One Beautiful Life

Prayers of a Psalm

I turn to the book of Psalm often when I want to pray God's word. As I mentioned in an earlier post, I pray many different ways. I love to find a quiet place in nature and just start talking to God. That is one of my favorite ways to pray. Another favorite is my daily conversing prayers like, "Thank you Lord the juice is on sale... you are so cool to provide that blessing," or "Please watch over Abby today at school and open her mind for learning and give her the ability to converse with her peers," or "Thank you for the encouragement you so sweetly gave me through that friend... you rock!" The later prayers are always very quick and simple and I strive to offer at least 10 plus up to Him a day.

But my absolute favorite way to pray is to pray God's written word back to Him. I feel the Holy Spirit stir inside me when I pray this way and I feel power and hope as I offer back to the Lord of Lords the very words He inspired. My favorite place to find these "prayers" is the book of Psalm. When I want to offer praise... my options runneth over!

"Praise the Lord, O my soul: all my inmost being, praise His holy name. Praise the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits--- who forgives all your sins and heals your diseases, who redeems your life from the pit and crowns you with love and compassion, who satisfies your desires with good things so that your youth is renewed like the eagle's." Psalm 103: 1-5~

"Give thanks to the Lord, call on His name; make known among the nations what He has done." Psalm 105: 1~

But this is where I also go when I am feeling desperate... overwhelmed... and simply exhausted from praying the same prayer every night after night after night. I find comfort in speaking words of David and other psalmists who cried out to the Lord.

And I am feeling overwhelmed. As Abby grows in an age number, she is not growing developmentally and it becomes harder and harder to... accept, adapt to, manage, help... watch.

I believe so strongly in the power of God. I believe with all my heart and soul that He heals today just as He did in biblical days. The scripture says that the power of God that Christ used to raise the dead is "available" to us as believers today. "Available" is the key word. It is the word that leaves me longing for wisdom. What does that "really" mean. Do I need something more? I am lacking something? Faith? Obedience? Endurance? Knowledge?

Then I take a breath... gather my thoughts... and remember... God can heal Abby anytime, any way, and any how and it can have NOTHING to do with me. It is not by my works that God will decide whether or not to heal Abby. Although there are several accounts where Jesus was moved to heal a child when He saw the parent's faith. But there were other times He did it simply to glorify the Lord God. It had nothing to do with the one being healed or his parents. BUT He does desire our prayers, hears them, answers them (according to His will), and can be moved by them.

So these are the thoughts that roll around in my brain as I pray and pray and pray over and for my child. And as I try and sleep! Even though Abby has not been healed, she has been restored from the brink of death and I remain thankful for that every day. And even though she has not been healed, my prayer life is one of such that I doubt I'd have if it were not for her illness... and that is a blessing amidst the darkness.

And so I continue to pray and I have been moved to ask you to pray and I am moved by your sweet offerings to do so and I believe in my heart that you are. That, in itself, offers me strength and hope... and makes me not feel so alone. Thank you.

As you continue to pray this week, I will offer ideas about prayer as well as requests. For now, I'll share some of my favorite prayers of cries for help in case you want to read over them and offer them back to God on her behalf. Thank you... again... so very much.

"Hear my prayer, O Lord: let my cry for help come to you. Do not hide your face from me when I am in distress, Turn your ear to me; when I call, answer me quickly." Psalm 102: 1,2~

"O Lord, I call to you: come quickly to me, Hear my voice when I call to you. May my prayer be set before you like incense; may the lifting of my hands be like the evening sacrifice." Psalm 141: 1,2~

"I cry aloud to the Lord; I lift up my voice to the Lord for mercy. I pour out complaint before him; before him I tell my trouble. When my spirit grows faint within me, it is you who know my way." Psalm 142: 1-3~

"O Lord, hear my prayer, listen to my cry for mercy; in your faithfulness and righteousness come to my relief (Abby's relief). Do not bring your servant into judgment, for no one living is righteous before you." Psalm 143: 1,2~

Amen~