But I am poor and needy; hasten to me, O God! You are my help and my deliverer; O Lord, do not delay! (Psalm 70:5)
The Psalms capture the emotions and thoughts of long-ago poets, but they reflect the heartfelt need of today’s people for the presence of God to guide, comfort, strengthen and uphold us. This verse is a breath prayer: a short, simple utterance that expresses a deep longing of the heart.
It can be shouted aloud in a time of great need, whispered in the quiet of a lonely moment, or repeated silently in one’s thoughts, echoing the desire for help during an ongoing crisis. The plea for God to hasten to our side may come at a moment of grief, when a loved one departs, or a moment of despair, when a natural disaster strikes.
My call for deliverance came decades back when I was hungry and had no money for food. Beginning my graduate studies in the Midwest, far from friends and family, I used every cent to move and purchase a sleeper sofa for my off-campus efficiency apartment; a folding chair and card table completed the meager furnishings.
There I sat, eating cereal and water for a week as I eagerly awaited the first paycheck from my teaching assistantship. Unfortunately, the university did not process my paperwork in time and informed me it would be another week before I was paid. The cereal box was empty.
Hunger is something many families face on an ongoing basis, but it was a new experience for me. It is hard to think, to sleep, and to learn when you are hungry. My plea to God went out as I humbled myself to borrow $10 from my advisor to buy more cereal. Then, miraculously, another graduate student showed up with a box full of food for me. I did not know her, but she came as a deliverer to me, God’s answer to my need.
Ever-present God, you work through others to answer our needs. Help me to recognize your voice in the messengers you send and accept the blessings they bring, mindful that all blessings come from you. Amen.
Rev. Jenny Smith is the visitation pastor at Pleasantville United Church of Christ and a member of the United Church of Christ Disaster Ministries Emotional and Spiritual Care Team.
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