Psalm 5:1-3 "Give ear to my words, O LORD, consider my sighing. Listen to my cry for help, my King and my God, for to you I pray. In the morning, O LORD, you hear my voice; in the morning I lay my requests before you and wait in expectation."
Prayer has become such an important part of my life. I have my prayer time in the morning...alone...just God and me. I feel that I can't face the challenges of the day if I haven't given it all up to Him. Then, I'm privileged to pray at the Colony, Monday through Friday, with the chaplains. I have come to love this time of raising our voices to our Lord with our praises of thanksgiving and our petitions for the coming day. Then there is that on-going dialog with God all day long...
I love this simple little prayer in Psalm 5. It's a good example for us to follow. The psalmist in these passages is no stranger to prayer with God. He is pouring his heart out to him, petitioning for God to hear his troubles. The word "consider" implies thinking about something very carefully with the idea of taking some kind of an action and to treat the issue in an attentive or kindly way.(1) Isn't this our cry, as well, when we lift our prayers? Don't we want an attentive and kindly ear?
The psalmist doesn't wait till noon or evening or when the situation is out of control. This isn't a "fox hole" prayer but one that is raised up in the morning, laying it all out to the Lord. This psalmist knows he is in deep trouble and that his only peace, solace or rescue will come from the only One who can give it...the Lord.
My favorite line is the last, "I lay my requests before you and wait in expectation." He's just giving it to God, laying all his troubles at the feet of the Lord. It's far too much for him to carry! Then he says...and this is the best part...I "wait in expectation!" How many of us can truly pray these words to the Lord, that I'm giving it all to you and however long it takes I KNOW you will answer my prayer!!!
I would love to be at this place with every prayer I pray and I have to say I'm not there yet...but I hope I can be.
Maybe we could all practice this little prayer in our prayer times. I imagine we would all experience a peace we have never experienced and answers to prayer we could never have dreamed of.
Psalm 5:1-3 "Give ear to my words, O LORD, consider my sighing. Listen to my cry for help, my King and my God, for to you I pray. In the morning, O LORD, you hear my voice; in the morning I lay my requests before you and wait in expectation."
MaryAnn
Have you made your reservation for one of our Anniversary Banquets Sept 8, 10, 14, 15, 16.? Please join us in celebrating God's faithfulness and goodness to America's KESWICK for 112 years. Call today 732.350.1187.
We would love for you to rejoice in God's goodness together with us. This year we also celebrate the 10th ANNIVERSARY of the WOMEN OF CHARACTER program.
If you can't join us, may I invite you to send a contribution in honor of our Anniversary celebration? America's KESWICK 601 Route 530, Whiting, NJ 08759- please mark your check ANNIVERSARY BANQUET - FROM VC SUBSCRIBER or you may go to our website www.americaskeswick.org and make your donation online. Thank you in advance for your generosity.
1 http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/consider retrieved 8/13/09
No comments:
Post a Comment