Where are you God?

Read This Psalm Slowly and Carefully
Psalm 54

1God, for your sake, help me! Use your influence to clear me.
2Listen, God--I'm desperate.
Don't be too busy to hear me.
3Outlaws are out to get me,
hit men are trying to kill me.
Nothing will stop them;
God means nothing to them.
4Oh, look! God's right here helping!
GOD's on my side, 5Evil is looping back on my enemies.
Don't let up! Finish them off!
6I'm ready now to worship, so ready.
I thank you, GOD-you're so good.
7You got me out of every scrape,
and I saw my enemies get it.

I do not know what you understood from this passage. Sometimes when we read things we see them differently. I read this passage from other translations such as the NIV and the NLT (New Living Translation) but THE MESSAGE really opens up a thought for me on this. I could really identify with the Psalmist in this version. I highlighted in color the verse that literally jumped out at me.

I was having coffee with one of my friends the other day. He is not a believer. Oh, he believes that there is a God but does not believe that God is actively working in the world today. He is a modern day version of Karl Marx who said “religion is the opium of the masses”. But as we finished coffee and went back into our daily lives and routines those thoughts and his conversation lingered in my mind. The very next morning I was reading a Psalm. I try (emphasis on try) to read a Psalm, a Proverb and then a chapter from the Bible everyday. One thing I know: I am not perfect. I miss some days.

Back to the story: I was reading Psalm 54 and then all of a sudden it jumped at me:
4Oh, look! God's right here helping!
This verse is so me! Here I am going along in life. Sometimes things are good and sometimes my life seems such a mess. In this case the Psalmist was citing how tough life was at the moment. He was telling about his desperation and pleading for God to rescue him and help him. He was pleading with God to not be so busy that He has no time to help me. THEN (from this version of scripture) it reads like the author suddenly realizes that God is active in his world today. God is actively helping him daily. God is involved in his life. If it were not for God he would not even survive.
I do not know about you but I know for me I could write the same psalm. God, where are you? I am hurting? People are trying to harm me? I need you. Don’t be too busy to hear my request. BUT.. then I realize that God is with me. God is helping me. God is actively involved in my life. God does care about my requests and needs no matter how small. I sometimes overlook what God is doing in my life. I think for me it is because I get so busy and caught up in my day that I leave God out. I am moving too fast to see where God is working. But.. now I know. He is working in my life. And Yours…
Lets not forget as the psalmist reminds us at the end : THANK YOU GOD for YOU ARE GOOD.