The Key West citizen., 1954-11-27
SUNDAY SCHOOL LESSON
By RALPH ROGERS

3
BY RALPH ROGERS
In Time ef Trouble. Psalm
I43; e
Troubles? Who doesn't have them?
Friends try to help. When one fails
to find relief there is always one
place to 60 - to God in prayer.
This, as in every age. men have
their troubles. In 1901 Wilberforce
said, II dare not marry, the fu-
ture is so uncertain" In 1906 VIII
liam Pitt said, "There is scarcely
anything around us but ruin and
despair" In 1s4s Lord Shaftesbury
said, Nothing can save the Bri-
tish Empire from shipwreck." In
1S4s Disraeli commented, "In in
dustry, agriculture, and commerce
there is no hope" Then in 1852
the dying Duke Of Wellington said,
81 thank God I shall be spared
from seeing the consummation OF
the ruin that Is gathering around
u.s."
We should thank God that our
great men feel their dependence
on divine guidance. Lincoln found
the need of prayer when faced with
the problems confronting him. VIII
SON believed in prayer and had his
cabinet kneel with him as he ask
ed for divine guidance. Eisenhow-
er found that he needed more than
his own judgment and the counsel
Of friends when he assumed the
office as the Chief Executive of
these United States. Like Solomon
of old. they prayed for an "un-
derstanding heart"
The Source ef Wisdom
The Psalms cover the whole
range of worship from hymns of
praise and thanksgiving to the
prayers of the lonely, anguished
souls seeking light and guidance.
In our lesson today we find that
source of support in our troubles
which lifts the load from our weary
minds and give us comfort from
the burdens of the day.
This Psalm starts with a wall
and a whine as we hear the cry
Of disturbed and troubled man.
David had many marrying exper-
fences and was in trouble with King
Saul. AS he hid in the cave of
group of faithful followers, he here
expressed his dismay.
Here he resorts to his rich reli-
gious experience and talks to Je-
hovah about his problems. David's
future success and victories were
no doubt due to his implicit trust
in divine guidance.
We find in this Psalm that Da-
vid tells of his troubles and then
follows with his trust in Jehovah.
David had right to be desperate.
The mighty army Of King Saul was
tracking him down. He had hidden
himself in a cave and no doubt
was frightend, so much so that he
felt that he could never get out
of It. He said, mo man careth for
my SOUL" When all other helpers
fail, God is every ready to tighten
the burden and show us the way
out of any difficulty.
John Scott Douglas tells in his
book, "The Mystery of the Sea
Bell" Of a youngster named Ron
ME who was doing deep-sea diving
from the Seaspray. Ronnie had
been instructed to follow the COM
mands of the man on deck who
pumped oxygen to the diver. This
Ronnie did and changed his steps
as the tide would change, Had Ron
ME not have obeyed the directions
given him his life would have been
in great danger. So it is with the
Christian who walks the floor of
this earth and unless he heeds the
instructions of the Man above, he
might perish.
Ever-Ready Relief
Not only do we have a source
Of relief, but it is ever at hand.
The Psalmist said, "Thou art my
refuge" God is ever present. We
may have strayed us out and lends
the necessary assistance when
needed. The cynic viii sneer and
like far too many today say, "re-
igion is only place to hide from
reality" 1t is passing strange then
that so many of our great leaders
have found the help in time of need
from their trials and problems.
The word refuge is not a place