September 2, 2024 Devo

Isn’t it funny how, as a parent, your ears get trained to hear the cry of your child? You could be fully engaged in a TV show and hear your kid cry in their room. You could be in a crowded house full of family who are all talking and making noise and yet hear your child start to whimper another room away. You could be in the lobby at church when there are about a dozen kids talking, yelling, and crying, and yet you identify the sound of YOUR child through it all. Your ears are tuned into their cry. You’re listening for it subconsciously even when you’re not actively trying to hear them.
God’s like that with us. We often think we have to pray big prayers to get God’s attention. But we don’t. We don’t need to use big words. We don’t need to quote lots of scripture to Him. We don’t need to tell Him what happened or explain any of the details as to why we need His help. All we need to do is what Peter did when he started sinking in the waves. We just need to cry out, “Save me, Lord!” Our loving Father knows our voice. Amidst the loud, pounding waves and howling wind, He hears our cry. His ear is always listening for us.
When I read our passage today, it hit me that many of US are sinking. Sinking in our pain. Sinking in our grief. Sinking in our fear. Many of us may feel as if we’re going down for the last time. Our prayer may be more of a cry of desperation than a cry of faith. But that’s okay. Those kinds of prayers may be short, but they come from the depths of our souls. Which is exactly where God wants them to come from.
So let go. Let it out. Hit your knees and cry out with all that is within you. However deep your waters. However hopeless your situation. However loud the noise of your fears. Cry out to your Father whose ears are always attuned to His Children. “Save me, Lord!” That’s God’s Word for you today.