Speak To The God Who Has Spoken To Us First

Speak To The God Who Has Spoken To Us First

Posted on by Michele Morin

Scripture memory is one of the more challenging spiritual disciplines. Right now, I’m working on Psalm 27, and it’s reminding me that there’s another discipline that’s even harder for me.

Hear, O Lord, when I cry aloud;
    be gracious to me and answer me!
You have said, ‘Seek my face.’
My heart says to you,
    ‘Your face, Lord, do I seek.'”
(Psalm 27:7-8)

I have struggled with prayer for my entire Christian life. I’ve dragged myself out of bed in the early hours to meet with God, and I’ve prayed through night feedings. I’ve organized exhaustive prayer lists and comprehensive notebooks to make sure I was covering all my bases, and I’ve boycotted prayer in frustration.

I pray in agreement with my good husband every morning, and we gather with our church family for prayer. I have prayed misguided, prosperity-gospel-sounding prayers for my sons in our blue mini-van and sad what-are-You-up-to prayers with my walking stick in hand.

David’s written prayers always seem to come from a place of urgency and full confidence that God is in attendance. Psalm 27 is no different. In fact, he seems to be documenting a conversation in which God directed him to seek, and his heart responded in obedience. David never seemed to forget one important truth about prayer:

When we pray, we speak to the God who has spoken to us.

Every prayer is a response to God’s gracious initiative.

As a lifelong reader and lover of words, I am drawn to the discipline of Bible reading. Lately, I’ve been making the effort to consistently view God’s written word as part of an ongoing conversation. My prayer life, then, is my part of the conversation, my seeking of his face, my response to his lavish favor.

Do you struggle with prayer? (I want to be careful here with my terminology, because Elisabeth Elliot’s definition of struggle rings in my ears: “Struggle is delayed obedience.”) May we never allow our perfectionistic ideas about what prayer “should” be like to interfere with the business of actually talking to God.

What’s working for you right now?

When we pray, we speak to the God who has spoken to us. Every prayer is a response to God’s gracious initiative.

Holding You in the Light,

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Grief comes to everyone sooner or later, and whether it’s the death of a loved one or the loss of some cherished aspect of our life or identity, God’s Word is crucial for grieving well. Past hurts have a habit of snagging our hearts in unexpected moments, but God provides abundant grace to help the believer move through grief without getting stuck and without wasting the opportunity to walk more closely with the Lord who lightens our darkness.

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Published by Michele Morin

Michele Morin is a Bible teacher, writer, reader, and gardener committed to the truth that women can become confident Christ-followers and students of God's Word. She has been married to an unreasonably patient husband for thirty-plus years, and together they have four married sons and a growing fleet of adorable grandchildren. Michele loves hot tea and well-crafted sentences, poems that stop her in her tracks, and days at the ocean with the whole family. She laments biblical illiteracy and advocates for the prudent use of “little minutes.” She blogs at Living Our Days, and you can connect with her on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter.

17 thoughts on “Speak To The God Who Has Spoken To Us First”

  1. Since I can’t do anything like normal people, praying is, for me, basically ongoing conversation with God all day. This began when I was a wee kid swinging in the backyard. I wasn’t taught the formal language deemed to be the accepted way to pray but as I grew up and matured in the spirit, I fully understood the importance of all prayer beginning with gratitude. One thing I know for sure, He speaks to us in the way we can hear so we don’t have to use formulaic words for Him to hear us. We just need to be ready to listen, obey and trust.

    Liked by 3 people

  2. Leaning toward the kinesthetic side of learning, I often find I pray best when I’m moving, as in walking, driving, or journaling. My prayer posture changes with time and the urgency I feel.

    Liked by 1 person

  4. Lovely post. 40+ years ago as a new believer, I joined dedicated weekly prayer group. I thank God it was there that I learned and it became a part of me. No longer do I care, as in those early years how I sound, or am I using the right words – now I’m relaxed and reverent and no longer self conscious among others.

    Liked by 1 person

  5. Hadn’t thought about it, but I suppose it is most like an ongoing chat box all day and night. Sometimes just a thought or long string of them, but it never closes out. I just pick up where I left off or go on a tangent. Only way for me since I know He is there even when I am running off somewhere!

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  6. Michelle,

    Thanks so much for stopping by!! Grief comes in waves and on Father’s Day, the 3rd one without my husband Joe, I got hit with a tidal wave…. I have learned to give myself grace when this happens and just sit quietly and pray…..

    Hugs,

    Deb

    Debbie-Dabble Blog

    Liked by 1 person

  7. I can struggle with prayer. Being in a posture of gratitude throughout the day can help me to remember to be praying. Disciplining myself to write daily in my prayer journal also helps, although there a seasons I am not perfect at this. So I resonated deeply with your words that may “our perfectionistic ideas about what prayer “should” be like” not interfere with the act of praying whole-heartedly to Him who know and listens.

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  9. I agree with many of the others here who mentioned praying throughout the day concerning whatever is going on at the moment or whatever concerns come to mind as our hands are busy. But in my morning prayer time, I like to use Scripture as a basis. Like with the “Lord’s prayer,” I’ll read the line about Our Father in heaven, then thank Him for being my Father, for taking me into His family, for giving us that picture of a father’s love to understand His care. Then I’ll move on to the next line. Colossians 1:9-12 to pray for my kids as well as myself.

    One reason for doing this is to pray Scripturally. But practically, when I sit down to pray in the morning, my mind wants to flit everywhere but on what I am trying to do. So following along Scriptural patterns helps keep me focused.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Yes, I feel so much safer and focused when I’m praying Scripture. You’ve mentioned a couple of really good ones, too. And I think having a Godward focus during the day is all part of our praying life.

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