Tag Archives: Prayer

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Psalm 12: A Higher Perspective Helps!

Read Psalm 12

A Higher Perspective Helps!

“Help, LORD, for the godly are no more;
the faithful have vanished from among men.”
Psalm 12:1

Of course, David was using hyperbole here. He wasn’t literally the only godly person left on the planet, although at that moment, he certainly felt like it. We’re not sure what the specific occasion was that led to this outburst, but it was likely that nasty people and impossible circumstances were closing in on David and in this moment he just needed to talk to somebody about how alone he felt. And God was the only one listening.

Which, obviously, is the point of this and many of David’s psalms. At times, there is no one with whom you can share the depth of your despair except God, who is always there and is always the best person with whom to share those things that are on your heart anyway! Even if you are exaggerating the moment, God graciously invites you to pour out your worries to him, the one who truly cares and can actually do something about it.

David’s complaint reminds me of another saint who expressed his feelings similarly: Elijah. You can read the story in I Kings 19. He too, like David, was often on the run from those who wanted to kill him. In this case, Ahab and Jezebel were out to get him, and Elijah was in hiding, depressed, and despairing even of life. So he cries out to God, “I have been very zealous for the LORD God Almighty. The Israelites have rejected your covenant, broken down your altars, and put your prophets to death with the sword. I am the only one left, and now they are trying to kill me too.” (I Kings 19:14)

What is so beautiful about this story is that several times God said to Elijah, “What are you doing here?” (I Kings 19:9,13). That is kind of a curious question for the All-Knowing God to be asking, wouldn’t you say! But really, what God is doing is simply inviting Elijah to pour out his heart, even if the frustrations that spill out are from a wrong perspective.

That is one of the blessings of taking our hurts, frustrations and worries to God. In the process of telling him how we feel, he gives us a fresh and higher perspective. For David, he prays himself into the conclusion that “O LORD, you will keep us safe and protect us from such people forever.” (Psalm 12:7) For Elijah, God reminded him that he was not the only one left: “I reserve seven thousand in Israel—all whose knees have not bowed down to Baal and all whose mouths have not kissed him.” (I Kings 19:18)

That is one of the greatest gifts God gives us in prayer. As we honestly tell him about our problems, he infuses us with a higher perspective, reminding us that he is in control of our lives and has his eye on us at all times.

That’s sounds like a pretty lop-sided exchange: My problems for God’s perspective. I think I will take that any day!

“If man is man and God is God, to live without prayer is not merely an awful thing; it is an infinitely foolish thing.”
— Phillip Brooks

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Psalm 5: The First And Last Thing You Do

Read Psalm 5

The First And Last Thing You Do

“My voice You shall hear in the morning, O LORD;
In the morning I will direct it to You,
And I will look up.”
Psalm 5:3

What is the first thing you do when the alarm clock rings, awakening you to another day full of exciting possibility and challenging demands? Perhaps you are one of those who rolls over and mumbles, “Good Lord, morning!” Or maybe you are the type who pops up with delight and expectation by greeting the One who gave you the gift of yet another day with, “Good morning, Lord!”

Obviously, David was of the latter variety. Not that he was an overly optimistic person—in fact, much of David’s life was lived by keeping just one step ahead of death. But he had come to appreciate the presence and protection of God so much that most of his waking moments were spent connecting with his Lord.

David was a man who had truly learned to practice the presence of God. First thing in the morning, David lifted his voice to God—and before he did anything else, he waited for a reply (that’s what he means when he says, “and will look up”). But that was also the last thing David did when he hit the sheets at night. He prayed in Psalm 119:62, “At midnight I will rise to give you thanks.”

Perhaps that’s one of the reasons why David was known as “a man after God’s own heart.” What do you suppose would happen if you and I took on David’s practices? Maybe we would develop that kind of heart after God too!

Let me suggest a 30-day trial—that the last thing you do when you go to bed is to recount as many things as you can think of for which you are grateful, and the first thing you do when you arise in the morning is lift your voice to God with gratitude that he has given you the gift of another day.

To give thanks is one of the highest callings we have and one of the most self-benefiting things we can do. Think about this: Even sitting where you are reading this devotional is a cause for thanksgiving to God. The prophet Jeremiah declared in Lamentations 3:22, “Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; Great is your faithfulness.”

G. K. Chesterton, who would say at the end of the day, “Here ends another day, during which I have had eyes, ears, hands [to experience this] great world around me. Tomorrow begins another day. Why am I allowed two?”

Chesterton, Jeremiah and David had the perspective that all of life was a gift from God. Let’s you and I practice that perspective, too, every morning and evening for the next month. I have a feeling that the discipline of thankful prayer will turn into the delight of thankful prayer long after those 30 days are up.

“No duty is more urgent than that of returning thanks.”
—Ambrose, Bishop of Milan

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Even Dirty Rotten Sinners

Read I Timothy

“Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners”—and I am the
worst of them all. But God had mercy on me so that Christ
Jesus could use me as a prime example of his great
patience with even the worst sinners. Then others
will realize that they, too, can believe in
him and receive eternal life.
(I Timothy 1:15-16)

Thoughts… If God could save Paul, God can save anyone. He was a super-pious religious zealot who thought he was doing God a favor each time he imprisoned, persecuted, or killed a Christian. He was intolerant, close-minded, bigoted, and arrogant—on a good day.

And yet God reached him. Actually God slapped him up side the head on the Damascus Road one day. You can read that dramatic story in Acts 9. Paul was radically and completely transformed by his encounter with the risen Savior. He had met Jesus, and in that meeting, he didn’t stand a chance. He became a trophy of God’s grace.

Now the truth is, you weren’t any better off that the pre-converted Paul before God found you. Neither was I. We were dirty rotten sinners, too, but now we are trophies of God’s grace. We were messed up, sin prone, hell bound sinners who deserved nothing but eternal punishment. But we were just the kind of people that Jesus came into this world to redeem. And for that, you and I will give thanks before the throne of God for all eternity.

So here’s the deal: If God could save dirty, rotten sinners like Paul, you and me, he can save that resistant sinner that lives in the same house as you, or who lives next door, or who goes to your school, or works in the office next to you. You have been praying for them, but there seems to be no response, no interest, not even the slightest crack in their spiritual armor.

Don’t give up! They may be just a prayer or a kind act or a verbal witness away from getting totally messed up through a radically transforming encounter with Jesus. That’s why he came: To save sinners just like them. He saved Paul, didn’t he? He saved you, didn’t he?

Maybe that dirty rotten sinner you’re praying for is next!

Prayer… Dear Father, thank you for your redeeming grace in my life. I will never get over that. Throughout eternity I will fall before your throne in humble gratitude for saving me, the worst of sinners. Now Lord, release your saving grace to those dear people in my life who do not know you. Confront them with your love—today. Make them the newest trophies of your grace.

One More Thing… “Either sin is with you, lying on your shoulders, or it is lying on Christ, the Lamb of God. Now if it is lying on your back, you are lost; but if it is resting on Christ, you are free, and you will be saved. Now choose what you want.” —Martin Luther

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The Best Kind Of Intercession

Read II Thessalonians 1

“We constantly pray for you, that our God may count you worthy
of his calling, and that by his power he may fulfill every good
purpose of yours and every act prompted by your faith.
We pray this so that the name of our Lord Jesus may
be glorified in you, and you in him, according to the
grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ.”
(II Thessalonians 1:11-12)

Thoughts… I pray for people—everyday. I assume you do too.  Often the focus of our prayers is for their comfort and success—and that is not necessarily a bad idea.  But wouldn’t the better way to pray for them be as Paul prayed for these Christian in Thessalonica?  The priority of his intercession for them was that God would count them worthy of the calling that he had placed on their lives, and that he would fulfill divine purposes through them.  He prayed that through God’s power and their submission to that power Christ would be glorified in them and they would be glorified in Christ.

Now that is an altogether higher form of intercession!  And when you think about it, isn’t it really far better than asking God for another person’s happiness and comfort?  Isn’t it truly more noble than praying for someone’s success?  At the end of the day, wouldn’t that person be better off if God’s power had enabled them to accomplish his purpose, that their achievements would have been those inspired by the Holy Spirit rather than their own spirit, and that their efforts had caused a good word to be spoken about God rather than themselves?

I don’t know about you, but if that could be said of my life by the end of this day, I would take that over the usual definition of a good day any day!

As you are prompted to pray for another today, take Paul’s approach.  In fact, why don’t you just use Paul’s prayer—I don’t think he would mind.

Oh, and by the way, if you are taking the time to read this Blog today, I just want you to know that I am praying Paul’s prayer for you. If you have made the effort to get this far, know this: I am lifting your name and your cause before our gracious Father.  I am praying Paul’s Thesslonian prayer for you:  That you will be counted worthy of your calling and strengthened with supernatural power to carry out the good purposes that the Holy Spirit is prompting you to fulfill.  My deepest prayer for you is that through your life, Jesus Christ will be glorified.  And I also pray that you will know something of his glory in your own spirit at some point during this day.  May his blessings rest upon you in very real ways today, and as you lay your head down on your pillow tonight, may you hear him whisper in your ear, “Well done, good and faithful servant.  Enter into my Father’s rest.”

Prayer… Lord, you see the dear person who is reading this.  Fulfill this Thessalonian prayer in their life.  Bless them with every form of spiritual abundance and enlarge their capacity for faith.  Let your hand be with them today.  Keep them from causing harm, and keep them from being harmed. Make them a trophy of your grace and a conduit of your glory.  In Jesus name I pray, amen.

One More Thing… “Let your prayer for temporal blessings be strictly limited to things absolutely necessary.” —St. Bernard