Lessons from the Sandpit: His ears are Attentive to their Cry

Camille Corot: Hagar in the Wilderness

I have been observing my children at play for a number of years now, and there are many lessons I have learned about our heavenly Father during these sessions.

Most recently, Psalm 18:6 was illustrated for me:
In my distress I called upon the LORD, and cried unto my God:
he heard my voice out of his temple, and my cry came before him, even into his ears.

My three children were playing happily today. One was leaping tall buildings in a single bound while making appropriate superhero noises; another was calling loudly ‘look at me mom!’ while climbing precariously; and the third was quietly pleading ‘help’ as he struggled to climb onto a swing too high for his short legs.

Which voice do you think my mother’s ear instinctively tuned in first? The one who needed help, of course. Do we suppose our heavenly Father is any less attentive to our cries for help than this? Of course not!!! If we can hear the quietest of our children when they whimper for help, then of course our Father hears us and responds - with far more compassion and wisdom than we can imagine.

But more importantly, which of his earthly children do you think our Father’s ears are most attuned to? The ones who are happily occupied, the ones who want his attention, or those who most desperately need his help?