Begin to glorify God now in the midst of your trouble. Thank him that he hears your prayers. That he is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit. Praise him that he is causing all things to work together for your good and is making you more like Christ. Thank him that he is sovereign, wise and good, even in this. And keep asking him to deliver you. Because he longs to help you and will be true to his word.

Call upon me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you shall glorify me.” PS 50.15

What an incredible promise! The infinite One, the Creator of the Universe, the God of infinite power and might, invites us to call upon him in our troubles.

First this shows that our heavenly Father cares about our lives.

He’s not aloof and uncaring. He’s not too busy running the universe to help us. He says, “I care about you. Call on me. Bring your troubles to me. Bring every burden to the throne of grace. I’m just waiting to help you. You don’t bother me when you cast your cares upon me. I never get tired of hearing your needs.

Secondly this shows how willing the Lord is to help us.

He doesn’t help us begrudgingly. He doesn’t say, “Oh you again. I know, I know, I’ve heard this a thousand times.” No! God truly desires to help us. He wouldn’t tell us to call upon him if he wasn’t willing to help us. Remember the leper in Luke 5?

While He was in one of the cities, behold, there was a man covered with leprosy; and when he saw Jesus, he fell on his face and implored Him, saying, “Lord, if You are willing, You can make me clean.” And He stretched out His hand and touched him, saying, “I am willing; be cleansed.” Luke 5:12-13 (NASB)

The Lord is inclined to help us. He’s just waiting to do good to us.

Thirdly, this is such a simple thing for us to do.

How hard is to call upon the Lord? God could have said, “In the day of trouble I will answer you if you fast for 40 days and make a pilgrimage to the top of a mountain.” All we need to do is open our lips. To lift up a whispered plea to the Lord. Anyone can call upon the Lord. It takes no training, no skill, no special talent. It takes but a minute. Our God is so good. He is but a whisper away day and night. He is constantly listening. He hears our every prayer. Yet so often we do everything but call upon him. We fret and worry and try to figure out how we will solve our problem. Call upon Jesus in the day of trouble.

Fourthly, it is a sure and certain promise

“I WILL deliver you.” God doesn’t say, “I might deliver you,” but “I WILL deliver you.” God always keeps his promises.

God is not man, that he should lie, or a son of man, that he should change his mind. Has he said, and will he not do it? Or has he spoken, and will he not fulfill it? NU 23.19

God won’t forget to deliver us. He won’t change his mind or lie. He will hear us and come to our help and surely and certainly deliver us. It might not be on our timetable, but he will not fail to keep his word.

Fifthly, it is for his glory.

He will receive praise and honor and glory when he rescues us. When God answers our cries for help, we will pour out thanks. We will tell others how God helped us. We will praise him. We can even pray this, “Lord, please help me for your glory. When you help me it will show others your power and might and faithfulness and love.”

My suggestion: Begin to glorify God now in the midst of your trouble. Thank him that he hears your prayers. That he is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit. Praise him that he is causing all things to work together for your good and is making you more like Christ. Thank him that he is sovereign, wise and good, even in this. And keep asking him to deliver you. Because he longs to help you and will be true to his word.

Mark Altrogge has been the senior pastor of Sovereign Grace Church of Indiana, PA for over 25 years, and is the author of many well known worship songs such as “I Stand In Awe”, and “In The Presence”. This article first appeared on his blog and is used with permission.