Tuesday, February 14, 2023

An HONEST Prayer

 

Tuesday, February 14, 2023

How can a young person stay pure?  By obeying your word.  I have tried hard to find you—don’t let me wander from your commands.  I have hidden your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you.  I praise you, O Lord; teach me your decrees.  I have recited aloud all the regulations you have given us.                  I have rejoiced in your laws as much as in riches.  I will study your commandments and reflect on your ways.  I will delight in your decrees and not forget your word. Psalm 119:9-16

There are some images that stay with you for life.  Some are because they were dramatic, or explosive, like a tragic accident, or first experience with death, or birth.  There are other lifetime moments that insidiously sneak up on you. 

One of those sneaky images I have is something I heard in a pastor’s sermon many years ago about why some people don’t believe in God.  A child prays for a pony…his family lives in a city apartment, so we know how that turns out.  Later he prays that big kid in his third grade class who’s been bullying him all year will catch the fever and die.  We know God rarely grants that one.  By the time he’s a freshman in college he’s about had it with God, but he’s got a big math test coming up, so he decides to give the man upstairs (ugh…how I hate that)…just One. Last. Chance.  He stands in the field next to his college dorm and lifts the challenge:  God, if you’re really there, I need a ‘B’ on this test…no, make it an ‘A’.  With that base covered he runs to the bar where he and his fraternity buddies drink the night away.  The next day, he flunks the math test because he didn’t study at all.  His sulking thought:  I knew it; I now have proof:  there is no God!

In comparison to our young friend with the tried that praying to God thing, and it doesn’t work, attitude chip on his shoulder, the Psalmist paints a different picture, of a young person trusting God, not challenging God. 

Notice what he does:

·       He recognizes his weakness, and the need to stay close to God, so he studies God’s ways and commands. 

·       He memorizes those parts that speak warning to his heart so those will be second-nature when the temptations come.

·       He is teachable, even rejoicing while asking God to fix His Word deep in his soul.

The bottom line for this young man is open and honest with his prayers before God.

For You Today  

How’s your prayer life lately?  Is there openness with being honest, teachable, and willing to change as God directs you through His word?

If not, today’s a good day to begin.

You chew on that as you hit the Rocky Road; have a blessed day!

Go to VIDEO (read by author)

There are about 2,000 devotional posts and 400 sermons in the Rocky Road Devotions library.  To dig deeper on today’s topic, explore some of these: 

When Words & Deeds Collide  and  Finding Wisdom 

Images:  Title Pixabay.com   Images without citation are either personal property of the author, or in public domain.

Unless noted, Scripture quoted from The New Living Translation©   



 

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