Thursday 23 February: Crying out to God about poverty, suffering and injustice

Bible readings: Psalm 10 and Psalm 146

In Mark 10.51, when a blind man named Bartimaeus is brought to Jesus, Jesus asks him, ‘What do you want me to do for you?’ (NIV). Why did he ask this? What if Jesus knew that the blind man’s faith would rise when he spoke out his request: ‘I want to see’? 

To ask something of the Lord is to demonstrate that you have faith he can do it. 

This is a faith we see demonstrated in Psalms 10 and 146. Psalm 10 is a lament to God which starts by questioning, ‘Why, Lord, do you stand far off? Why do you hide yourself in times of trouble?’ (verse 1). That might sound more like doubt than faith, but the psalmist goes on to call on God, whose justice and compassion he trusts, to act!

Despite how things appear for the wicked and their victims in the present, the psalmist trusts that the wicked will be held to account and the victims who put their trust in God will receive his help. It might look like unjust powers and causes are winning, but the psalmist reminds us that God is on the throne – not just now, but for ever.

Psalm 146.6–9 tells us that our God is a God who gives food to the hungry, supports the fatherless and the widow, and sets the prisoners free. So even when we cry out to him from a place of pain, we do it with great expectation because we serve a loving God.

If we didn’t have even a mustard seed of faith that our God could provide for the impoverished, heal the suffering, and execute justice for the oppressed, we wouldn’t bother asking. When we ask him, we are saying, ‘I believe you are who you say you are’. So, cry out to him for the world around you, full of confidence and faith. He really is who he says he is. 

This reflection was written by Noel Amos, Supporter Experience Officer at Bible Society.