Pray with thanksgiving
Reading Psalm 124 this morning brought to mind two different quotes from other believers. The first is Ann Lamott, who wrote an entire book on what she believes to be the three essential prayers, “Help,” “Thanks,” and “Wow.” There is a certain beauty and power that comes from these prayers. Psalm 124 is a prayer that expresses Lamott’s prayers with a few more words.
David recalled that if the Lord had not been with him and Israel when the enemy was up against them, then they would have been swallowed up. We know from David’s many psalms that he was a frequent user of the prayer, “Help.” David now recalls with gratitude how God had again and again answered his urgent prayer for help.
We can add a lot of words and particulars to our prayer for help. Help me with my finances, my healing, my relationship, my anxiety, and on and on. It may be good to let God know exactly where we need help, but when we remember that God is with us, around us, and possesses all knowledge, he may not need the particulars. We can simply cry out to God for help in any situation at any time. As the scripture says, “He knows those who take refuge in Him” (Nahum 1:7), and “But as for me, I will look to the Lord; I will wait for the God of my Salvation; my God will hear me.”
While we don’t see the word ‘thanks’ in psalm 124, it is clear that David has a grateful heart as he recounts how God had delivered him. Elsewhere in the psalms and throughout scripture we are reminded to pray with thanksgiving. Paul reminds us in Philippians 4:6 to come with thanksgiving when we bring our requests to God. Ann Lamott says the long version of the simple prayer of thanks is, “Thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you!”
The last simple prayer is, “Wow.” In this prayer we are astonished at God’s goodness, his deliverance, his provision, his healing, and his response to our needs. We can all give testimony to the time when there was no path forward, no money in the account, no hope with the diagnoses, no time left, and suddenly God intervened in ways that we could have never imagined.
The other quote is from C.S. Lewis in his book The Problem of Pain. I was reminded of this quote while watching the new film that tells the story of a speculation concerning a conversation between Sigmund Freud and C.S. Lewis. It is an interesting movie that will stimulate your thinking on a number of topics. The quote from Lewis goes:
“God whispers to us in our pleasures, speaks in our conscience, but shouts in our pain: it is his megaphone to arouse a deaf world.”
God is always reaching out. He is always speaking to us in small and sometimes unnoticeable ways. The fact that he created us with the ability to enjoy so many things is an expression of his kindness each day. The pleasure of smell, taste, sight, sound, and touch are wonderful gifts from God.
The Holy Spirit guides us in all truth. As we take in God’s word and walk in obedience, we can live with a clear conscience before God. But when we walk in the flesh, we will find ourselves often bearing false testimony with our words and deeds, resulting in a conscience filled with guilt.
To Lewis’s point, it is often in our suffering and pain where our cry for help brings us close to God. He is always there, but it seems that it is in the hard times that we experience his presence much more than on the good and easy days.
The psalmist ends this psalm with a declaration that we can claim on any day, and especially in times of great need:
“Our help is in the name of the Lord, who made heaven and earth.”
Father, we know that the order of our prayers are not nearly as important as simply calling out to you in good times and in bad. Today we begin with the simple prayer of “thanks.” Thank you for sending Jesus to save us. Thank you for sending your Holy Spirit to live in us and guide us. Thank you for the gift of this new day. Thank you, thank you, thank you! And Lord we pray the simple prayer of “help.” Help us today in our pain. Help us in our loneliness. Help us in our fears and anxieties. Help us Lord, we cannot make it on our own. And we end this prayer with the simple prayer of “wow.” Wow, you are amazing. Wow, you have surprised us time and time again. Wow, we are astonished at what you are weaving, even today in our stories that we will one day declare to friends and family and even to strangers. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Your Time with God’s Word
Psalm 124:1-8 ESV
Photo by Ado Urra on Unsplash
To receive daily posts delivered directly to your inbox, complete the form at the bottom of our home page.
