Psalm 142 – “A psalm of David, regarding his experience in the cave. A prayer.”
“I cry out to the Lord…”
Oh Lord, please hear me –
“I plead for the LORD’S mercy.”
Lord, I don’t deserve it, but please be kind to me –
“I pour out my complaints before him and tell him all my troubles.”
This life is hard, Lord. I have so many problems. So many things are difficult. I don’t know where to start –
“When I am overwhelmed…”
Lord, it’s all too much. I feel like I’m drowning –
“…you alone know the way I should turn.”
Please show me what to do, Lord. I just want to follow You –
“Wherever I go, my enemies have set traps for me.”
Lord, Satan is after me. It seems like he’s there all the time with defeating thoughts, or discouraging doubts. Sometimes I feel like I’m caught up in a snare –
“I look for someone to come and help me…”
I can’t do this alone. I need help –
“…but no one gives me a passing thought!”
But sometimes I just feel so alone –
“Then I pray to you, O LORD.”
I finally pray, Lord – the one thing I should have done from the very start –
“I say, ‘You are my place of refuge…”
Lord, you are a shelter from the wind, a quiet place in the middle of
the storm –
“…You are all I really want in life.”
When it comes right down to it, Lord, nothing really matters to me
besides You –
“Hear my cry, for I am very low.”
Even so, Lord, I feel so down, so sad, so hopeless –
“Rescue me from my persecutors…”
Help me, Lord. Only You can rescue me from the “enemy” –
“…for they are too strong for me.”
I don’t have the power to fight him. He’s too clever, too mean –
“Bring me out of prison…”
Sometimes this world makes me feel trapped, like I can’t escape its suffering and hardships –
“…so I can thank you.”
But oh, Lord, how grateful I am that You love me – I know that this world is NOT all there is – and how glad I am for that –
“The godly will crowd around me…”
Thank you for giving me other believers to help me along my journey –
“…for you are good to me.”
I love You, Lord – and I know that You are good – all the time.
AMEN!
BLOG = "Blessedly Leaning On God!"
This is so good, Sharon. It sounds much like a prayer I prayed a few days ago - feeling overwhelmed and unsure.
ReplyDeleteThanks for visiting today - I too love the character of Aslan.
Blessings,
Joan
I love this. It is a reflection of the prayers that I find myself praying. I call out to him about about "me" or "it" or "them" for a while and then turn my face in a different direction and pray ABOUT HIM. Suddenly, the prayer takes on power.
ReplyDeleteThis prayer reminds me of that surrender we were talking about a few days ago, doesn't it?
Hi Sharon,
ReplyDeleteWhat an intimate conversation with God. It's a blessing to be able to pour out my doubts, fears, and concerns to Almighty God; knowing He hears me. Even though I've never seen Him, He has given me the Holy Spirit, allowing me to sense His presence.
Blessings and peace.
MTJ
Love the way you expounded upon David's prayer, Sharon.
ReplyDeleteGreetings -
ReplyDeleteThank you, Sharon...
Our Lord indeed is a very present help in times of trouble. He is greater than all and He rules!
beautiful, Sharon!! loved how you put David's words into your day to day experience and what you needed help from the Lord with. Awesome!! always good to pray scripture!
ReplyDelete(we didn't get much rain yesterday, some today, not much thought :)
betty
Joan - I'm glad I'm not the only one out there who feels overwhelmed and unsure sometimes (not that I'm GLAD you felt that way - know what I mean?!) What would we do without our Lord? And how wonderful that we are free to POUR our hearts out to Him!
ReplyDeleteDebbie - Surrender...Yup, it does remind me of that. I guess that's a "theme" for me right now. Surrender and trust. Daily obedience. Relying on God's timing. Learning to REST in His promises - even in the midst of my anxious days.
MTJ - It's such a privilege to be able to BOLDLY approach the throne of God and "let it all hang out!" And to know He listens, and He cares...what a wonderful blessing! It's been a week of struggle, and today I cried out, "Where are you, God?" And I HEARD His still, small voice..."Sharon, I'm right here."
Wanda - Thank you. A couple of months ago, I went to hear Beth Moore at our church. She suggested this method of making Scripture into dialogue. Go through a passage, verse by verse, and respond to God's Word. It's the first time I've done it - it was a wonderful experience...
Sandra - Thanks. That is a great phrase, isn't it? A VERY PRESENT help! Really brings home the realization that He IS here, as close as a heartbeat, as close as a breath. (AMEN to your comment, too - HE RULES!!)
Betty - Glad you enjoyed this. See my note to Wanda above - that's how I got the idea. Praying Scripture - I'm going to do that more. And I find it really helps when I put my name into it, or the name of my family. God wants His Word to be personal - so it can speak to our hearts! (Today was better up here, too - saw somewhere that it might be sunny and in the 80's by Saturday - go figure!!)
Thoughts and prayers with you all - GOD BLESS!