Psalm 17:6

Psalm 17:6

Thoughts from Allie Gardner

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I call upon you, for you will answer me, O God; incline your ear to me; hear my words.

Psalm 17:6

QOP- Behind the Scenes
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Today’s verse was penned by one of the most devout prayer warriors in the Bible. In fact, there’s an entire 150-chapter book of the Bible teeming with prayers written by this man. David, a young shepherd boy turned king of a nation, made prayer the cornerstone of his being. As we’ve looked to answer the question of “what is prayer?” the week, the Psalms and David’s example provide us with great insight and guidance.

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If you spend some time reading about David’s life in 1 and 2 Samuel, you’ll notice a pattern of him meeting with the Lord. As he sat in the fields watching his flocks, he played his lyre and sang songs of praise; when he faced Goliath with just a sling and a stone, he asked the Lord for strength and favor; when he was pursued by friends turned enemies, he pleads with God to spare his life; when he was crowned king of Israel, he danced and sang praises in the streets; and when he committed grievous sins, he begged God for forgiveness and mercy.

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While the stories told in 1 and 2 Samuel are told from the third person (told about David from another’s perspective), what’s beautiful about the Psalms is that they are written in the first person – or from the author’s point of view. The prayers detailed in the psalms can be beautifully overlaid with the stories found in the Samuels, giving us the chance to see and almost feel the angst, the joy, the fear, the anxiety, the triumph, and the sorrow experienced by this man of God.

QOP- Make it Real
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So, what does David teach us about prayer? First, we see that NOTHING, and I mean NOTHING, is insignificant to God. What’s beautiful about David’s prayer life with God is we can see how he treated it like a conversation with a friend whom he adored. He honored God’s divinity in his prayers, but he didn’t shy away from sharing the raw and real struggles he faced. David understood that he was in relationship with God, and to maintain that strong relationship he needed to engage in consistent and honest conversation. God wants to be in conversation with us so that He can be in a relationship with us – and our tool to achieve this is prayer.

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Second, David’s example shows us that there’s no constraints to when or where we can have conversations with God. While some religions set specific times of the day, or have specific rituals for prayer time, conversations with God have no limitations. David prayed when he was in the fields, he prayed by babbling brooks, he prayed on the battlefields, he prayed out loud in front of the people of Israel and he prayed quietly as he hid in caves.

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1 Thessalonians 5:17 says “Pray without ceasing” and Ephesians 6:17-18 reads “…take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, praying at all times in the Spirit…” David exemplified what it means to pray without ceasing and to pray in all circumstances. There were no limits to when or where he offered up prayer and supplication to the Lord. And that is how we should posture our hearts and engage in prayer. God is there – He wants you to cry out to Him. He wants to engage in conversation with you. And He is ready for it, anytime and anywhere.

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David’s dedication to prayer gave him the courage to kill a lion, a bear, and giant with just a sling and a stone. It gave him the courage to boldly face death time after time. It gave him wisdom and fortitude to govern a nation. And it gave him the confidence to humble himself before the Lord when he failed, trusting in the mercy and grace of God. A life of prayer led to incredible advancements for the kingdom of God.

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Are you ready to boldly pray like David? To consistently engage in conversation with our Lord? Imagine what we can accomplish for God’s glory when prayer becomes the cornerstone of our lives!

QOP- End in Prayer
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Heavenly Father,

It is humbling to think that the God of the Heavens, the Creator of the Universe, the Lord of Lords and King of Kings wants to be in conversation with me. Thank you for being there for me at all times and in all places. Remind me in times of joy, sorrow, and the mundane to share those moments with you. I want to grow my relationship with you and I want to make prayer a priority in my life. I love you and look forward to growing with you in the new year!

Amen

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I call upon you, for you will answer me, O God; incline your ear to me; hear my words. 

Psalm 17:6

Behind the Scenes

Today’s verse was penned by one of the most devout prayer warriors in the Bible. In fact, there’s an entire 150-chapter book of the Bible teeming with prayers written by this man. David, a young shepherd boy turned king of a nation, made prayer the cornerstone of his being. As we’ve looked to answer the question of “what is prayer?” the week, the Psalms and David’s example provide us with great insight and guidance.  

If you spend some time reading about David’s life in 1 and 2 Samuel, you’ll notice a pattern of him meeting with the Lord. As he sat in the fields watching his flocks, he played his lyre and sang songs of praise; when he faced Goliath with just a sling and a stone, he asked the Lord for strength and favor; when he was pursued by friends turned enemies, he pleads with God to spare his life; when he was crowned king of Israel, he danced and sang praises in the streets; and when he committed grievous sins, he begged God for forgiveness and mercy.  

While the stories told in 1 and 2 Samuel are told from the third person (told about David from another’s perspective), what’s beautiful about the Psalms is that they are written in the first person – or from the author’s point of view. The prayers detailed in the psalms can be beautifully overlaid with the stories found in the Samuels, giving us the chance to see and almost feel the angst, the joy, the fear, the anxiety, the triumph, and the sorrow experienced by this man of God.  

Make It Real

So, what does David teach us about prayer? First, we see that NOTHING, and I mean NOTHING, is insignificant to God. What’s beautiful about David’s prayer life with God is we can see how he treated it like a conversation with a friend whom he adored. He honored God’s divinity in his prayers, but he didn’t shy away from sharing the raw and real struggles he faced. David understood that he was in relationship with God, and to maintain that strong relationship he needed to engage in consistent and honest conversation. God wants to be in conversation with us so that He can be in a relationship with us – and our tool to achieve this is prayer.  

Second, David’s example shows us that there’s no constraints to when or where we can have conversations with God. While some religions set specific times of the day, or have specific rituals for prayer time, conversations with God have no limitations. David prayed when he was in the fields, he prayed by babbling brooks, he prayed on the battlefields, he prayed out loud in front of the people of Israel and he prayed quietly as he hid in caves.  

1 Thessalonians 5:17 says “Pray without ceasing” and Ephesians 6:17-18 reads “…take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, praying at all times in the Spirit…” David exemplified what it means to pray without ceasing and to pray in all circumstances. There were no limits to when or where he offered up prayer and supplication to the Lord. And that is how we should posture our hearts and engage in prayer. God is there – He wants you to cry out to Him. He wants to engage in conversation with you. And He is ready for it, anytime and anywhere.  

David’s dedication to prayer gave him the courage to kill a lion, a bear, and giant with just a sling and a stone. It gave him the courage to boldly face death time after time. It gave him wisdom and fortitude to govern a nation. And it gave him the confidence to humble himself before the Lord when he failed, trusting in the mercy and grace of God. A life of prayer led to incredible advancements for the kingdom of God.  

Are you ready to boldly pray like David? To consistently engage in conversation with our Lord? Imagine what we can accomplish for God’s glory when prayer becomes the cornerstone of our lives!  

Kristen Krimmel

Kristen Krimmel

ACF Devo Team

End in Prayer

Heavenly Father,  

It is humbling to think that the God of the Heavens, the Creator of the Universe, the Lord of Lords and King of Kings wants to be in conversation with me. Thank you for being there for me at all times and in all places. Remind me in times of joy, sorrow, and the mundane to share those moments with you. I want to grow my relationship with you and I want to make prayer a priority in my life. I love you and look forward to growing with you in the new year!  

Amen 

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