IN A PICKLE

When a base runner would get caught in a rundown, former Cardinal manager, Whitey Herzog called it "getting into a pickle". I'm not sure what image that conjures up for me, but I heard him use it enough that I knew what he meant. Others have called it getting into hot water, getting in way over our heads, getting in Dutch. Even a tempest or a storm. Politically once when there was much to do about nothing, it was called a "tempest in a teapot". A tempest nonetheless.

"God help me!" is probably the most spoken prayer in the world. We're told in scripture that He works good for all things that happen to us. With one reservation--"for those who love Me." (Romans 8:28) But does God hear prayers of those that don't love, or don't know Him? I think so.

After all, He is a God of second chances. He is not an exclusionary God. At least not until the last minute. Look at how Jesus handled His betrayer Judas. Right up until the end, He was still giving Judas a chance to repent.

If you know anything about King David, you probably know the story of his killing Goliath in the Elah Valley. You may know that Jesus came from the genealogical line of David and Jesse. And you probably have heard David was a man after God's own heart. You know what? God's after man's own heart, too. Now how cool is that?

So, yes, I'm convinced when anyone calls on the name of the Lord, He hears. Does He answer? Certainly. Does He answer the way we want Him to? Only if it suits His purpose. He calls all the shots, because He can. He's God. Does that mean we should not pray, that God will do what He wants anyway(s)? That we can't get Him to change His direction?

All we have to do is look at repentance. If we don't confess our sins, then we are not forgiven. But if we repent, are sins are covered; they're blotted out. Jesus died on the cross for them, but we have to confess to receive the pardon. So, yes, we have input. Vital input. The Father wants a relationship with us. He wants us as a bond servant to Him.

Call out to God when we find ourselves in a pickle? Most definitely. Maybe we could take a page from King David when in Psalm 40:11 he prays "may your love and your truth always protect me." What else would he or we need?