upon His name. Do you believe this?

Have you neglected prayer? Then simply confess this to God and ask for His help. Jesus taught His disciples to pray, and He will teach and enable us to pray by His Spirit. He is the same yesterday, today, and forever.