prayer

I think prayer is something every single believer will admit they struggle with, in one way or another. Throughout Scripture, prayer is talked about...the Psalms are full of prayers, the gospels give us examples of prayers. We even see Jesus - in all His preeminence and reign, pray to His Father. Prayer MUST be important if we see the Holy Triune, the King of Kings, bowing in prayer.

Last night in home group we talked about prayer...Psalm 4 (evening prayer) and Psalm 5 (morning prayer). In Biblical times, that was a day: morning and evening - even in the creation account. So thats how the psalmist (David) takes it in these two psalms.

Because of cultural christianity our ideas are tainted on prayer. esp in regards to the "asking for things" - we (generalization) see Jesus as this genie in a bottle. We make it about us. We are often the preeminence, the subject, in our prayers - whether its asking for things or arguing against God (like with Habakkuk or Job- who were quickly put in their place)

If you look at these psalms, it puts it in a beautiful perspective. It is when we're laying in our beds at night that our minds sift through everything. whether we're struggling in our minds with sin, or replaying things that went on that day, battling anger, fighting tempation, feeling regret, guilty, exhaustin...those "dark nights of the soul" - and in Psalm 4 you see David praise God for who HE IS and for who we are IN HIM. So even when he brings up himself or wallows in that self pity or whatever, he turns it back to God and who God is and who God says that He is (because of who God is!) - "The LORD has set apart the godly for Himself..." (vs3) -GOD DOES IT. He goes on this rant about the evil i n the world, his enemies, etc...and david boasts in the fulfillment of God ("You have put more joy in my heart than they have when their grain and wine abound" vs 7) - bc agriculture was wealth...and he ends with vs 8 "In peace, I will both lie down and sleep; for YOU ALONE, O LORD, make me dwell in safety." So david is finishing with this 'it's you God...because of who You are. because of who I am in YOU - because You say thats whose I am...I will have peace. (and having "peace" then is SO different than now...) david brings everything acknowledgement back to Christ and His soveriengty. His reign. His "allknowingness"

Then Psalm 5. This morning psalm...this is when David petitions to the Lord. He is asking for things based on WHO GOD IS. His prayers aren't about himself or focused on himself...he is not the subject. God is. He is asking for things because of WHO GOD IS and who God declares we are through Him and because of Him.

i think we - as believers - lean one way or the other here. We're great at asking for things...we're really great at believing God wants to give us good gifts...wants to bless us...wants us to see the joy that He offers, to know the "came to give us life and give it abundantly" (john 10:10)...but we forget to pray for these things based on who He is. based on HIM BEING ENOUGH. Based on His rule and reign. So...praying for a spouse. praying for children. praying for salvation. are we praying for these things because God says that He is good? are we praying for these things in light of His control? in light of His command to "be anxious for nothing, but in EVERYTHING by prayer and supplication, make your requests be made known..." phil 4. we're not guarantteed our 'yes" answers, but we are guaranteed His peace that passes all understanding!

we also tend to lean the other direciton - praising God for who He is and who we are in Him. and struggling with asking for things. this is where i often fall short. i know who Jesus is. i praise Him. i love who He has made me to be in Him...but I fear coming to Him and asking Him for things. i fear idolatry will be made known. I fear getting His answeres. I struggle with that - He GIVES GOOD GIFTS. I forget sometimes that He loves me so deeply He loves seeing me joyful - IF ITS DIRECTED BACK TO HIM! joy that ends in temporal pleasures (a good job, marriage, children, friendships, a nice home, etc..) is no joy at all. its temporal happiness that WILL FADE and WILL FAIL. but joy that is directed back to Jesus and His gifts (i PRAISE YOU OH LORD, for you have done great things...) it HAS to be about Him. it cant be about us. it just cant.


when my hg leader was talking last night I was just praying that I would learn the power of prayer. like elijah praying for rain and God answering...then prayig it would stop, and God answering. and elijah was a normal dude, like us! and when were told that the prayer of the righteous man avails much...or 'you do not get because you do not ask " (James) man...its so awesome.

theres that quote from tim keller that goes something like "God gives us what we would have asked for if we knew what He knew" or something like. our knowledge is so limited...on EVERYTHING. i think we dont realize how limited...in calvinistic teachings or in the beautiful simplicity of grace...to praying salvation over our unborn children to praying boldly over healing. but if we knew what God did. if we had that unlimited perfect knowledge...we would know how to pray and what to pray for. dunno if that makes sense. its such a beautiful truth though.

i think whats so beautiful about all of this is...it causes complete dependency and reliance on Jesus. His "track record" is flawless....everyone elses, everything else...failing miserably. He has promised to be faithful and HE IS. always. forever. nothing changes that fact. and nothing changes the fact that I am His. forever. and nothing and no one can snatch me out of His hands (john 10). and nothing and no one can separate me from His love. (romans 8)

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