intense prayer

Give ear to my words, O LORD;

consider my groaning.

Give attention to the sound of my cry,

my King and my God,

for to you do I pray.

Psalm 5:1-2

Prayer can be difficult conversation. Never let some smug, hyper-spiritual hypocrite tell you that prayer is easy. The concept is simple… yes… talking with God. It is natural and important. The practice, however, is powerfully personal and often draws un into intimate, emotional, and spiritual intensity when we are honestly engaged in talking with God. It gets to the heart.

Look at how David describes prayer in just the opening to the fifth psalm. We gain insight into prayer’s complexity that is well worth applying to our own prayer life. First, PRAYER IS COMMUNICATION. That sounds simplistic, but all relationships thrive in a climate of good communication. That takes work. This is true of homes, livelihoods, ministries, even friendships. All the words we use, and how we use them, are meant to get messages understood. Because we are fallen sinners, it can be complicated. Every marriage has its challenges there, and that is with two people committed to love one another! It stands to reason that communication with God is going to take some work too. In prayer, we start with words to God… about our relationship with God, about our worship of God, about our needs from God, and about our hope in God. He listens to our words, even when we struggle to properly get them out.

Yet PRAYER CAN BE A FEELING THAT IS EXPRESSED. David asks God to consider his groaning. God would know how to interpret not only the words David prayed, but the tone, the moans, and the feeling behind those words. Our prayers are earnest and probably at their best when we let loose with feeling behind them. God can handle that!

Finally, PRAYER IS URGENT. David calls God to hear his cry. We cry out in sudden need. We cry out when overwhelmed with emotion. We cry out when we are overcome by something. We cry out in fear and uncertainty. We cry out in outrage at injustice. We cry out when evil seems to have won the day. God is right there ready, listening, and completely in control… able to save in those most overwhelming times. In our intensity, God alone is our stability. So we cry out!

Don’t be afraid to talk with your God, expressing strong feeling, with urgency, for His glory because scripture shows us we can KNOW God hears us.