14 Aug, 2007

"LORD, help us!"

Praying in the depth of despair...

Miners trapped: 'You've just got to pray ... and hope they're OK'

Michael Brandy, Deseret Morning News: Apolonia Sanchez, 13, is comforted by her mom while Rogelio Bustillos comforts Ariana Sanchez, 16, in Huntington after learning that their husband and father was one of the trapped miners.
HUNTINGTON, Emery County — Hometown Market, Huntington's only grocery store, is aptly named for this small, central Utah town where longtime residents treat strangers like longtime friends.

It's the place where Julie Jones, a member of Huntington's City Council, came Monday to buy food to cook for the family members of six miners who are trapped in the Crandall Canyon Mine. It is the place where Dwayne Timothy, a miner, stopped to buy water on his way to participate in the rescue operation.

And it is the place where many residents of this town, with a population of less than 2,000, came to ask each other, "Is there anything new? Have you heard anything?"

The task of waiting for news clearly showed on their faces.

Few people knew the miners' names or the current status of the rescue operation — but that didn't matter. For a town that is comprised mostly of miners, everyone has a husband or a friend or a son who works or has worked in the mine, Jones said, and everyone cares.

"Until you get a phone call that says your son or brother or husband is not one of them, you just don't know," Jones said. "And when you get that phone call, it still pulls at your heart. You're relieved for your personal (situation), but you feel for (everyone else) because you know how it is. You've just got to pray, that's all. Pray and hope they're OK."

photo & story courtesy deseretnews.com, 8/09/07

Psalm 130:1-2 (NLT)

My Soul Waits for the Lord

1From the depths of despair, O LORD, I call for your help.
2Hear my cry, O Lord. Pay attention to my prayer.

What does today's God's Story scripture teach us about responding to God when we are feeling trapped?

The big story in the news right now is the fate of the trapped miners. Are they still alive? Can they be rescued in time?

Families and friends are crying out to God for help. At this point, only God knows the ending of this story.

This has me thinking about the stories that will happen in your life and mine for the rest of this year. Circumstances may bring us to feeling like we are trapped in the depths of despair. How will we respond?

Tyndale's LIFE APPLICATION STUDY BIBLE notes give some great advice for us as we consider the unknown:

130:1,2 In the depths of despair, the psalmist cried out to God. Despair makes us feel isolated and distant from God, but this is precisely when we need God most. Despair over sin should not lead to self-pity, causing us to think more about ourselves than God. Instead, it should lead to confession and then to God's mercy, forgiveness, and redemption. When we feel overwhelmed by a problem, feeling sorry for ourselves will only increase feelings of hopelessness; but crying out to God will turn our attention to the only one who can really help.

How can we connect today's God's Story scripture to our lives?
  • Thank God for His best and perfect plan He has for your life. Praise Him that you can talk to Him, anytime, anywhere, for any reason. Thank Him that He will always listen to your cry for help, forgiveness, strength, direction....cry out to Him right now for whatever is on your heart....
  • Make talking to God about anything and everything part of your daily pattern.
  • Keep a written prayer journal to experience the privilege of prayer with God at a deeper level.

How can we connect today's story and God's Story scripture and our story to others?

  • Pray for the rescue of the miners and for comfort and courage for their families.
  • Pray that God will use this story to draw people to the truth of His Story.
  • Ask someone in your storysphere who needs Jesus questions like: Can you imagine what the families and friends of the miners are thinking and feeling? Why do you think most people are OK about God talk and prayer when there's a crisis? Have you ever felt like crying out to God for help? Tell me about it... May I share a story of when I did this?
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The Daily Bide is brought to you by a team of writers from Youth for Christ/USA. The writers all have various years of experience in youth ministry but share a common bond in serving Jesus and discovering what it means to abide deeply everyday and to connect God's Story with those around them. A number of the Daily Bide writers have also written portions of our 3Story® resources. You can check out our resources at the 3Story.org website or connect with our writers at 3story@yfc.net. If you have a question or a story you would like to share, please reference the Daily Bide date in your email.

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