Hear my prayer, O Lord; listen to my plea! Answer me because you are faithful and righteous. Psalm 143:1
I don't know about you, but I tend to spend a lot of time asking God for things. I wake up in the morning asking Him for a good day (and usually putting in my request for some sunshine). I go along through the day asking for His guidance and provision. I ask for His protection and for wisdom. I ask for silly things and selfish things and things of no real significance in the grand scheme of eternity. I ask, and I ask, and I ask...
The problem is not in the asking, because God has told us in His Word that we should ask. And as I often point out to the Lord (as if He has forgotten!), He did say in James, "You have not because you ask not...).
The problem comes when I begin to think that I deserve an answer. God does answer prayer, and I am so thankful for that. He is concerned about the little details of my life. He LOVES me! That is so incredible! But His answers to my prayers do not come because I am so spiritual. His answers are not in response to my being kind or right or deserving in any way. The answers are simply about who God is.
David understood this simple truth, pouring out his heart, and crying out to God for help. He cried out to God not because he thought he deserved an answer, but because he had an understanding of the nature of God. David didn't ask God to answer because he (David) was good, but because HE (God) was good: "because YOU are faithful and righteous".
It kind of brings a new perspective to my prayer life, this understanding that God's response to my prayer is not about me...
Thank You, God, that You remain faithful even when I am faithless. Thank You that Your answers to my prayers are based on how good You are and not on how good I am. Now please teach me to do Your will (v.10)...
Just because He is faithful and righteous.
Just a thought...
