Shaggy Dog Prayers
June 15, 2017
Is it conceivable that God would be angry at our prayers? Irritated? Perturbed? Cynical?
The psalmist thought so and prayed, "O LORD God of hosts, how long will you be angry with your people's prayers?" (Psalm 80:4 ESV)
Honor context, please and hear a reminder that this prayer was not rejected. In fact, it was accepted into the canon.
Were they disingenuous? Were they rote? Were they self-righteous, self-absorbed, or self-centered?
Were they religious mumbo-jumbo with no life engagement?
Psalm 80, is gut-level, gut-wrenching, gut-spilling honesty. God likes that.
Three times, he cries (actually sings),
" Restore us, O LORD God of hosts!
Let your face shine, that we may be saved!"
(Psalm 80:19 ESV)
He also says, "Hey, we are your people, your prize, your statement to the world. This is all about you!" (Very loose paraphrase)
God does not turn away from real prayer, though His silence and delays may be disturbing. He longs for our honest engagement and for us to pour out our hearts that He might fill them.
Every forlorn and desperate psalm is an invitation for us to come to God in very honest prayer.