06/17/2019
Are you reluctant to pray because you feel that your ability to express yourself is lacking, and that you are unworthy to participate in a conversation with God... within whom all knowledge exists? Are you a pastor who feels more comfortable speaking with the well educated in his church than the childlike? Well, our God hears our words, but hears first from our hearts; not our mouths.
“Help, Lord; for the godly man ceaseth; for the faithful fail from among the children of men.”
Psalms 12:1 KJV
“Help, Lord” or in some translations “Save, Lord”; this is one of the shortest prayers in the Bible, and yet just as effective as those of great length. How many times have we needed to call for help, but then proceeded to clutter our prayer up with so much verbiage that it becomes hard to understand exactly what it is that we need?
I knew a man who suffered from Asperger’s Syndrome. This man was incredibly intelligent, but in trying to have a conversation he would communicate every intricate detail of whatever he was trying to tell you, and he wouldn’t allow time for you to respond. He might want a glass of filtered water, but begins by telling you how glass was made, how a certain glass was made, the details of water purification, where you can buy filtration systems, the different types of systems... and so forth. It was frustrating to have a conversation with him because the average person speaks more directly and to the point by saying “Can I have a glass of clean water?” It is also frustrating for him because he can’t stop this from happening, and his thirst remains unsatisfied until he is able to tell someone what he needs. Sometimes we pray as if we have Asperger’s Syndrome... we become so verbose that the point of our prayer, or the immediacy of our cry for help, becomes lost in the drawn out details, and frustrates us. Thankfully God understands Asperger’s, and he understands our rambling prayers.
Charles Spurgeon writes about praying in this windy manner, and encourages us to be specific in our prayers. Listen to what he says about this verse (Psalms 12:1)
“In this two word prayer, there is much that is direct, clear in its perception, and distinct in its style — much more, in fact than in the long, rambling prayers of some professing Christians. The psalmist ran straight to his God with a well considered prayer — he knew what he was seeking and where to look for it. Lord, teach us to pray in the same blessed manner.” - Charles Spurgeon
There are prayers that all men are capable of praying; times when a short succinct prayer is exactly what is needed. Such an instance might be when encountering a large road obstacle as you are driving down the interstate. Suddenly you see it, and in that split second in which you jerk the steering wheel to avoid impact you shout “JESUS!” There is no time to look right or left, no time to decide what to do, it becomes instinctive... both our reaction, and our prayer happen instantly.
So long verbose prayers might satisfy you, but cause the Lord to sit tapping his fingers on the table as He waits for you to get to the point. Have you ever listened to a corporate prayer and thought to yourself “Come on...Spit it out!”? Have you ever wanted to pray “Your will, not mine, be done!” And yet prayed for 45 minutes before accomplishing that? Who are we impressing? Do we think that the more words we use the more response we will receive? No... pray what is comfortable, and what is needed to place your desire before God.
Pastors, and saint, listen to the childlike in your church. They might speak to you in simple language, but their hearts are communicating the same righteousness as yours. Learn to hear, and speak, in their language. Don’t give a doctoral presentation to a pre-school class. Pray “Save us”, speak in their words ... “Jesus loves you, yes He does.”, and save the souls of the children. After all, do you honestly believe that you communicate with God on a His level? Do you think you are impressing Him with anything more than your love for Him? No... the first commandment tells us to love Him, and not to simply tell him that we love Him.
“And he answered, "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind, and your neighbor as yourself."”
Luke 10:27 ESV
So revisit your prayers, and determine what is appropriate as you communicate with God. Pray your needs succinctly from your heart, and then have your walks and Father-child conversations in flowing manner... or perhaps remain silent as your hearts speak as you stroll.
Prayer:
Father, thank you for hearing, and knowing, our hearts. Thank you for the intimate relationship that you have with our souls, and the incredible depth of understanding you have when our spirit prays in heartfelt moans and utterances. Thank you Father for those who are amazingly intelligent, and are powerful orators, but thank you equally for the childlike among us, and those who speak simply from their spirits. Teach us to pray Lord, not as it is pleasing for the ears of men, but as it pleases you, and for the heart from which you hear us. Holy, Holy, Holy, are you our God who loves the great and the small, the strong and the weak, and those with Asperger’s just as much as those who pray “Save us.”, or a scholarly prayer. Praised be your name as you discern our hearts, minds, and souls, and as you parse our prayers. Great are you who speaks the language of every soul, and values the love that flows from them. Have mercy on us Father as we have mercy on the least among us... love us Father, as we love the simplest among us. Forgive us our self-righteous prayers, and lead us Lord Jesus to our Father’s feet in prayer as children.
“Then children were brought to him that he might lay his hands on them and pray. The disciples rebuked the people, but Jesus said, "Let the little children come to me and do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of heaven."”
Matthew 19:13-14 ESV
Rich Forbes