Let’s see, it’s been three weeks now since I last spent some time on this site pondering prayer. Isn’t it interesting how important Biblical topics and studies always seem to get pushed aside when there’s significant spiritual gain to be found in spending time considering them? Something tells me that’s more than just the busy nature of life.
Anyway, this evening, I want to continue that thought process a bit by looking at the first of the Scripture passages I posted… Psalm 17.
Psalm 17
(New Living Translation)1O Lord, hear my plea for justice.
Listen to my cry for help.
Pay attention to my prayer,
for it comes from honest lips.
2Declare me innocent,
for you see those who do right.
3You have tested my thoughts and examined my heart in the night.
You have scrutinized me and found nothing wrong.
I am determined not to sin in what I say.
4I have followed your commands,
which keep me from following cruel and evil people.
5My steps have stayed on your path;
I have not wavered from following you.6I am praying to you because I know you will answer, O God.
Bend down and listen as I pray.
7Show me your unfailing love in wonderful ways.
By your mighty power you rescue
those who seek refuge from their enemies.
8Guard me as you would guard your own eyes.
Hide me in the shadow of your wings.
9Protect me from wicked people who attack me,
from murderous enemies who surround me.
10They are without pity.
Listen to their boasting!
11They track me down and surround me,
watching for the chance to throw me to the ground.
12They are like hungry lions, eager to tear me apart—
like young lions hiding in ambush.13Arise, O Lord!
Stand against them, and bring them to their knees!
Rescue me from the wicked with your sword!
14By the power of your hand, O Lord,
destroy those who look to this world for their reward.
But satisfy the hunger of your treasured ones.
May their children have plenty,
leaving an inheritance for their descendants.
15Because I am righteous, I will see you.
When I awake, I will see you face to face and be satisfied.
This Psalm is a prayer of David, where he cries out to God concerning the attacks of his enemies. While the circumstances of David’s prayer are not specifically applicable to most of our lives (how many of our lives are actually in jeopardy right now?), there’s a very good concept here about prayer that I think all ought to learn.
Honesty.
Take a look at verse 1 of this Psalm:
1O Lord, hear my plea for justice.
Listen to my cry for help.
Pay attention to my prayer,
for it comes from honest lips.
When I first read this, I thought… how vain of David. I envisioned him with a puffed up chest, declaring to God… “God, I am truthful and righteous, and my prayers worthy. Answer my plea for help!”
But is that really the case here, or the concept communicated? Hardly.
Think about this idea of honesty in prayer for a bit.
How often are you completely honest with God in prayer? Do you ever find yourself using flowery words about his greatness and love, professing how you love to praise His name, or even simply confessing how you enjoy the privilege of speaking to Him, when in reality you’re simply praying either out of habit or obligation? Perhaps you’re one that offers up lengthy and eloquent words in situations of corporate prayer… but rarely give God more than a couple minutes of the mundane in private. Or how about this… offering words like, “not my will be done, but yours, Lord”, when it’s really NOT okay with you that God might not choose to heal the loved one you’re offering prayer for?
I’m guilty as charged.
It’s funny, isn’t it? We’re so often taught to offer our prayers with beautiful words and immense reverence (neither of which are bad, of course)… but in doing so, often find ourselves doing nothing more than putting on a mask of falsehood about how we really feel.
Who are we fooling?
Maybe our church friends. Maybe even ourselves. But God?
No way.
Here’s a thought… Isn’t God big enough to handle us just as we are? Don’t you think He’s more pleased with us when we come to Him with hearts laid bare before Him?
Perhaps our prayers should be more like this:
Oh Lord… I know I’m supposed to pray to you, but I can’t hardly find the strength or words. I simply don’t feel like talking to you, and I don’t know why. Please help me to have a desire to do this prayer thing right. To have a heart for prayer. To have a desire to talk to you. To begin to understand the value of this. To see the way you answer my cries for help.
God, I don’t know how this prayer stuff works, but I know that somehow you listen and answer.
Please give me strength to pray. Take these requests I’m about to offer and answer them. I want to know that you listen and care.
Lord, I pray for…
Amen.
Some days (maybe even most), that’s how I find myself having to pray. Hardly elegant… most certainly not something I’d want to offer to God in front of my Sunday School class or small group. But raw and real? You bet.
I hope I’m reading Scripture right, and that God truly is pleased with such honesty.
[…] seems to continue to stretch itself out further and further. It’s been almost two weeks since part 2. At this rate, I may still be writing on this topic next year at this […]