As a new father, I have become intimately familiar with an obvious truth not previously conceived that children can become very easily upset at trivial matters. My son has chosen his contentment to be during the day and his cries of distress to be in the middle of the night. The slightest change in schedule or atmosphere can cause a child to increasingly become upset. Often, children are blinded by their immaturity and self-sighted attitude which causes them to fret over trivial matters with little consequence. When your child is upset, what do you do? Do you tower over them with your 6’2 frame? Of course not. Even if we find ourselves in the middle of the night, we go to our child, kneel, or sit down, to adequately comfort them in their distress. In life, I have found that the greatest comfort we can provide is to sit down and listen to others. In times of need, we all want to be heard. Our Heavenly Father sits down and listens, as well.
The Psalmist wrote, in Psalm 116:2, “Because He has inclined His ear to me, Therefore I will call upon Him as long as I live.”
The word incline, in the Hebrew, literally means, “to bow down”, (Strong’s Concordance). Isn’t the thought amazing? Our Almighty God bends down to comfort us through our distress. This word reinforces what I know to be true about my Father. He is concerned with what concerns me, though my problems may be trivial. It is not logical. Surely, the creator of the Universe has more pressing matters on his plate than the trivial matters of my life! Yet, when I come to Him, does He tower over me as God almighty? Of course not. He inclines his ear toward me and bends down to hear, sympathize, and help in our time of need. Our greatest comfort is knowing our Heavenly father sits down and listens. Therefore, in the words of the Psalmist, “I will call upon Him” and seek His assistance with the direction of my life.
As I count my blessings from God the Father, I am thankful that…
- He has inclined His ear to my concern in times of danger, (Psalm 46:1).
- He has inclined His ear to my words in times of prayer, (Proverbs 15:29).
- He has inclined His ear to me because I fear Him, (Psalm 34:17).
- He has inclined His ear to my cries of weeping, (Psalm 6:8).
- He has inclined His ear to my soul in times of sin, (1 John 5:14-15).
