Courage to pray

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What happens when I do not want to be destroyed? Do I confront that fear with worship? I think that is what happens in the Psalms.

We give thanks to you, O God, we give thanks to you!
    We proclaim how great you are
    and tell of[b] the wonderful things you have done. But I will never stop speaking of the God of Jacob
    or singing praises to him. – Psalm 75:1,9 GNT

When Judah is facing the armies of Assyria, they called out to God and this was their song. Do I not remember His mercy by the testimonies of those who have gone before me – from those who feared Him? If I have been away from God for a while, this would be a great place to restart my relationship. Doesn’t it give me the courage to pray for His help?  

 

 

Even with a model prayer, it could take years for an answer

even with a model prayer it could take years for an answer

Another great prayer for me to engage in this morning came via Psalm 74. It has been my reality at times and describes my need to pray. I will not argue right now whether it was the consequence of sin or simply the effects of living in a fallen world, but there were times when it really felt like the world had turned upside down. I have even felt, during those times, that God had “put me on the shelf.”

Why have you abandoned us like this, O God?
    Will you be angry with your own people forever?
Remember your people, whom you chose for yourself long ago,
    whom you brought out of slavery to be your own tribe.
    Remember Mount Zion, where once you lived. – Psalm 74:1-2 GNT

Even so, I have still responded to God in prayer. I go to God with all of my frustrations and my requests.

Why?

But do not forget one thing, my dear friends! There is no difference in the Lord’s sight between one day and a thousand years; to him the two are the same. – 2 Peter 3:8 GNT

I gain perspective on prayer when I remember that God’s relation to time is different than my own.

“The big idea of the Christian life is coram Deo. Coram Deo captures the essence of the Christian life.” – R.C. Sproul

I know that the easy route is to become impatient when God seems to take His time answering my prayer. That might even turn to frustration and there I might find myself in trouble. It is in knowing that God’s timetable matters more and it is one I can trust that helps me remember that He moves at the proper time. So I pray knowing this.

If we pray without meditation our own communion with God becomes poor and distant – Edmund Clowney, Christian Meditation

 

 

 

Praying grace and peace to build others up

Optimal hour to build up others in prayer

I love it when I am challenged and engaged by others to grow in grace and holiness. Faith and the invitation to be part of the family of God are great beginning steps, incredibly important steps, but it is not a place to rest in – as if we have now arrived. Peter really sets his heart on this and engages me – he wants that grace and peace might be multiplied to me so that I can press forward in obtaining more grace.

It is also my opportunity to pray for others and to walk with them, disciple them, so they too will grow in their relationship with God and to be diligent about it. By not trying harder, there is no gaining any ground in the work of holiness. This is not the place for being lazy.

For this very reason do your best to add goodness to your faith; to your goodness add knowledge; to your knowledge add self-control; to your self-control add endurance; to your endurance add godliness; to your godliness add Christian affection; and to your Christian affection add love. These are the qualities you need, and if you have them in abundance, they will make you active and effective in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. But if you do not have them, you are so shortsighted that you cannot see and have forgotten that you have been purified from your past sins.

So then, my friends, try even harder to make God’s call and his choice of you a permanent experience; if you do so, you will never abandon your faith.[b]In this way you will be given the full right to enter the eternal Kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. – 2 Peter 1:5-11 GNT

Q. 1. What is the chief end of man?  Man’s chief end is to glorify God, and to enjoy him forever. 

Q. 2. What rule hath God given to direct us how we may glorify and enjoy him? The Word of God, which is contained in the Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments, is the only rule to direct us how we may glorify and enjoy him. – Westminster Shorter Catechism

Prayer is the shield, spear, thunderbolt, defense – this is for you

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Psalm 70 captures my attention today mainly because of a quote from Martin Luther. He said that “prayer is the shield, spear, thunderbolt and defense against every attack of fear, presumption [and] lukewarmness…which are especially dominant today.” The quote was written by James Montgomery Boice but I could not find its source.

This plea, here in the Psalm 70, is for deliverance but it is also one of remembrance of the many times God had already delivered.

Save me, O God!
    Lord, help me now! – Psalm 70:1 GNT

I wonder if I even come close to praying with such a sense of urgency. If I had maybe I would be praying more often.

“The petitions in this form of the psalm emphasize the urgency of the matter. There is not a moment to lose; or so it appears.” Kidner

“The circumstances were those of suffering…made more poignant by the gloating gladness of enemies…The troubled soul knew that help was only to be found in God. His difficulty was that God did not seem to be acting with sufficient speed. (God) was at least leisurely, when the need seemed pressing; He was not hastening, in spite of the urgency. So it appeared to this troubled heart, and so it has constantly appeared to those who have suffered. One of the supreme glories of the Psalter is that it gives us a song like this, expressing a common human experience, even though it reveals a mistaken conception of God. God never needs to be called upon to hasten. He is never tarrying uselessly or carelessly. Indeed, we may say that often: “Through the thick darkness He is hastening,” that is, through the very darkness which makes us imagine He is inactive, or unduly delaying His help. Nevertheless, He understands our cry. We may use any terms in our prayers, if they are directed to Him, knowing that He will understand, and in His understanding, interpret our faulty terms by His own perfect knowledge, and give us His best answers to our deepest need.” – G. Campbell Morgan

May those who try to kill me
    be defeated and confused.
May those who are happy because of my troubles
    be turned back and disgraced.
May those who make fun of me
    be dismayed by their defeat. – Psalm 70:2-3 GNT

“The psalmist prays for his enemies’ fall and shame in accordance with the principles of justice and with the promise of God to curse those who cursed his own.” – VanGemeren

“For success in evil encourages even more evil and establishes the evil doer in his or her ways. The kindest thing we can pray for people who do wrong is that their plans will fail, for it may be that in their frustration they will see the folly and true end of evil and be reached for God.” –  James Boice

Peter offers an additional perspective – a post evil – or maybe it is an attitude that gets me through it so that when I am delivered I am wiser and better for it.

But after you have suffered for a little while, the God of all grace, who calls you to share his eternal glory in union with Christ, will himself perfect you and give you firmness, strength, and a sure foundation. – 1 Peter 5:10 GNT

There is a calmness to Peter’s prayer – maybe it is one of confidence that He trusts God to answer. It is an exhortation that I am encouraged to pray for those who are suffering – and the good news is there – this is for them.

“When our Lord and Master Jesus Christ said, ‘Repent’ (Matthew 4:17), he willed the entire life of believers to be one of repentance”. – Martin Luther

 

 

 

Do not think God has not heard when we have been able and alert in our prayer

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Psalm 69 has so much to teach me on prayer.

Save me, O God!
The water is up to my neck;
I am sinking in deep mud,
and there is no solid ground;
I am out in deep water,
and the waves are about to drown me.
I am worn out from calling for help,
and my throat is aching.
I have strained my eyes,
looking for your help.

Those who hate me for no reason
are more numerous than the hairs of my head.
My enemies tell lies against me;
they are strong and want to kill me.
They made me give back things I did not steal.
My sins, O God, are not hidden from you;
you know how foolish I have been. – Psalm 69:1-5 GNT

What an image of drowning – I am there with him. The imminence of death is there if I want it to be and I will only want it to be if I do not believe that God has heard my prayer. What is the cause of drowning – those who hate, the numbers of those who hate – and the lack of reason in doing so. Even so, while they may be out of line, I know my sins are real and they lay before God.

 

Don’t let me bring shame on those who trust in you,
    Sovereign Lord Almighty!
Don’t let me bring disgrace to those who worship you,
    O God of Israel!
It is for your sake that I have been insulted
    and that I am covered with shame.
I am like a stranger to my relatives,
    like a foreigner to my family.

My devotion to your Temple burns in me like a fire;
    the insults which are hurled at you fall on me.
I humble myself[b] by fasting,
    and people insult me;
I dress myself in clothes of mourning,
    and they laugh at me.
They talk about me in the streets,
    and drunkards make up songs about me. – Psalm 69:6-12 GNT

I too have prayed the prayer asking God not to bring shame on other followers of jesus because of what I am going through. My shame comes from being a follower of Jesus and even those who have watched me daily in my walk seem to have turned their back on me. Even so, I burn for my love for Jesus and I am constantly sincerely repentant for my sins. That just offers more fuel to the fire for the insults, for now are even more personal.

But as for me, I will pray to you, Lord;
    answer me, God, at a time you choose.
Answer me because of your great love,
    because you keep your promise to save.
Save me from sinking in the mud;
    keep me safe from my enemies,
    safe from the deep water.
Don’t let the flood come over me;
    don’t let me drown in the depths
    or sink into the grave.

Answer me, Lord, in the goodness of your constant love;
    in your great compassion turn to me!
Don’t hide yourself from your servant;
    I am in great trouble—answer me now!
Come to me and save me;
    rescue me from my enemies. – Psalm 69:13-18 GNT

I do the only thing left to do – I ask God to rescue me. I know the character of God is one where He keeps His promises and He has an amazing love for me. His compassion is turned towards me as He looks at me. It is a passionate prayer and if you noticed, the prayer is growing in confidence the longer it progresses – God will hear and answer because of who He is.

You know how I am insulted,
    how I am disgraced and dishonored;
    you see all my enemies.
Insults have broken my heart,
    and I am in despair.
I had hoped for sympathy, but there was none;
    for comfort, but I found none.
When I was hungry, they gave me poison;
    when I was thirsty, they offered me vinegar.

May their banquets cause their ruin;
    may their sacred feasts cause their downfall.
Strike them with blindness!
    Make their backs always weak!
Pour out your anger on them;
    let your indignation overtake them.
May their camps be left deserted;
    may no one be left alive in their tents.
They persecute those whom you have punished;
    they talk about the sufferings of those you have wounded.
Keep a record of all their sins;
    don’t let them have any part in your salvation.
May their names be erased from the book of the living;
    may they not be included in the list of your people. – Psalm 69:19-28 GNT

Notice how easy it is take it all back again – making it personal. I stop thinking about God and start to think about people again – and they offer me nothing, leaving me alone and friendless. Then comes the prayer of imprecation. They somehow creep into my life, if not verbally, definitely in my dreams. I pray that I may not be here long and come back to being the person God has called me to be for the time is short and the hour has come for me to rise up and continue to serve.

The end of all things is near. You must be self-controlled and alert, to be able to pray. – 1 Peter 4:7 GNT

If the end of all things is near – why am I hanging on to what will not last? I long for the day of His returning.

“Do not look so sad. We shall meet soon again.”
“Please, Aslan,” said Lucy, “what do you call soon?”
“I call all times soon,” said Aslan; and instantly he was vanished away.
—C. S. LEWIS, The Voyage of the Dawn Treader

It brings me to a place of urgency and action. A place where I am sensible and self-controlled, level headed, not impulsive or easily swayed by emotion. I will not go off the deep end. I shall have clarity of mind and may my character and service make a difference. Most of all, I need to be able to pray. For some, at different places of their journey, prayer can be difficult. Yet when I am alert, and in the midst of suffering and hostility as Psalm 69 presented, a sound and alert prayer life is most important.

But after we have learned by faith to know that whatever is necessary for us or defective in us is supplied in God and in our Lord Jesus Christ, in whom it hath pleased the Father that all fulness should dwell, that we may thence draw as from an inexhaustible fountain, it remains for us to seek and in prayer implore of him what we have learned to be in him. – John Calvin