At the beginning of Psalm 22, King David talks of his troubles. He writes, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? Why are you so far from me, so far from saving me, so far from my groaning? Oh my God, I cry out by day, but you do not answer, by night, and am not silent" (Psalm 22:1,2). At this point in time, to David, God seems far off and God seems to be not responding to his requests.
Put doubts aside - persist in faith
Then David remembers that others have been successful in prayer when he says, "Our Fathers trusted in you and God always answered" (Psalm 22:5). David sees in the bible record that the writers all tell of the power of prayer. So he decides that his short period of failure was not of much importance compared with the experience of so many other people.
So David recognized a very important truth. He saw that the problem was with him and not with prayer. He then sets out to get a better understanding of the way of praying. Near the end of the Psalm he says "I will speak of your name to my friends, I will praise your name to the congregation" (Psalm 22:22).
We can learn from King David by putting any doubt aside and persisting in faith.
The book of James advises the person who prays that "when he asks, he must believe and not doubt" (James 1:6).
Working and praying
"As long as it is day, we must do the work of him who sent me" (John 9:4). In this verse Jesus speaks about getting on with the work that God had for Him to do.
"Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed" (Mark 1:35). Jesus speaks here about how He prepared for this work. Jesus went into a quiet place to pray and prepare Himself for what was coming. Jesus won every battle He fought and here is the answer - daily communication with God. Our lives will be tremendously strengthened and our behaviour changed from timidity and fear to power and victory when we enter into the secret fellowship with God that comes through prayer.
Jesus had a two-part plan - praying and working. We do well to follow Jesus' example.
Winston Churchill - never give up!
"Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find, knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened"
(Matthew 7:7,8).
When Winston Churchill returned to his old school of Eton, the Headmaster lined up pupils to hear Churchill tell them how to be successful in their life's work. He looked at the front rows and said in a voice of thunder; "Never give up!" He looked at the middle rows and said the same thing, and to the back rows went another round of thunder; "Never give up!"
The crowd looked on in stunned silence as Churchill sat down and said no more. It took everybody some time to wake up to two things.
Churchill had said all that was necessary.
He had given them the best advice they would ever get!
Jesus also told His disciples that "they should always pray and not give up" (Luke 18:1).
God being real
"People that know their God shall be strong and do exploits" (Daniel 11:32).
Prayer must be a regular habit not just as occasional act. The inevitable result of regular sincere prayer is that God becomes real to His people. Some people say they do not pray because God is not real to them, but it may be true that God is not real to them because they do not pray! King David knew that God was real and that he lived in the warmth of God's love. He could say with confidence, "O God, you are MY God" (Psalm 62:1) and "You are MY Shepherd" (Psalm 32:1).
Father, help me to trust your love so deeply that no matter what the situation I find myself in, I will focus on you and not the circumstances. Help me to never forget that you are my Father and as my Father, you are working all things for my good. Give me the faith to trust you always and never give up seeking you.
