Lent 2018 Devotional: Day Ten

“For [God] did not despise or abhor the affliction of the afflicted; he did not hide his face from me, but heard when I cried to him.” —Psalms 22:24

Sometimes when we cry out to God, we do not notice an immediate response. Part of being in relationship with God is trust: trust that God hears us, suffers with us as we suffer, and desires that we know wholeness and healing. When we do hear an answer from God—through the help of friends, family, or a surprising intervention—we acknowledge God with thanksgiving. Sometimes we are not the ones crying out—we instead see others suffering from affliction, crying out to God for mercy. In those cases, God entrusts us to serve as Jesus’ hands and feet, answering the prayers of others through our gifts and actions. When we engage in acts of kindness, justice, and mercy, God may be using us to answer prayers we cannot hear or comprehend.

When is the last time you sensed that God hear you when you cried out? How are you open to the call of God, performing the actions of Jesus through the power of the Holy Spirit?

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