God's Hasty Hand

“But I am poor and needy; yet the Lord thinketh upon me: thou art my help and my deliverer; make no tarrying, O my God.” (Ps 40:17 AV)

What a tremendous verse.  David is seeking help and knows that he will receive it.  This prayer is not one for an answer as it is a speedy answer.  The last phrase is our clue.  No one likes to be needy.  Well, at least most do not.  We do not like to think our situation is so dire that we beg God to handle it immediately.  If we do feel that way, by asking Him to act immediately, we feel as though we are imposing, or at the very least, being disrespectful.  This is not always the case.  There are times when it is appropriate to ask the LORD to speed it up.  It is not an imposition nor is it demanding for the petitioner to seek God’s hand to come quickly.  Whatever David was facing, the timing was everything.  We do not know exactly what it was that prompted his request.  We don’t know if there was a threat right in front of him that would have an immediate impact.  We simply do not know.  What we do know is whatever David was facing, he felt that time was of the essence.

There are many reasons we might seek God’s haste.  We could be heading for a cliff and the inevitable is not attractive.  There could be no other options.  We are facing a giant that will not back down and he is swinging his sword.  We seek the hasty hand of God that the threat is dispatched before permanent damage is done.  This is quite acceptable.  When my brother and I faced the business end of firearms as thieves helped themselves to the cash in the draw, there was a prayer for immediate safety that went up.  Then there are times when we are at the end of our ropes and we simply cannot endure any more circumstances.  We seek the LORD’s immediate intervention lest we give up and make a foolish decision that would forever change the lives of those around us.  This is certainly a cause for God’s hasty hand.  When the situation is turning to the extreme hurt of another and one feels helpless to do anything, perhaps the hasty hand of God is warranted.  Or, maybe someone is coming to Christ and the adversary is standing in the way.  Or, perhaps there is encouragement and counsel offered, yet the devil arrives in the form of a distraction.  If I had a nickel for every time that happened, I could buy a full tank of gas.  God’s hasty hand arrives and deals with the distraction.  There are times when the adversary shows up and puts the man of God in a compromising position.  Someone adversarial arrives and he is all alone.  May God’s hasty hand come!  Many needs arrive that are unplanned and unreachable.  The power may be shut off.  The shelves may be bare.  The child may need medical attention without insurance or a way to pay.  God’s hasty hand would surely be welcomed.

God desires to show Himself strong on the behalf of those who come to trust in Him.  God delays His answers because most things are not emergencies.  That which we seek does not need to be handled immediately.  But when we have those times of extreme need, praying for God’s hasty hand is not out of order.  We are not being presumptuous nor do we lack faith.  If the answer is delayed, all that means is our need was not as pressing as we thought it was.  If it is, then God’s hasty hand is exactly what we need to pray for.  David had no problem with this.  He did not feel as though he was overstepping.  He did not feel shame in seeking God’s hasty hand.  His request was well thought out and expressed with the deepest emotion.  There is nothing wrong with this.  So, if your need is pressing or you simply do not think you can take another step, then pray for God’s hasty hand.  You just might be surprised what God can do.