Desperate?

If you ever have the opportunity to pray in public, do you hear yourself?

When you pray in private, do you hear yourself?

What is your attitude when your pray? Well, this is a got-to-do-today so...

When I read the Psalms, I am often captured by the fact of how shallow my prayers sound when I read what is there. How often the Psalmist sounds so...well, desperate.

Consider a few verses from Psalm 40 (English Standard Version)...

40:1 I waited patiently for the Lord;he inclined to me and heard my cry.

40:8 I desire to do your will, O my God;your law is within my heart.

40:10 I have not hidden your deliverance within my heart;I have spoken of your faithfulness and your salvation;I have not concealed your steadfast love and your faithfulnessfrom the great congregation.

40:12 For evils have encompassed mebeyond number;my iniquities have overtaken me, and I cannot see;they are more than the hairs of my head;my heart fails me.

40:13 Be pleased, O Lord, to deliver me!O Lord, make haste to help me! 14 Let those be put to shame and disappointed altogetherwho seek to snatch away my life;let those be turned back and brought to dishonorwho desire my hurt! 15 Let those be appalled because of their shamewho say to me, “Aha, Aha!”

40:17 As for me, I am poor and needy,but the Lord takes thought for me.You are my help and my deliverer;do not delay, O my God!

I would invite you to read this entire Psalm before you pray next time. When I do, I am prone to ask myself why my praying sounds so tame and civilized and so cliche'(ish). You can not spend much time in the Psalms until you realize that you don't hear that type of praying in church that very often. In fact, the only time I can remember is when the circumstance of the one requesting prayer (or for myself) is so clearly out of their (and my) hands. When you can't do anything, you tend to get a little desperate.

I fear that too often I pray believing that much is riding on me and little on God, when Scripture is so clear to reveal the opposite is quite true.

"Lord, save us (and me) from believing that prayer is a mere time-filler in a worship service or just a good way to begin a fat-filled fast food meal or NASCAR race or some other event where we succomb that we need a little prayer to get things started. Let us see prayer rightly. Thank you for your servant, John Piper, who has told us...

'Prayer is the open admission that without Christ we can do nothing. And prayer is turning away from ourselves to God in the confidence that he will provide the help we need. Prayer humbles us as needy, and exalts God as wealthy.'
-John Piper
Desiring God

"May we be more needy in order that you might be more glorified! And then, may we cry out to your glory what the Psalmist has said,

Psalm 40:4 'Blessed is the man who makesthe Lord his trust,who does not turn to the proud,to those who go astray after a lie! 5 You have multiplied, O Lord my God,your wondrous deeds and your thoughts toward us; none can compare with you! I will proclaim and tell of them, yet they are more than can be told.

Psalm 40:9 'I have told the glad news of deliverance in the great congregation; behold, I have not restrained my lips, as you know, O Lord. 10 I have not hidden your deliverance within my heart; I have spoken of your faithfulness and your salvation;I have not concealed your steadfast love and your faithfulness from the great congregation.'

In Jesus Great Name, Amen."