We have to talk!

I pour out my complaint before Him; I declare before Him my trouble. Psalms 142:2 (NKJV)

It's the most obvious things that can become the most neglected. Hold that thought as you consider David's declaration in the proceeding verse, "I pour out my complaint before Him; I declare before Him my trouble." What's David saying here? He's simply saying that he took the time to share his troubles with God. David communicated with Him.

That's a rather obvious thing, isn't it? Of course David shared his troubles with God, and that's what all God's children do, right? Go back to our initial thought: We often neglect the most obvious things in the spiritual life, and this is especially true when it comes to our communication with God.

Talking to God, having true and sincere conversation with Him, is something we often get stuck on. It's very easy for us to slip into the rut of routine and allow our communication with the Lord to become a lifeless formality. Or we can just be plain old lazy when it comes to making an effort to talk to God.

Martyn Lloyd Jones once said, "Everything we do in the Christian life is easier than prayer." He's right; prayer is not a given. Maintaining our line of communication with God through prayer takes faith and effort. There's a price involved in prayer, but it's always the price of victory and never of defeat. The big question is: Are we willing to pay for it as David was?

Let's not quickly skip over the obvious aspects of our Christianity, like prayer. Let's not make any assumptions in this area, but instead let's stop and determine if we're really doing what David did. Are we truly talking to God, or have we subtly slipped into the habit of neglecting something so fundamental to our faith?

Father, give us praying hearts. Give us hearts that come alive when we talk to You and rejoice as Your presence is sensed in prayer.

Think About It…

What does this passage reveal to me about God?

What does this passage reveal to me about myself?

Based on this, what changes do I need to make?

What is my prayer for today?