The Fourth Sunday of Advent (Ps) December 23rd

Psalm 142:1-7

¹  With my voice I cry out to the Lord; 

with my voice I plead for mercy to the Lord. 

²  I pour out my complaint before him; 

I tell my trouble before him. 

³  When my spirit faints within me, 

you know my way! 

In the path where I walk 

they have hidden a trap for me. 

⁴  Look to the right and see: 

there is none who takes notice of me; 

no refuge remains to me; 

no one cares for my soul. 

⁵  I cry to you, O Lord; 

I say, “You are my refuge, 

my portion in the land of the living.” 

⁶  Attend to my cry, 

for I am brought very low! 

Deliver me from my persecutors, 

for they are too strong for me! 

⁷  Bring me out of prison, 

that I may give thanks to your name! 

The righteous will surround me, 

for you will deal bountifully with me. 

Is the Lord your refuge and strength?  Have you turned to the Lord and voiced your plea for mercy?  Have you called upon the Name of the Lord?  There are many people in the world today that are offering great complaints on Facebook, Google+, Twitter, and various other places.  But have they taken their complaint to the Lord.

There are many people who respond to "I have nothing to complain about," with "and who would really listen!"  Most of us have become tired of listening to other people's complaints.  We have even become callous to what people around us say.  But there are times when we really do have a complaint.  There are times when we really are struck with something serious to complain about.  How do we make that complaint without sounding like another clanging gong?

We need to take our complaints to the Lord.  We need to call upon the name of the Lord in our time of need.  The Lord will not refuse to listen to our complaint.  The Lord will even take your complaint seriously.  Look at how he has helped people in the past:  He has set prisoners free, delivered people from the bondage of slavery, and even healed the sick and fed the hungry.

The LORD our God is a place of refuge.  He is a rock on which we can lean.  Pour out your complaints on the LORD and He will answer you.