My husband and I just returned from a trip to the Black Hills in South Dakota and on our trip we decided to stop in at the Bear Butte State Park. Upon driving in we discovered that there was a trail up Bear Butte to the summit that we could hike. We grabbed our water bottle and started climbing up the trail.
We quickly noticed colorful pieces of cloth tied to trees and shrubs along the way which I thought were there so we wouldn’t lose our way. A little further up the trail I realized this two hour hike to the summit and back might be a bit too challenging for me so I assured my husband that he could keep going and I would wait for him under a tree along the trail. He proceeded and I settled in under the tree with a couple of rocks (in case a rattlesnake would choose to visit!)
Everywhere I looked, up and down, I saw these pieces of clothes, and then I read the pamphlet with the map on it to see what I could learn about this mountain.
It was then that I discovered that these colorful pieces of cloth were not markers as I had thought but rather these were prayer cloths that represented prayers offered by individuals during their worship. This was a sacred mountain to many Native Americans and this mountain is used for prayer year round. The pamphlet went on to say that “many Native Americans see the mountain as a place where the Creator has chosen to communicate with them.”
I was moved to tears to see all the indications of thousands of prayers that have gone up to God and spent time praying myself for the many hurting, searching people that God would indeed answer their prayers and reveal Himself to them as their personal Lord and Saviour.
All this made me wonder about all the people in the world who offer their prayers up to God that we do not even realize. There is not a colorful prayer cloth tied every time someone cries out to God in their time of need but there are many people searching. If you are one of those people be encouraged that even though you may not be able to climb Bear Butte Mountain to worship God, through the death of Jesus Christ, God’s Son on the cross we have been given access to the very throne room of God.
Hebrews 4:16 says, “Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence (boldly), so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.”
God, our Heavenly Father loves us dearly and longs to have a relationship with us. Whatever you are facing, know that He hears each and every prayer and we can find help in our time of need.
James 5:13 also states, “Is anyone among you in trouble? Let them pray.”
May I encourage you to talk to God today? He hears every whisper, every cry and will help us in our time of need!
