﻿ Quieting Pain with Prayer

Quieting Pain with Prayer  Rachel Wojo Today’s Truth I call with all my heart; answer me, Lord (Psalm 119:145 NIV). Friend to Friend There is a drink that many people love, and maybe you’re one of those people. Coffee! Perhaps you enjoy a frozen caramel latte or a single cup of black coffee, or maybe you need a little cream like me. Whether dark roast or blonde, medium Columbia or Vietnamese blend, coffee is your thing. You’ve probably seen t-shirts and mugs with a little saying for coffee lovers of this nature. “But first, coffee.” What is this shirt saying? It’s saying I’m a coffee lover. You give me coffee in the morning, afternoon, or evening, and I’ll do whatever is needed. It says coffee propels me into motion. It moves me. It fills me. It fuels me for the day. All of the above is what I’ve found to be true about prayer. Prayer is good in the morning, afternoon, or evening. It propels me into motion. Prayer moves, fills, and fuels me to start the day. And continue the day. Prayer places my heart at rest before bed. And in the middle of the night. Psalm 119 is known as the longest psalm in the Bible. At 176 verses, the song was written as an acrostic poem, meaning each set of verses begins with a letter of the Hebrew alphabet. The key verse from today’s devotion lands in the middle of a section focused on prayer. Today’s key verse is Psalm 119:145, “I call with all my heart; answer me, Lord.” The psalmist is letting God know he is in all the way in this prayer. He has surrendered and is in deep need. He would treasure an answer from the Lord. Two times in a row, the writer says, “I call…I call.” The repetitive nature of the verses indicates both insistence and persistence. Finally, he adds: “Save me.” Can you hear the desperation in his voice? Maybe you’ve been there or are there now. Do you wake up early because of your pain or a loved one’s pain? For some of you, whether physical or mental, the pain keeps you awake at night. As CS Lewis said, “God whispers to us in our pleasures, speaks in our consciences, but shouts in our pains. It is his megaphone to rouse a deaf world.” Years ago, as I watched my daughter endure suffering from a rare disease, the pain shouted as my reminder to talk to the Lord. I don’t want to forget the reminders. In today’s passage, the psalmist shares that no matter the moment, whether one of urgency, one of pain, the morning or at night, he knows that his communication with the heavenly Father is a priority. His prayers provide pain relief because they invite God into the place of pain, and in his presence is comfort. Whether struggling with pain or priorities, what if we allowed the issues to point us to pray? He promises to be all we need. Let’s Pray Dear God, help me be desperate for You, with or without pain. Show me the path to persist in prayer, no matter the urgencies of life. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.