Journey thru Psalms - FOUR

A David psalm

1 When I call, give me answers. God, take my side! Once, in a tight place,
you gave me room;
Now I'm in trouble again: grace me! hear me!
2 You rabble--how long do I put up with your scorn?
How long will you lust after lies?
How long will you live crazed by illusion?
3 Look at this: look
Who got picked by GOD!
He listens the split second I call to him.
4 Complain if you must, but don't lash out.
Keep your mouth shut, and let your heart do the talking.
5 Build your case before God and wait for his verdict.
6 Why is everyone hungry for more? "More, more," they say.
"More, more."
I have God's more-than-enough,
7 More joy in one ordinary day
Than they get in all their shopping sprees.
8 At day's end I'm ready for sound sleep,
For you, GOD, have put my life back together.

This Psalm is also quoted in - Eph 4: 26 & 27

... 26 Go ahead and be angry. You do well to be angry--but don't use your anger as fuel for revenge. And don't stay angry. Don't go to bed angry. 27 Don't give the Devil that kind of foothold in your life!

First thing this Psalm spoke to me about was how I get frustrated with "people" and "life." I just cannot let things go.... confrontation, miscommunication, disagreement, whatever... (I am worse than a dog with a bone) I dwell on it 24/7 til I have mentally ripped it to shreds, repieced it together and ripped it apart (repeating this process at least five more times.) GIVE IT ALL TO GOD!!!! Don't try to fix it, do it, control it, manufacture it yourself. Our very breath that we breathe is but for the grace of God's Mercy. Our God is an AWESOME God who desires fellowship with us 24/7. He wants to hear our praises, our thanksgivings, our laments (sorry - still not getting the concept of this word) and our prayers, needs and wants.

Here is a quote from Darlene Zschech -

??? If your prayers were documented on earth, and chronicled as a life portrait for you…an insight into who you are when no one’s looking….what would they reveal about how you view God???

What does this say about my prayer life - I need to pray more, I need to pray with more faith - standing on God's promise that he is the beginning and the end, an all consuming fire... He doesn't hear 75%, 80%, 92% or even 99% of our prayers, cries, praises, laments. HE HEARS THEM ALL - all 100% of them. He is there 24/7 and he is yearning for fellowship with us through prayer.

We need to make prayer a priority over all worldly activities. We need to put worship and prayer together - not separate it. We need to realize God deserves our respect and our praise - togethe 24/7. We need to praise him during bad times and good. We need to lift EVERYTHING up to him, pray boldly and with faith that God is hearing ALL 100% of our prayers.

David - in this Psalm returns to prayer AGAIN - praying boldly and in faith that God is there, listening, ready to answer him. He realizes that putting his faith in God this way brings him more joy than ANY worldly object, desire, or want could provide. He rests easily knowing GOD IS IN CONTROL. (hello that's what I am saying......)

Recently I have had two prayers - one pretty public "losing wt" and another more public. As I read this psalm I realized how flippantly I was taking these prayers. I was rarely praying these prayers with boldness muchless faith that God was listening or even planning on answering. My thoughts were - "well, if it is meant to be it will happen." Which was my cop out to - it's not going to happen so why set myself up for disappointment.

This psalm has reinvigorated me to pray boldly, with faith, unceasingly - giving all control up to God. I will sit quietly and listen for his reply......