Those Muttered Prayers

“Oh, God.” The words were a sigh of my soul, yet they were a prayer from my heart that looked to Him for strength. Sometimes our deepest prayers are those that are simplest, almost wordless. Ever see two people deeply in love look at one another? As their eyes meet, a message transmits affirming, longing, loving. Bev and I communicated across crowded rooms that way.  When I was preaching, our gaze would meet and I could ‘hear’ her saying, “I believe in you!”  I would see her show up at an event and my look told her, “You’re my beautiful lady!”

David wrote of coming before the Lord in the early morning. He was beaten up by foes. Remember, he was a king and nobody leads without making some enemies along the way. The opening words of his morning prayer inspire me. "Give ear to my words, O Lord, consider my sighing. Listen to my cry for help, my King and my God, for to you I pray." (Psalm 5:1-2, NIV)  “Consider my sighing.”  David’s words in the Hebrew song were much richer than our English translation.  A more literal translation would be “Lord, understand the meaning of a my heart’s murmurs, my muttering about these things!”  Many enemies, many leadership challenges, many problems to solve left his soul heavy, his prayers more like quiet sighs!   Oh friend, I know that place, do you?

Paul assures us that the Holy Spirit is present in those moments. "Meanwhile, the moment we get tired in the waiting, God’s Spirit is right alongside helping us along. If we don’t know how or what to pray, it doesn’t matter. He does our praying in and for us, making prayer out of our wordless sighs, our aching groans. He knows us far better than we know ourselves, knows our pregnant condition, and keeps us present before God." (Romans 8:26-27, The Message)

Prayer is sometimes just that upward gaze that waits for His Presence with the sure knowledge that He is listening and that He knows us. What comfort there is in simply being known.  Many times what I desire of another more than a solution is to be ‘known,’ just accepted and loved. And, He offers that to us.

After David makes his entreaty for God’s ear, he remembers the sinfulness that surrounds him and probably even his own failures. He acknowledges the seriousness of sin, saying "You are not a God who takes pleasure in evil; with you the wicked cannot dwell." (Psalm 5:4, NIV) So, how does he hope to enter His presence?  He knows the Father’s heart, the mercy that is available to those who repent, trust, and love!  "But I, by your great mercy, will come into your house; in reverence will I bow down toward your holy temple." (Psalm 5:7, NIV)  Mercy – what a concept. It is grace in action. Grace is the impulse to love those underserving of it. Mercy is the act of forgiving, embracing, and extending a hand.  My God, ever gracious, mercifully offers an open door to me.

From those early morning prayers, David emerged with a whole new perspective, an eager anticipation of seeing God at work around Him. His sighs give way to celebration!  "But let all who take refuge in you be glad; let them ever sing for joy. Spread your protection over them, that those who love your name may rejoice in you. For surely, O Lord, you bless the righteous; you surround them with your favor as with a shield." (Psalm 5:11-12, NIV)

Dear friend, are there things in you too deep to express in words? Are there frustrations that defy your best efforts? Is there some regret that reappears each morning to shame you? Is there an unfulfilled longing that darkens the dawn? Is there … yes, it is only too human to feel need.  But our Abba invites us to come and find mercies in His Presence, even in answer to a sigh that is directed heavenward.

Here is a word from the Word.  Let it inspire you to hang onto Jesus. "The faithful love of the Lord never ends! His mercies never cease. Great is his faithfulness; his mercies begin afresh each morning. I say to myself, “The Lord is my inheritance; therefore, I will hope in him!” The Lord is good to those who depend on him, to those who search for him. So it is good to wait quietly for salvation from the Lord." (Lamentations 3:22-26, NLT)

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Mighty To Save

Ev’ryone needs compassion
Love that's never failing
Let mercy fall on me
Ev’ryone needs forgiveness
The kindness of a Saviour
The hope of nations

Saviour He can move the mountains
My God is mighty to save
He is mighty to save
Forever Author of salvation
He rose and conquered the grave
Jesus conquered the grave

So take me as You find meAll my fears and failuresFill my life againI give my life to followEv’rything I believe inNow I surrender

Shine your light and let the whole world see
We're singing
For the glory of the risen King
Jesus
Shine your light and let the whole world see
We're singing
For the glory of the risen King

Ben Fielding | Reuben Morgan © 2006 Hillsong Music Publishing (Admin. by Capitol CMG Publishing) CCLI License # 810055