Virginia Brandt Berg (1898-1968)
PSALM 50:15 SAYS, "CALL UPON ME IN THE DAY OF TROUBLE, AND I WILL DELIVER THEE AND THOU SHALT GLORIFY ME." I wonder if you are ever away from home among strangers, and you suddenly find yourself without cash because of some unexpected emergency that has taken your reserve? I had that experience when I first attended the Southern University far from home. And those about me were all strangers. I got so distressed I couldn't sleep, I was so frightened. Suddenly I thought, "Why, I'll write my father!" Truly I should have been more careful and I should have had plenty, but he would understand. Oh, what a relief when I made that decision. "I'll ask my father." -- He's helped me many times before and he'll help me now. During the days it took for that letter to reach home and the answer to come back, I had perfect rest and assurance. I had asked for an extra allowance, but I knew it would come. Of course it did.
DID YOU EVER ASK GOD FOR AN "EXTRA ALLOWANCE"? He says, "Call on me in the day of trouble and I will deliver thee, and thou shalt glorify Me." The day of trouble, we've all seen those days when sudden trouble sweeps down upon us and our own strength gives way. Resource failed. We looked around for help but there was no way out. But then we looked up and thought of this extra allowance in the day of trouble.
WE KNOW WHAT IT IS TO HAVE HIS HELP AND STRENGTH FROM DAY TO DAY, WE DEPEND UPON THAT AND ARE GRATEFUL FOR IT.
BUT THIS THAT GOD IS SPEAKING OF IS SOMETHING BEYOND THAT. This is the extra, for the extra-ordinary, extra strength when there's extra weakness. -- Extra wisdom when the need is so great; extra supply when there is extra need; extra grace to bear the extra strain; and extra love to deal with the extra unlovely one. We turn to our Heavenly Father, and just like a loving father He gives the extra allowance. It's just sort of a special dispensation as it were, of whatever we need at that particular trouble at that particular time.
DO YOU KNOW WHAT HIS WORD SAYS THAT HE PROMISES TO BE WITH US IN TROUBLE? Psalms 41:15. I heard someone say, "God has promised us to be with us in trouble, but He never promised to free us from trouble." Oh, that person did not read this verse very carefully, "Call on Me in the day of trouble, and I will deliver thee." He says He will deliver out of the trouble.
WE SOMETIMES HAVE TROUBLES AND GOD CAN'T IMMEDIATELY FREE US FROM THEM BECAUSE WE OURSELVES ARE NOT READY TO BE DELIVERED, some lesson to be learned. But when you get back in fellowship with Jesus and obey God's Word, and then you call, He will deliver. I wonder why someone is always trying to whittle down these promises until there's only just a little old toothpick to lean on; or water then down until they're so weak they're meaningless?
SURELY GOD WAS WITH DANIEL IN THE LION'S DEN, BUT HE ALSO DELIVERED HIM OUT OF THE DEN, and God was with the three children in the fiery furnace, surely, in prison, but He delivered them out of prison also. Don't you let some old doubter keep pricking you with a lot of little doubts until you have no faith left to ask your Father for this extra allowance. I know you won't always be delivered immediately, as I said. I've seen a time when I was in trouble with the Lord, and I was so under condemnation about my failure that I couldn't call that moment, but when I got right, and on praying ground, and began to call in my trouble, He delivered me and the extra allowance was mine immediately.
THIS TIME OF TROUBLE IS ALSO CALLED IN GOD'S WORD, "THE TIME OF NEED." If your hearts condemn you not, God's Word says, we have boldness to call for help. You know the World offers such strange help in the time of trouble, such odd remedies.
THE OTHER DAY I HEARD OVER THE RADIO, "DANCE YOUR TROUBLES AWAY." Well, I'd often heard about smiling your troubles away, but that was a new one! "Just keep smiling and smiling," they sing. But how are you going to smile when you've nothing to smile about! And how are you going to dance your troubles away, especially if you've got afflicted feet like some people! Another one tells you, "When in trouble, don't look down, just keep looking up, keep looking up." -- But they don't tell you what to look up to. I read another one: "When in difficulty, look for something pretty every day, and don't miss a day, or it won't work." Well, that's a pretty little cream-puff to lean on when you're staggering under some great difficulty. Here's another one: "When in trouble, do something for everybody every day. That's all there is to it. Just try it, it'll work." Well, I believe in doing something for somebody every day, but oh, in the time of deep trouble, that isn't going to get you out of that trouble.
THESE ARE STRANGE ANCHORS FOR THE TIME OF STORM. I remember when I was in unbelief and a helpless invalid. Someone who had less faith even than I did kept telling me to "hold on, just hold on." But that's the trouble, I didn't have anything to hold on to! Oh, what frail, frail anchors the world offers, what frail things to lean on. But thank God the Christian doesn't have just something to hold on to, the Christian has someone to hold on to!
GOD'S WORD SAYS, IN PSALM 26:1, "A VERY PRESENT HELP IN TIME OF TROUBLE." Jesus is always there, always ready to fulfill His promise. Hebrews 13:5 and 6 says: "He Himself hath said He will in no wise fail thee. Nor will I in any wise forsake thee, so that with good courage we say, the Lord is my helper."
DO YOU HAVE AN ANCHOR LIKE THAT IN A TIME OF STORM? Do you have Someone like that that loves you that you can hold on to? -- That can deliver you, absolutely deliver out of your trouble as this verse says? I was telling a young man the other day, "Son, you're going to meet the Lord someday, you'd better get on speaking terms with Him." Then I told him this story:
ONE DAY MY CAR GOT STALLED ON A LONELY ROAD. I was quite desperate when suddenly I remembered that not too far away lived a former friend. I say former because I had neglected this friend. I admired and loved her, and really longed to see her and her family, but I couldn't bring myself to walk up to that door and ask for help in my trouble when I had neglected her for so long. I just sat in the car trying to get up courage, but I never did go to that house for help! And when you neglect the Lord, neglect reading your Bible, don't take time for prayer, it's pretty hard to call on Him in the day of trouble. For as this verse states, you don't have the boldness, because you are under condemnation. (Note: Which verse? -- Not clear.)
YOU'RE GOING TO NEED THE LORD SOMEDAY AND NEED HIM DESPERATELY, BETTER MAKE FRIENDS WITH HIM NOW. Better get in touch today, you will some day want to write home for the extra allowance. Ask Him right now to forgive your neglect. He will forgive and restore the joy of Salvation. To the one who's passing through a day of trouble, which is like a night of despair, this verse is for you:
"THE LORD WILL BE A REFUGE IN THE TIME OF TROUBLE." -- Psa.9:9. Won't you fly to that refuge? Don't put it off, don't try to bear it alone. He wants to deliver you in this, your day of trouble. Let's pray about it right now: "Jesus, we come to Thee and we ask You for grace to bear the troubles, but not only for grace, but we do pray that if the heart of this one is right with you, if they're really hungering after Thee and seeking Thy face, be merciful, Lord. We pray also you give us courage and strength for the requirements of this day. Bring to our remembrance the admonition, "Today, whatever you do in word or in deed, do all to the glory of God." -- 1Cor.10:31. Bless each one according to their special need, and we'll praise thee anew with grateful hearts.
HERE'S A LITTLE POEM IN THE SWEET WORDS OF A SONG FOR THOSE OF ACHING HEARTS:
WHEN YOUR HEART IS ACHING, TURN TO JESUS,
He's the dearest friend that you can know,
You will find Him standing close beside you,
Waiting peace and comfort to bestow.
There's joy for every blighting sorrow,
Sweet relief for every bitter pain,
Jesus Christ is still the great physician
No one ever sought His help in vain
Heart aches, take them all to Jesus
He will take your heartaches all away.
PRAYER CHANGES THINGS. HE'LL CHANGE THAT HEARTACHE. Remember, He's still on the Throne, and prayer changes things.