Psalm 72:12, “For he will deliver the needy who cry out, the afflicted who have no one to help.”

The Bible promises God will deliver or rescue from harm all those who call on Him, especially the needy and those who have no one to help.  However, today we are witnessing the greatest slaughter of Christians around the world.  According to Gordon-Conwell Seminary over 150,000 Christians are killed for their faith each year. Thus, why doesn’t God deliver these precious people from persecution and death?

Also, there are countless millions of children who wake up each day starving and suffering physical harm, not to mention the many around the world who are afflicted from cancer and other destructive ailments- why doesn’t God deliver those needy people?  Some Christians say it is “God’s will for people to suffer.”  However, if God was a fatalistic Creator and just made everything the way it is and has no intention of intervening why did He give us the above promise to deliver if we cried out to Him?

These are all tough questions I get asked all the time as a pastor, however, I believe the answer is simple.  God created us perfect, but sin brought death and destruction.  For that reason He sent Jesus to deliver us from Satan’s affliction and thus when we cry in our suffering He hears us and delivers us- either in their world or the world come.

Meaning, even if we are healed from every sickness and delivered from every affliction in this life we will still die because of sin’s penalty upon our bodies.  Thus, the greatest deliverance isn’t the one to keep us safe and healthy in this world.  The greatest deliverance is the one from sin’s destruction in our soul, thus when we cry out to be saved we can trust that He always saves us.

And at the same time, we can hope that if God is going to save us in the world to come- then He does care about our daily needs and concerns thus we can pray for His deliverance in this life too.  Therefore, whenever you are needy- cry out to God for He promises to deliver you!  Whenever you are afflicted, call on His name for He will also help you!

Reflection

What do you need deliverance from today?

Action

  1. Other than sin, think of two things you need to be delivered from.
  2. Cry out to God and ask Him to save and deliver you from the things you are facing.
  3. Wait and trust God to deliver you either in this life or the one to come!