Psalm 4

     Greetings in the name of Christ Jesus.  WE GOT SNOW!  We got just under an inch of snow, but it was the perfect day of gentle snow fall.  I had to go sit in the deer stand last night, and I am so glad I did.  It was the most beautiful evening ever, sitting in the trees covered in snow with more snow slowly falling.  It wasn't windy, really wasn't cold, and just a perfect night.  I didn't see any deer, but I did shoot a squirrel with my bow.  I got him right in the head so none of the meat was even ruined.  He will get cooked up today, and this will be my first time ever trying squirrel.  The guy who I hunt with, his son is youth rifle hunting right now.  He got his second doe last night, so now he is done until actual rifle season.  I helped them skin and butcher it, and they gave me the heart because they don't eat it.  So that will also get cooked up in the next day or two.  I have some good eating ahead of me!
     My sleep study was last night here in Brookings.  It was pretty much the same thing as last time, except a lot nicer facility.  It took me a long time to fall asleep and I didn't sleep the best, but did get some sleep.  The technician told me that when she had the settings real low early in the evening, I had a couple "event" (times when I quit breathing).  However, when she turned them up then later, I did not have any more.  She did say I moved my legs a lot.  I will find out the official results and suggestions of future changes in about two weeks.  The biggest thing that would help is to just lose a bunch of weight, so I have started working out and being more intentional about what I eat.
      I am in the office for a little bit this morning before I go scrap all the ice off of the side walks, but here is my next Psalm Devotion.  Psalm 4:

Psalm 4 verse 1

I love how this Psalm starts out. In verse one King David is almost angry with God for not hearing His cries of help. He thinks God is not hearing his prayer. He admits that this God is the God of his righteousness and that this God does give him relief from his distress. He admits God gives him relief and yet still cries out, “Answer me God; hear my prayer!” King David has obviously spent some time on his knees pleading for God to give him help. We just saw in Psalm 3 where David feels as if everyone is against him, even his own son. He feels helpless and lost. He is crying out begging God to help him.

The reason I love this is because it shows David it praying in the first place. He would not be crying out for God to answer his prayer and hear his plea if he wasn’t already praying. I think far too often we are not as faithful as King David was. We are still quick to call out these words of complaint and bewilderment, “Why won’t you help me God, why do you not hear me?” And yet, when we find ourselves asking this question we must stop and ask ourselves have we really been spending that much time in prayer. Have we really been sending up that many prayers for God to hear? I know this is a constant battle in my own life. I get myself in a mess and I feel too dirty or too sinful to pray to God. How can I a sinner come to God and ask for anything, let alone ask for help and guidance? Luther says this is the time we need to pray the most. When we feel “worthy” to come to God in prayer we are not genuine or sincere and are boasting before God. However, when we feel unworthy, unfit, and just plain helpless, this is the best time to come to God in prayer. This is when we will throw all our troubles on Him and trust that He is the only one who can help us. This is truly the only time we get ourselves out of the way and let God do everything. This is when we need to spend more time than ever in prayer. Then after we have actually sent up a prayer for Him to hear, we can be like David and cry out, “Answer me Lord!” Not in a demanding way as if we tell God what to do, but in a trusting, relying way of knowing our help comes from nowhere but God alone.

David ends with the fact that he will lie down and sleep in peace because the Lord makes him dwell in safety. When we have taken all of our troubles to the Lord in prayer, trusting in Him to hear us, answer us, and give us relief in our distress, then we can lie down and sleep in peace, knowing He is our protector and sustainer. He is the one who watches over us, protects us, and guides us. So when you find yourself distressed and feeling utterly helpless, go to your Lord in prayer, use the gift He has given us to talk directly to Him. Only then can we cry out for Him to answer us, admitting that He is the God of our righteousness and the one who gives us relief in our distress. Prayer truly is one of the bests gifts He has given to us His children, so have the faith of David and use that gift as often as you can, knowing He will always hear you.