“A prayer for others”
By Rev. Michael Stonhouse
Meditation – Saturday, July 13, 2024
Psalm 20 (Forward, p. 76) CEV p. 566
Here we get to listen in as King David prays for others. We don’t have the foggiest notion of who he might be praying for, but the content of these prayers is most instructive. He prays that God will:
-listen when that person is in trouble.
-keep him safe.
-send him help and come to his rescue.
-remember his gifts and be pleased with what he brings.
-do what this person wants.
-let all go well for him.
-answer all his prayers.
Note, will you, that all while all these prayers are pretty generic—they don’t mention either health or wealth—they do touch on our need for God’s protection and safety, which are things that all of us need.
In verse 6, David becomes much more specific by bringing himself into the picture, so one begins to wonder whether these prayers are also meant to include himself. Anyway, he is totally convinced that God will hear these prayers. ‘I am certain’, he says.
And he sums up all of this in verses 7-8: “Some people trust in the power of chariots or horses, but we trust you, Lord God. Others will stumble and fall, but we will be strong and stand firm.”
Is this not the attitude that we should all have, our lifelong conviction: not to trust in banks or schools or military might or any human institution or entity, but only in our Lord our God? All these other things can, and will, fail eventually. Only God can be counted upon. Thanks be to God.
Forward notes: “Some put their trust in chariots and some in horses, but we will call upon the Name of the Lord our God (verse 7).
“I normally begin preaching by praying, ‘In the name of God, who loves, who is love, Amen.’ If I am called to offer a spontaneous prayer, I typically end it: ‘And we ask all this in the name of Jesus, through the power of the Holy Spirit, Amen.’
“These words serve to remind me that everything I do, I do in the name of God, who is a God of love. If my actions are inconsistent with love, I am not doing them in the name of God. If I am doing something selfishly and get lost in my desire for power and admiration, I am selling myself short. If I focus on my need to feel liked and comfortable, even when I think I am doing good, I fail to serve God. It is easy to lose sight of the single reason that I exist: to love and be loved by God—and to love and be loved by God’s precious human family. I pray that all of my actions and words point to God.”
Moving Forward: “When do you fail to act in God’s name?”