Proverbs 15:8-9: “The sacrifice of the wicked is hateful and exceedingly offensive to the Lord, But the prayer of the upright is His delight! 9 The way [of life] of the wicked is hateful and exceedingly offensive to the Lord, But He loves one who pursues righteousness [personal integrity, moral courage and honorable character].”
By carefully reading
these verses we can realize that the prayer of a child of God is an offering
that pleases Him. He delights and loves one who fears Him and wants to live in
His ways. We are so privileged to have God’s word and be able to pray His word
back to Him! Imagine, what would be of our prayer life without the Psalms?
David was a man that had
a passion for God. He continually prayed to God, and offered his heart with praise
and worship through his Psalms. He was not a perfect man, but was one who
prayed from his heart, to the heart God!
“His delight is not in the strength of the horse, nor his pleasure in the legs of a man;
but the LORD takes pleasure in those who fear
him, in those who hope in his steadfast
love.” (Psalm 147:10-11)
In God he found his
delight, and he also knew God was pleased by this!
When David failed and
sinned against God, he also knew he was falling in the path of the wicked and
realized he had deeply displeased his Lord:
“My [only] sacrifice [acceptable] to
God is a broken spirit; A broken and contrite heart [broken with sorrow for sin, thoroughly penitent],
such, O God, You will not despise.” Psalm 51:17 AMP
In our prayer time with
the Lord we must come to Him with a humble and repentant heart, because we fail
so many times in our day to day! As Paul wrote in Romans 12:1
“ [a]Therefore I urge you, [b]brothers and sisters, by the mercies of God, to
present your bodies [dedicating all of yourselves, set apart] as a living
sacrifice, holy and well-pleasing to God, which is your
rational (logical, intelligent) act of worship.”
He also knew how to pray
from his heart to the heart of God, dedicating his whole being to Him!
If we continue reading Proverbs 15, we fill find how the writer continues to highlight the importance of the prayers of God’s children:
26 “The Lord detests the thoughts of the
wicked, but
gracious words are
pure in his sight.
29 The Lord is far from the wicked, but he hears the prayer of the righteous. (15:26, 29 Emphasis mine)
When we come –pray- to
our Heavenly Father in total surrender we find the hope, the strength and the
purpose of our lives, even in the midst of trial and difficulties:
Yes, let us rejoice in Him for He listens, cares, and delights in us as we seek Him in prayer!!
Next time you come to “your
secret place” remember that the prayer from your heart to His heart is a
pleasing sacrifice to Him. He is Worthy!!
Mari
