The Lord Hears Our Cry

A Reflection for Tuesday, April 8 by Natasha Westerhoud 

Lectionary reading for 04/08/2025: Psalm 20; Judges 9:7-15; 1 John 2:18-28

Selected passage for reflection: Psalm 20

Read

Psalm 20  (NLT)

1 In times of trouble, may the Lord answer your cry.

    May the name of the God of Jacob keep you safe from all harm.

2 May he send you help from his sanctuary

    and strengthen you from Jerusalem.

3 May he remember all your gifts

    and look favorably on your burnt offerings. 

4 May he grant your heart’s desires

    and make all your plans succeed.

5 May we shout for joy when we hear of your victory

    and raise a victory banner in the name of our God.

May the Lord answer all your prayers.

6 Now I know that the Lord rescues his anointed king.

    He will answer him from his holy heaven

    and rescue him by his great power.

7 Some nations boast of their chariots and horses,

    but we boast in the name of the Lord our God.

8 Those nations will fall down and collapse,

    but we will rise up and stand firm.

9 Give victory to our king, O Lord!

    Answer our cry for help.

Reflect

Often, in my journey of hardship, I am reminded of Psalm 20 and God’s assurance that He indeed hears our prayers and delivers us from our struggles. No matter how daunting and complicated the situations I encounter, I am encouraged to place my trust in the name of the Lord. There is a faith story I share with my daughter; it was a time when we were in China, waiting for her paperwork to be accepted and completed. On one occasion, while away from our hotel room, we faced a huge setback. Our hotel room caught fire due to faulty wiring, and we realized with dismay that our daughter’s adoption paperwork was in that room.  I cannot express how defeated and terrified we were as we drove back. This paperwork was essential for us to enter back into Canada.  My mind started spiraling as I asked myself, Would I become a mother to this precious child? Why did I leave the paperwork in the room? In times of trouble, will the Lord hear my cries? Will the Lord keep us safe? Will the paperwork be intact? We prayed to God, offering all we had, asking Him to protect what needed to be protected. As I entered the room, my eyes fell upon the locked briefcase, intact with a dry circle around it, while the rest of the room lay in ruins. God protected what needed to be protected. We prayed to God to answer us in our day of trouble, and He sent help from His sanctuary. We gave victory to our King as He responded to our cries for help. 

Respond

Psalm 20 is a powerful prayer of trust, hope, and assurance. It outlines the request for divine protection, the confidence in God compared to worldly strength, and the celebration of anticipated answers to prayer. The Psalm beautifully captures the essence of God's promise to those who persistently trust in Him. How have you navigated your days of hardship while embracing this truth? I encourage you to seek His guidance in times of distress by prioritizing prayer and looking for God's direction.

Rest

Lord, we find comfort in knowing that when we call upon your name, we can count on your strength and protection. We are grateful that you send help from your sanctuary to sustain us. We confidently place our hopes and plans for our lives in your loving hands. May Your will be done as we trust in you. Amen.  

About the Author

Natasha is in her final steps of Ordination with the ECC (June 2025), and her 25 years of extensive career in ministry and experience serving as pastor, chaplain, and counsellor leads her to exciting adventures and opportunities worldwide. Natasha serves alongside the Evangelical Covenant Church of Canada as a Serve Global trip facilitator for Ecuador and currently serves as a chaplain within her community in Canada.  She also has a private practice which offers Christian mental health care, focusing on early childhood trauma. Natasha celebrates 27 years of marriage to Mike, and together, they have two beautiful children, Hana and Eli. Their family story is a unique journey of waiting on God and travelling miles across the ocean to bring their children home. For Natasha, the key is to embrace life to the fullest, no matter what season God puts her in, never to stop learning or growing, and always to strive to meet people where they are at. Her purpose is to live an extraordinary life in the ordinary and to be reminded each day that we are all “just walking each other home.” (Ram Dass)