July 30, 2014

Note: this is a guest post by Emily Moore.

A prayer based on Psalm 31.

O Lord, I take refuge in You; don’t let me put to shame!  Deliver me, in Your righteousness; answer me and rescue me quickly!  You are my Rock and my Fortress.  Who else can I go to?  If You fail me, I will be utterly destitute, because my spirit has been committed into Your hands.  Demonstrate Your saving power; prove Your Name strong and secure!  You are the faithful God of all gods.  You are my redeemer, and I trust in You.

I hate those who pay regard to idols.  They’re worthless!  They cannot save anyone.  I will rejoice and be glad in Your steadfast love alone, because You see my trouble and rescue me.  Idols are a deception, and the enemy seeks to overtake me, but You have not delivered me into their hand.  You know my suffering, and You will conquer and save.

Be gracious to me, O Lord!  I am in distress!  My heart, soul, body and mind are sick with grief.  I know I don’t deserve Your grace.  It’s because of my sin that my strength fails.  And it’s because of my enemies that I’m shunned by all my acquaintances.  No one wants to be near me, because they know it means trouble.  There’s no escape – people are conspiring against me on every side.

But I trust in You, Lord!  You are my God.  Even though the situation looks hopeless, You are my only hope.  My life is in Your hand.  Rescue me; make Your face shine on me and save me in Your steadfast love!  Don’t make me look like a fool for trusting You.  Instead, make my enemies be silenced!  Let the wicked be put to shame; turn the tables on those who were full of pride and contempt.

I know the end of the story.  You have stored up such abundant goodness for those who fear You and take refuge in You!  You will come through.  You thwart the plots of evil men and You safeguard the righteous.  It’s so easy to get alarmed, in the middle of trouble!  I said You cut me off from Your sight.  But I spoke too soon.  You have wondrously shown Your steadfast love to me.  You heard my pleas for mercy.

Love the Lord, all you his saints!  The Lord preserves the faithful, but abundantly repays the one who acts in pride.  Be strong, and let your heart take courage, all you who wait for the Lord!

July 21, 2014

Note: this is a guest post by Emily Moore.

Psalm 34:19-22

Many are the afflictions of the righteous,
    but the Lord delivers him out of them all.
He keeps all his bones;
    not one of them is broken.
Affliction will slay the wicked,
    and those who hate the righteous will be condemned.
The Lord redeems the life of his servants;
    none of those who take refuge in him will be condemned.

Father, it’s so easy to remember how many our afflictions are!  It’s easy to remember the sickness and injury and death and danger that daily surrounds us.  It’s easy to pay attention to the things that are right in front of us.  Sometimes the situation seems hopeless.  We can’t see a way out of it.

But You, O Lord, are our help and our shield!  You are our Deliverer.  Perhaps we will remain in the midst of affliction for a long time, or perhaps You will save us quickly.  But this we know: You alone will deliver us from all of our afflictions.  For the sake of Your Son, the Righteous Redeemer, have mercy on us!  We know that just as Your Son suffered and was glorified, so too if we hold fast to Him our suffering will result in glory.  Just as You kept Your promises to Your Son – not one of His bones was broken! – You will keep Your promises to us.

But for the wicked – those who refuse to acknowledge Your Name, those who murder and lie and steal and glory in their shame – You will not rescue them!  They will die because of their affliction.  They will receive justice.  They will be condemned for their hatred.  Lord, let Your justice prevail over the wicked!

But we know, and tremble because we know it, that only Your grace keeps us from the same fate.  We are all murderers in our hearts.  We all deserve to be slain by affliction.  But thank You for Your redemption in Your Son!  Our lives are secure in You, because we have taken refuge in You.  Look upon Your servants with favor!  Let us live in the light of Your presence, and let us live by mercy as we have been given mercy.

In Jesus’ holy and precious Name,

Amen.

July 14, 2014

One of the most commonly shared prayer requests is healing. We all get sick or injured at some point, and we yearn to be healthy. We ask for protection for soldiers in harm’s way. We long for the ability to engage in life with full joy and confidence.

But often, we remain sick and injured. We keep asking, over and over, for protection, and yet soldiers are wounded and killed. Why does a God of life, of healing, seem to ignore our prayers? Is it because of a lack of faith? Is it because God is disciplining or punishing us?

The Bible does speak of these possibilities. However, Psalm 34:19a says, “Many are the afflictions of the righteous.” God also chooses to let His children struggle, without any apparent reason. Job is the classic Biblical example of righteous suffering.

In light of this difficult, sometimes heartrending, truth, what should be our perspective as we pray for healing?

First of all, we must trust God and fear Him. He is not a puppet, to be bound by our wishes. He has promised to answer our prayer, but He has complete authority to respond according to His wisdom and His timing. We must fear God, because His power is unlimited. However, this same truth causes us to trust Him. Because He has all authority, He is able to execute His plans according to His perfect wisdom and love. We pray to God, knowing that He hears us, loves us, and will certainly accomplish what is best for us – even if it causes us pain for a little while.

Secondly, we must maintain an eternal perspective. As many of the psalms remind us, we are made of dust, and like the flower of the field, fade and die in the blink of an eye. There is no such thing as perfect health in this lifetime. As soon as we reach our prime, our bodies begin to wear out. However, we have an eternal weight of glory awaiting us in heaven. The sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing to the glory that is to be revealed to us!

Finally, we must pray with confidence that God will heal us. If a son asks his father for bread, will he give him a stone? Or if he asks him for a fish, will he give him a snake? God has not commanded us to pray in futility. Instead, God has given us His unbreakable promise to answer us as a father would his son. God delights to give us good things – not just in some over-spiritualized pie-in-the-sky, but here on earth, in our frail, temporary jars of clay. Yes, our ultimate hope and our only perfect healing is found in heaven. But David also wrote in Psalm 27:13, “I believe that I shall look upon the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living!”

Each of these aspects of praying for healing is important. Overconfidence can lead to treating God like a genie in a lamp or a powerful puppet. Forgetting God’s fatherly goodness will lead to a faithless over-spiritualization of God’s healing promises. The fear of God is the beginning of wisdom, and everyone who trusts in Him will find refuge. Easier said than done! But God is gracious, and He will surely give to those who ask.

July 2, 2014

Note: this is a guest post by Emily Moore.

From Psalm 27.

The Lord is my light and my salvation;

    whom shall I fear?

The Lord is the stronghold of my life;

    of whom shall I be afraid?

Father, let us remember the promises of Your Word.  We are so often afraid.  Sometimes it’s without cause, but sometimes there are legitimate concerns that we need to deal with.  We live in a broken world with evil all around.

When evildoers assail me

    to eat up my flesh,

my adversaries and foes,

    it is they who stumble and fall.

Though an army encamp against me,

    my heart shall not fear;

though war arise against me,

    yet I will be confident.

We live in a world where we must fight against armies.  Lord, protect our soldiers who are in the direct path of war.  Give them the confidence that comes from knowing You are our Protector.  The enemy cannot touch us without Your permission, and under Your watchful providence that makes all things work for good for those who love You.  And no matter what, nothing in heaven or on earth can separate us from Your love in Christ Jesus.

One thing have I asked of the Lord,

    that will I seek after:

that I may dwell in the house of the Lord

    all the days of my life,

to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord

    and to inquire in his temple.

For he will hide me in his shelter

    in the day of trouble;

he will conceal me under the cover of his tent;

    he will lift me high upon a rock.

And now my head shall be lifted up

    above my enemies all around me,

and I will offer in his tent

    sacrifices with shouts of joy;

I will sing and make melody to the Lord.

Your dwelling place is our heart’s desire!  And You have said to us, “I will be with you always.”  Thank You for Immanuel, God with us!  When enemies trouble us, You are the One we seek refuge with.  Let us gaze upon Your beauty in joy!

Hear, O Lord, when I cry aloud;

    be gracious to me and answer me!

You have said, “Seek my face.”

My heart says to you,

    “Your face, Lord, do I seek.”

    Hide not your face from me.

Turn not your servant away in anger,

    O you who have been my help.

Cast me not off; forsake me not,

    O God of my salvation!

For my father and my mother have forsaken me,

    but the Lord will take me in.

You are our help and salvation when there is no other!  Please hear us when we cry for help.  We depend on Your grace.

Teach me your way, O Lord,

    and lead me on a level path

    because of my enemies.

Give me not up to the will of my adversaries;

    for false witnesses have risen against me,

    and they breathe out violence.

I believe that I shall look upon the goodness of the Lord

    in the land of the living!

Wait for the Lord;

    be strong, and let your heart take courage;

    wait for the Lord!