Face Reality and Set Your Heart on God

In the last two days David has taught us two lessons on prayer. First, let your request come with a reason for the request and second, let that request and reason lead to praise. We are digging into Psalm 86 and in verses 14-17 we come to a final lesson on prayer, it is simple…pray with your eyes on reality and with your heart set on God.

David calls God’s attention to the reality of his enemy, “O God, insolent men have risen up against me; a band of ruthless men seeks my life, and they do not set you before them.” David affirms the reality of his situation—it is desperate. We can’t live our lives ignoring the desperate situation we find ourselves in, but we can’t let the desperate situation lead us to despair.

Verse 14 points to the reality of David’s enemy, but verse 15 points to the character of God—“But you, O Lord, are a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness.” Look at that—merciful, gracious, slow to anger, abounding in steadfast love, and faithful. What a God we serve!

David learned this from Exodus 34 where God showed Moses the back of His glory and declared Himself to him. “The LORD, the LORD, a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness, keeping steadfast love for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgressions and sin, but who will by no means clear the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on children and the children’s children, to the third and the fourth generation.”

Hezekiah learned from David and David learned from Moses and when it comes to prayer, we can learn from all three! The last two verses continue with David’s request and reason…turn to me, be gracious to me; give your strength to your servant, and save the son of your maidservant. Show me a sign of your favor, that…here is the reason…those who hate me may see and be put to shame because…another reason…you, LORD, have helped me and comforted me.”

David learned from Moses, Hezekiah learned from David…can we learn to pray the Word? This takes time and will most likely take a prayer journal as you lay out your heart before God and learn to do whatever you do for the glory of God…even in the things you ask of Him!

When we consider what Jesus did for us on the cross we know that God is for us…as His followers, our heart must be set on His glory and for His name to be made known…how do your prayers match up to this? If we love Him we will talk to Him and we will seek to talk to Him in a way that brings Him glory. Ask God to help you in this so that you might be more like Him.