Psalm 141:1-2 "LORD, I cry unto thee: make
haste unto me; give ear unto my voice, when I cry unto thee. (2)
Let my prayer be set forth before thee as incense; and the lifting up of my
hands as the evening sacrifice."
I make no bones about it, I love the book of the Psalms. I think there are many reasons for which I love them, but one of the main reasons is that it shows the side of human nature that shows myself. It shows the reality of the unconditional love of God; in that, He moved David and the other Psalmists to show their real sides, including their weaknesses. I am in no way indicating the rest of the Bible is not real. I am simply saying that as I read the Psalms and their cries unto the Lord, I can say, "I know that feeling."
Most of the Psalms are songs of prayers. "Lord, I cry unto thee." Not every prayer is one of desperate pleas, but can you identify a time when you literally felt a cry coming from deep within you to ask God for His help? Can you identify with any feeling of deep need that God hear your cries?
"Let my prayer be set forth before thee as incense." I have often heard people say they do not feel their prayers go higher than the ceiling. I guess I have felt that way at times also. But if they go out of your heart, even if they did not go higher than the ceiling, God heard that prayer. You see, one of the theological terms used to describe God is "omnipresent". That accurate description tells us that God is everywhere. So if the prayer is in your heart, God hears it. There are many times when I pray that it is a silent prayer between God and me. There are other times when I feel the need to verbalize the prayer, even when no one else is around. I need to hear the words coming out of my mouth.
Our prayers go before the throne of God as a sweet smelling incense (savour) when we pray in and through the precious name of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ. That is more than simply saying the words, "in Jesus' name," at the end of our prayer. To pray in Jesus' name means to realize that our very approach to God is through the work of redemption accomplished by Jesus on the cross. To pray in Jesus' name is to realize that our goodness is nothing, but we have been given (imputed) the goodness (righteousness) of Jesus' Christ. He took our sin. He gave us His righteousness. God does not hear my prayers based upon anything of myself. He hears my prayers because Jesus' love for me took away my sin, giving my access to my Heavenly Father. The Lord does hear my prayers through Jesus. He does give ear to my words. He gives compassion and mercy to my needs. He gives His grace to cover my sins.
I make no bones about it, I love the book of the Psalms. I think there are many reasons for which I love them, but one of the main reasons is that it shows the side of human nature that shows myself. It shows the reality of the unconditional love of God; in that, He moved David and the other Psalmists to show their real sides, including their weaknesses. I am in no way indicating the rest of the Bible is not real. I am simply saying that as I read the Psalms and their cries unto the Lord, I can say, "I know that feeling."
Most of the Psalms are songs of prayers. "Lord, I cry unto thee." Not every prayer is one of desperate pleas, but can you identify a time when you literally felt a cry coming from deep within you to ask God for His help? Can you identify with any feeling of deep need that God hear your cries?
"Let my prayer be set forth before thee as incense." I have often heard people say they do not feel their prayers go higher than the ceiling. I guess I have felt that way at times also. But if they go out of your heart, even if they did not go higher than the ceiling, God heard that prayer. You see, one of the theological terms used to describe God is "omnipresent". That accurate description tells us that God is everywhere. So if the prayer is in your heart, God hears it. There are many times when I pray that it is a silent prayer between God and me. There are other times when I feel the need to verbalize the prayer, even when no one else is around. I need to hear the words coming out of my mouth.
Our prayers go before the throne of God as a sweet smelling incense (savour) when we pray in and through the precious name of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ. That is more than simply saying the words, "in Jesus' name," at the end of our prayer. To pray in Jesus' name means to realize that our very approach to God is through the work of redemption accomplished by Jesus on the cross. To pray in Jesus' name is to realize that our goodness is nothing, but we have been given (imputed) the goodness (righteousness) of Jesus' Christ. He took our sin. He gave us His righteousness. God does not hear my prayers based upon anything of myself. He hears my prayers because Jesus' love for me took away my sin, giving my access to my Heavenly Father. The Lord does hear my prayers through Jesus. He does give ear to my words. He gives compassion and mercy to my needs. He gives His grace to cover my sins.