“God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging” (Psalm 46:1-2).
Is it too late to pray when your ship is sinking, when your plane has been hijacked, or when you have reached a point of desperation? When a disaster strikes, prayer vigils spontaneously erupt. Church doors are opened for prayer. Individuals who haven’t prayed for years suddenly find themselves saying, “Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name …” or “Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil for thou art with me.”
But here’s the question: Does God hear you when you have ignored Him for years and suddenly need His help? I have good news, and even better news in answering that question. The good news is that it is never too late to pray. In a time of national disaster, Nahum cried out, “The LORD is good, a refuge in times of trouble. He cares for those who trust in him” (Nahum 1:7).
For three minutes, ponder those few statements. First—God is a good God. He knows the voice of the one in need and responds regardless of our being in good standing with Him or a stranger at His table. Otherwise, none of us would ever qualify to get a first-time hearing with the King of Kings. It is not because of our goodness or generosity that He heeds our cry in the time of our great need.
The second assurance which Nahum gives is that God is a refuge to whom you can flee when difficulty, tragedy, or disaster confronts you. “God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble” says Psalm 46. The passage continues, “Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging.”
The third word of encouragement and comfort that Nahum gives is that God cares for those who trust in Him. Ours is a world that knows very little of real compassion and concern. Yes, in times of disaster there are always those whose heroic spirits are seen as they help others, even at the cost of their personal safety. Yet it is comforting to know that in our times of need, God’s heart is not indifferent, that He who saw the heavens turn dark and the earth quake when His Son was on the cross and cried out, “My God, why have you forsaken me?” He knows your pain, your need, your distress, and He cares! (Period!)
Now, I said that I had good news and better news. The better news is that the more you know of God’s love and concern, the more you know of the promises of Scripture, the greater will be your confidence and faith in the time of need. If I were going into battle, I would much rather go with a trusted weapon than something I was not familiar with. Get to know God now. Learn that you can depend on Him, that He does care for you, that He will be with you to the end.
They say there are no atheists in foxholes, and though I have never been in a foxhole, I have been in some tough spots. I’ve also seen people struggle in the time of need because they felt that if they had ignored God for most of their lives, they were not sure that He would meet them in the time of their difficulty.
The grace and goodness of God have not been tried and found lacking; they simply have not been tried. Now is the time to connect with God through His Son, to know you are His child, and that He will walk with you day by day, through the dark valley and the dark night.
No, it is never too late to pray. But it is better to pray now, so in the storm, you will have greater confidence.
Resource reading: Nahum 1.
