March 26, 2019 -- Psalm 50:14-15 -- Defeating a "Prayer Buster"

Offer to God a sacrifice of thanksgiving,

and perform your vows to the Most High,

and call upon me in the day of trouble;

I will deliver you, and you shall glorify me.

Psalm 50:14-15 English Standard Version

Recently I wrote about “prayer busters”—things that hinder our praying. This morning’s text touches on one such “prayer buster”: a lack of gratitude. It is easy to call on God in desperate times. It is almost an unconscious habit to throw up a stream of “help me! God please help” when the crisis looms but what happens when the crisis is passed? Do you then turn to God and offer to Him the sacrifice of praise? When the Most High God has answered your prayer, do you stop what you are doing, take the time to glorify God and acknowledge the Living God of Power Himself answered you in His mercy?!

Why does this matter?

When we offer praise and glory to God in response to answered prayer, we recognize it is not our strength our giftedness that won the day, it is the LORD Himself Who showed us kindness.

When we thank God for His answers the work of Jesus Christ is revealed in our hearts. Remember that God hears us because of the accomplished work of Jesus. Our sins, which would keep us far from this Holy God, our sins have been cleansed by the blood of Jesus Christ and by Jesus’ work we are called beloved sons and daughters of God.

When we thank God for His answers prayer is recognized as a conversation. There are two parties in prayer: one is the God Who listens and answers and the other is the person who speaks to God.

When we thank God for His deliverance our witness to the Great King of Heaven is enhanced. It becomes part of our testimony, as with the writer of this psalm, to tell others how God remembers His people. This psalm writer lived in a generation that ignored the Most High and acted as if He does not answer or care for His people or discipline and rebuke His people. The psalm-writer has seen the goodness of God and speaks of His greatness.

Blessed be Your Name O God of salvation! Thank You for answered prayer. Thank You for life. Thank You for this new day. Thank You for Your love that surrounds us so faithfully and such love most extravagantly shown to us in Jesus Christ. Thank You for the Scriptures which declare Your goodness. Thank You for the Holy Spirit Who teaches us Scriptures’ sacred truth and leads us in the way of life. Thank You for the gift of prayer, this conversation between the Most High God and believers. Increase our desire to speak with You and joy in hearing You in the pages of Scripture and answers to prayer until that great and glorious day when we shall see You face to face. Amen.