Psalm 17
A prayer of David
Hear ye, hear ye, hear ye! The cry rings out and begs to be heard. Listen to me! This is important! This needs to be heard. I need it to be heard. Whether it is a messenger of the king or a cry for help, such a cry looks to be heard. Its hope is that those to whom it is directed will listen and respond. That they will find the cry to be good and right and worthy of response. In truth, whenever we cry out to God we hope that He will, not only hear (yet we believe that He will), but we hope also that He will find our prayers to Him just and worthy. Each time we approach to Him we, of course, cry out wishing to be heard. However, there are those times when we especially want God’s attention. A desire of our heart. His answer to our prayer.
It is appropriate as we begin our week of prayer that we have this cry and desire in our hearts to be heard. That we examine our prayers, our reasons and our ways as we approach to Him. Of course, we have the added comfort that we approach God because of the righteousness that we have been given in Christ. He is our strength. The one that keeps us in our ways. The one that keeps our feet from slipping and shows the path before us so that we won’t stumble. It is because of His great and precious promises that we can approach with confidence. He is one that we can trust and He will never fail to keep faith with us as we walk in trust toward Him. Trust because He is trustworthy but also trust with actions and attitudes match with His commands, ways and desires.
We are the “apple of His eye” and even as Jesus longed to gather Jerusalem under His “wings” He loves us and longs for us. If we will be gathered then He will overshadow us.
This is important because we see that we are not without enemies. Even more than the warrior enemies of David, who fight with weapons that maim and kill, there is a spiritual enemy. He is a lion and a destroyer. He would frustrate and tear apart all that we are and all that God wants to do in, for and through us.
Therefore it is appropriate for us to realize as we consider any spiritual endeavor that it must be a work of the Spirit of God. It must be done in His power and protection or we will surely be overwhelmed. As we desire that God would establish a work - a work directly opposed to the attitudes and principles of the enemy and the normal cravings of life - then God must be its author and architect.
Finally, we see the final line of this prayer of David. “I shall be satisfied when I awake in Your likeness.” More than anything we do, accomplish or don’t accomplish, plan, achieve or experience, it is more important who we are and will become. God doesn’t need people to do anything for Him. There is nothing that we can truly add to Him. However, He desires us and fully desires that we awake in His likeness, As we live and do we must keep in mind that He desires us. He takes us through steps of faith to makes us more like Him.
Please Prayer for
1. A work of God's Spirit in us and in Maribor to establish what He wills and desires
2. Wisdom for all aspects of this new ministry - worship, Bible study, translation, kids ministry
3. God's Protection and Power
4. To seek God and not the work - to be satisfied only with Him and His likeness
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