The People Cry Out

Because of the multitude of oppressions people cry out; they call for help because of the arm of the mighty. But none says, ‘Where is God my Maker, who gives songs in the night, who teaches us more than the beasts of the earth and makes us wiser than the birds of the heavens?’
Job 35:9–11
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The People Cry Out
We live in a society which is ever increasingly atheistic.  More and more people profess no belief in any God. In part we are victims of our own success. Or at least what we believe is our own success. We have had lives filled with an abundance of earthly blessings, peace, security, wealth, health.  All of these blessings, which come from God, are seen as somehow originating from ourselves and our decisions.  Yet even in the midst of a society which denies God, in times of national and personal tragedy we cry out to Him. Church attendance goes up, prayer is seen more frequently. And though this is certainly a good thing to go to God in times of trouble, we have become accustomed to viewing God as an insurance policy.  Someone we can turn to, to make a claim when things in our lives are broken, but for the most part simply ignore when we seemingly have things under control. This is Elihu’s point. We do not cry out to God from a position of desperation but a position of faith. We turn to God in every situation, good or bad, for it is only in Him that we find safe harbor.  Even in the darkest of moments we can sing to the Lord for He has done marvelous things.  Chief amongst those is sending His Son Jesus Christ to die for us. To atone for the sins of the world so that we may cry out in faith to Him knowing our cries are not only heard but answered according to His will.