Give ear to my words, O Lord; give heed to my groaning. Hearken to the sound of my cry my King and my God, for to thee do I pray. O Lord in the morning thou dost hear my voice; in the morning I prepare a sacrifice for thee, and watch. –Psalm 5:1-3 (RSV)
I’m the type of person who feels if I’m not doing something, I’m wasting my time. Prayer has been difficult for me at times because I feel it is getting in the way of me accomplishing something for the day. How wrong I am when I have this attitude! Prayer is not wasted hours but invested hours. Out of solitude comes strength…out of quiet comes peace…out of talking and listening to the Lord comes vision. This poem is a helpful reminder of what I am talking about.
I wasted an hour one morning beside a mountain stream,
I seized a cloud from the sky above and fashioned myself a dream.
In the hush of the early twilight, far from the haunts of men,
I wasted a summer evening, and fashioned my dream again.
Wasted? Perhaps. Folks say so who never have walked with God.
When lanes are purple with lilacs or yellow with goldenrod.
But I have found strength for my labors in that one short evening hour.
I have found joy and contentment; I have found peace and power.
My dreaming has left me a treasure, a hope that is strong and true.
From wasted hours I have built my life and found my faith anew.
–Author Unknown
GOING DEEPER:
1. Reread Psalm 5:1-3. Does this verse sound like someone who has a surface relationship or deep relationship with God?
2. Do you have a daily quiet time? Have you set aside periodic extended times to rebuild your relationship with God? If not, the wisest decision you could make this week is to commit to a quiet time with God.
FURTHER READING:
Psalm 3:4; Psalm 84:3; Psalm 88:13