Week 4 – PRAYER
Sue Warnke (2015 Lent devotional)
Psalm 139:23, 24
“Search me, O God, and know my heart;
Try me and know my anxious thoughts;
And see if there be any hurtful way in me,
And lead me in the everlasting way.”
When we pray our heart guides us. In this Psalm, David understood that it was important for his heart to be searched, cleansed and led in the Lord’s way. God called David a man after His own heart. Perhaps this is why.
Our hearts can deceive us. We need to open our hearts continually to the Lord when we come to Him in prayer.
Psalm 19:12, 13
“Who can discern his errors? Acquit me of hidden faults.
Also keep back Your servant from presumptuous sins;
Let them not rule over me;
Then I will be blameless,
And I shall be acquitted of great transgression.”
These Psalms have guided my prayers many times over the years. I have needed God to guide me as I pray for myself or for another. Many times, I have asked the Lord to search my heart and have then been convicted that I am not listening or waiting on the Lord to lead me in prayer. My prayer then changed and I could ask for the Lord’s Will to be done in the situation on earth as it is in heaven.
I invite you to join with me in the intent to open your heart to the Lord when you pray. Then you can pray with David when he said:
Psalm 19:14
“Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart
Be acceptable in Your sight,
O LORD, my rock and my Redeemer.”
May you be blessed in your prayer times during Lent and in your continued daily devotional with the Lord.