Perhaps it’s because I just reached the office after making an early-morning, pre-surgery hospital visit; but I find myself keenly aware this morning of the constant stream of need in which we live — and the constant stream of prayer that gets lifted in response to that need. Even as I write these words, one member of my church is undergoing cancer surgery and another is nearing death. The news this morning carries reports of another tragic bombing, this one in Afghanistan. Both close to home and far away, there are burdens of all kinds that are weighing on people’s hearts and driving them to their knees.

Perhaps, then, it is a gift that today’s Daily Office carries a reminder of the faithfulness and compassion of the God to whom we pray. Although written in praise of a godly king, Psalm 72 ultimately celebrates the character of the LORD upon whom the king’s reign is based:

“For he will deliver the needy who cry out,
the afflicted who have no one to help.
He will take pity on the weak and the needy
and save the needy from death.
He will rescue them from oppression and violence,
for precious is their blood in his sight.” (Psalm 72:12-14)

How good it is to know that we always have access to the One who cares about our challenges and sorrows and who is able to carry us through them. May His presence bring you strength and hope today, even in (and perhaps especially in) those situations that make you cry out for relief.