January 25

Scripture focus:
I run to you, GOD; I run for dear life. Don't let me down! Take me seriously this time! Get down on my level and listen, and please—no procrastination! Your granite cave a hiding place, your high cliff aerie a place of safety. You're my cave to hide in, my cliff to climb. Be my safe leader, be my true mountain guide. Free me from hidden traps; I want to hide in you. I've put my life in your hands. You won't drop me, you'll never let me down. 6-13 I hate all this silly religion, but you, God, I trust. I'm leaping and singing in the circle of your love; you saw my pain, you disarmed my tormentors, You didn't leave me in their clutches but gave me room to breathe. Be kind to me, God— I'm in deep, deep trouble again. I've cried my eyes out; I feel hollow inside. My life leaks away, groan by groan; my years fade out in sighs. My troubles have worn me out, turned my bones to powder. To my enemies I'm a monster; I'm ridiculed by the neighbors. My friends are horrified; they cross the street to avoid me. They want to blot me from memory, forget me like a corpse in a grave, discard me like a broken dish in the trash. The street-talk gossip has me "criminally insane"! Behind locked doors they plot how to ruin me for good. Desperate, I throw myself on you: you are my God! Hour by hour I place my days in your hand, safe from the hands out to get me. Warm me, your servant, with a smile; save me because you love me. Don't embarrass me by not showing up; I've given you plenty of notice. Embarrass the wicked, stand them up, leave them stupidly shaking their heads as they drift down to hell. Gag those loudmouthed liars who heckle me, your follower, with jeers and catcalls. 19-22 What a stack of blessing you have piled up for those who worship you, ready and waiting for all who run to you to escape an unkind world. You hide them safely away from the opposition. As you slam the door on those oily, mocking faces, you silence the poisonous gossip. Blessed GOD! His love is the wonder of the world. Trapped by a siege, I panicked. "Out of sight, out of mind," I said. But you heard me say it, you heard and listened. Love GOD, all you saints; GOD takes care of all who stay close to him, but he pays back in full those arrogant enough to go it alone. 24 Be brave. Be strong. Don't give up. Expect God to get here soon. Psalm

When I want to learn a new skill, I study others who have mastered it. The Psalmist certainly is comfortable in his praying. I love how he speaks so frankly to God when he says, “I’ve given you plenty of notice.” He also doesn’t mind asking God to smite his enemies.

As we move to the conclusion of our month of devotionals focused on prayer, I’d suggest we take some time and study the way this man prays. What surprises you? What makes you laugh? What makes you rethink the nature of prayer?

Click on the word comments below and join our conversation!

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2 comments:

Anonymous said...

"If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you will and it shall be done for you. By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit, and so prove to be my disciples. As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you; abide in my love. If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father's commandments and abide in His love. These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full." (John 15:7-11)"Here is a call for the endurance of the saints, those who keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus." (Revelation 14:12)

Dichelle said...

Teresa, you are so good to us. I was indeed reading the scripture and finding it weird, arrogant, confused--just a messy stream of consciousness!

But after reading your comments, I see why you picked this scripture. And after having given it some thought, I find it's not all that different from the crazy way my own mind jumps around.

I see now that this passage isn't put in the Bible to show us HOW to pray -- it's just a snapshot of another sinner's experience. For me, who struggles with knowing how to pray the "right way" it's somewhat freeing to think all my thoughts can be brought forth to God and he'll sort them out. The goal is simply for me to reach intimacy with God, not to get all the words right.

Thank you!

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