Prayer: You Ask For It

As I talk with people and guide them in the practice of prayer, and as I hit the practice field of prayer myself, I'm often confronted with the thought that we should not excessively ask for things in prayer. Prayer, in this perspective, should be more God-centered than self-centered.

I have to offer Psalm 119:132-135 here as a stark and bright contradiction to that position.

I recommend you read the section of Psalm 119, or the Psalm as a whole since it is incredibly beautiful (and it's in the Bible which has it's own special value I suppose!), but what you'll find is a series of imperative verbs directed at God. Read that last sentence closely. Imperative verbs - such as the commands we give to our kids to "Clean" their room or "Go" to their rooms - are directed from the Psalmist to God.

The Psalmist is issuing imperative commands to God. We'd be hurting our own growth to leave these aside.

"Turn"

"Keep"

"Redeem"

"Make"

"Teach"

(Ps. 119:132, 133, 134, 135)

The Psalmist seems perfectly okay with calling on God to provide these key things - things that are oriented around God directing his life and teaching the Psalmist through His statutes.

We need to ask God to clear the path for us today, becoming more comfortable with calling on Him to act than fearing to call on Him and remaining inactive.

Blessings to you, as another work week closes (for some of us) and we come together to worship.