Saturday, December 28, 2013

A New Years Prayer 120813

A New Year's Prayer

Psalm 51:10-13 NASB
Create in me a clean heart, O God, And renew a steadfast spirit within me. [11] Do not cast me away from Your presence And do not take Your Holy Spirit from me. [12] Restore to me the joy of Your salvation And sustain me with a willing spirit. [13] Then I will teach transgressors Your ways, And sinners will be converted to You.

This is my New Year's verse and a wonderful verse it is.

We all find that at times our zeal and enthuziasm wains and our love seems to grow cold.  We all find, at times, that we are are luke-warm.  We grow by undulation and experience highs and lows.

This fact makes this prayer a great blessing in that it not only reminds of our deep and abiding need but cries out to our Father for mercy and provision.  It is a supplication and confession in one.

But there is more.  The last verse is critical.  We often read it as a promise that if God will do what we find in verses 10-12 we will do what is found in verse 13.  But perhaps we read amiss.

As I read this passage it dawned on me that unless I seek what is found in verses 10-12 I will not be able to do what is found in verse 13.  I will be neither motivated nor qualified to teach transgressors (much less anyone else) His ways.  Without His provision I will continue to just float along wating for something to happen instead of being sensitive to and yearning for the opportunity to share the gospel.

This verse is worthy of meditation.  It deserve (as does all scripture) our close attention and prayerful examination.  It also deserves our expectation of being answered in the affirmative.  It is a prayer held in the promise.

I encourage you to join me in seeking what this passage seeks for the purpose of being His means and provision in the lives of the many lost and suffering we connect with every day.  We are here to serve Him as His witnesses - His witnesses not ouu own.

All around us, at work, in our families, in our recreation even in our churches there are transgressors who need to hear His ways, His truth, His good news.  We need to pray this purposeful prayer daily - even many times each day.

We must warn a fallen world and call it to repentance.  We must offer it the hope of eternity and His special providence in Christ.