Have you ever had someone you know that needs someone to support them, help them, guide them, but you just don’t know what to say. You know you should say something encouraging or even “spiritual” but everything you can think of to say just sounds cliché.

Psalm 20 gives us the words to say and even how to say them.

Psalm 20
For the director of music. A psalm of David.

¹ May the LORD answer you when you are in distress;
may the name of the God of Jacob protect you.

² May he send you help from the sanctuary
and grant you support from Zion.

³ May he remember all your sacrifices
and accept your burnt offerings.
Selah

⁴ May he give you the desire of your heart
and make all your plans succeed.

⁵ We will shout for joy when you are victorious
and will lift up our banners in the name of our God.
May the LORD grant all your requests.

⁶ Now I know that the LORD saves his anointed;
he answers him from his holy heaven
with the saving power of his right hand.

⁷ Some trust in chariots and some in horses,
but we trust in the name of the LORD our God.

⁸ They are brought to their knees and fall,
but we rise up and stand firm.

⁹ O LORD, save the king!
Answer us when we call! (NIV)

When a friend is in distress what do you say?

a. v.1 – the Lord hears you

b. v.2 – the Lord will protect you

c. v.2 – the Lord will send you help

d. v.3 – the Lord will give you support

e. v.3 – the Lord will remember all that you have done

f. v.3 – the Lord will accept your sacrifices

g. v.4 – What does your heart desire? What are your plans – the Lord will make them succeed!

h. V.5 – When you succeed, we will shout for joy for you – we will lift up the name of God.

i. We know God saves (this is your testimony) his called ones – he answers them from heaven with the saving power of his right hand.

j. We trust in the name of the LORD – our God.

k. We rise up, stand firm

l. Pray for them by name

How Do You Pray for Someone and Comfort Them?

a. vv.1-4 Confirm in their hearts (a through g above)

b. v. 4 Ask them what are their plans, what is the desire of their heart? Then pray for that (with them and later as well).

c. V. 5 Let them know that they are not in it alone and that you are looking forward to a preferable future

d. V. 6 Share with them your testimony “I know . . .” and where that help comes from.

e. V. 9 Pray for them by name – let them hear you say, “save _____________.” Let them hear that you stand before God together; “Answer us when we call.”

Every year Kimberly goes away for a whole 24 hours leaving me with complete control of the house and kids. This weekend it just so happens that Hannah-Grace’s ballerina recital picture is this Saturday. This means, I will have all the kids to get ready and leave the house (as normal) by 9:30am. The boys have a swim class, Isaac will be in the childcare, and H-G needs to go to her dance class. But this time H-G has to be in full costume, a bun in her hair (complete with flower), and make-up. And when the pictures come back she really needs to look good (so that I can remain alive). No stress. No worries.

Ok, I’ll be honest – I’m not so good with hair, so this afternoon I made Kimberly (and H-G) have a pre-recital pre-picture pre-make-up practice. I learned how to keep the hair from “flying away” and how to make “c” shapes with the make-up brush on her cheek. Can you ever really ever have too much hairspray?

Please don’t tell anyone, it will kill my blue steel persona. I’ll let you know how it goes, and I’ll post a picture as soon as I get one.

When you watch a child taking their first steps there is something that clicks within you. You can’t help but to smile, clap and cheer for the child. You can’t look away; the moment draws you into it like a magnet.

Tonight Isaac took nine steps. During Kimberly’s Bible study, Isaac let go of the couch and walked to her. It’s on now. Life is about to get even faster because you know what’s next – that’s right, running.

On rainy nights like this one I have a tendency to sit in my office, stare out my office window, and reflect. Tonight before I called it a day, I did just that, and my reflections tended toward my uncle, back home, and my early driving years. There were at least a half dozen times when I was an early driver that I found myself beside a rode somewhere with some kind of automotive difficulty. This never caused alarm for me, because I knew if I could get to a phone, I could call my uncle and he would drop whatever he was doing, whenever to come and help me. One time he even happened to be driving by when I had broken down. There is a sense of peace to have family that will stop whatever they are doing to help you when you need them. So thanks Bruce. You don’t really appreciate that until it’s not there anymore.

Today, Kimberly took my car into Frederick and left me with the urban assault vehicle (i.e. mini-van). She called me this morning and asked, “is it ok that your car is smoking?” No, smoke does not always billow from the hood. I met her in Frederick and drove it directly to the mechanic shop and she drove the van home. Now, as I was praying that the car would make it to the shop, the thought went through my head, “how am I going to get home?” Through the engine’s knocking, blaring lights from the dash board, and dense smoke cloud, I made a phone call.

I still have a family; it may not be biological but it is just as strong. I knew of a Daybreak church family that lived close by that would loan me a truck. They dropped what they were doing, came and got me at the shop and took me to their home and loaned me their car. It is a great feeling to know that my church family will help me and my family in this way. It probably is not a big deal for them to do this, but for me it was huge. So thank you; they know who they are.

After 11 months of growth Kimberly and I realized that Isaac needed a haircut. While I usually cut the boys hair with clippers, Kimberly was not all that big on that idea. So for weeks we have just let it go, and go, and go. Toddler’s hair doesn’t tend to grow everywhere, so Isaac was really showing his roots with what can best be described as a mullet. If you are not familiar with this hairstyle, the idea is to look professional and clean cut in the front and wild and crazy in the back.

Anyway, the whole crew ended up at Respite this past Saturday. We had several new families, new volunteers – overall it was a great day. To top it all off there were hair stylists (who specialized in mullets, by the way) there volunteering their time. They offered to cut anyone’s hair, so we sat Isaac down.

The reason I mentioned this is because Isaac’s first haircut was done in the setting of ministry. We were there to serve the Lord and others; there were others there to serve as well. We had a need met; they had a need met – isn’t this how ministry is supposed to work?

Acts 4:32-35 “All the believers were one in heart and mind. No one claimed that any of his possessions was his own, but they shared everything they had. ³³With great power the apostles continued to testify to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and much grace was upon them all. ³⁴There were no needy persons among them. For from time to time those who owned lands or houses sold them, brought the money from the sales ³⁵and put it at the apostles’ feet, and it was distributed to anyone as he had need.”