Prayer Is Not A One-way Conversation

“Thou hast proved mine heart; thou hast visited [me] in the night; thou hast tried me, [and] shalt find nothing; I am purposed [that] my mouth shall not transgress.” (Ps 17:3 AV)

This is an interesting and very profound verse.  The context is prayer.  Specifically, David is praying from relief from enemies.  Therefore, when he states he has purposed not to transgress with his mouth, he is speaking of prayer.  Not that it is ok to transgress with the mouth when conversing with people.  But the context is prayer.  The first part of the verse is what stuck out to me.  In the process of prayer, the LORD proves the intercessor.  In the process of prayer, the LORD visits the one praying.  In the process of prayer, God proves the heart and words of David to assure there is no sin, ill will, incorrect motivation, or anything else that would make his prayer ineffective. Or worse, offensive.  By nature, we do this when we converse with others.  We probe as to the accurate nature and even the motive for the conversation.  We listen.  We hear.  We ask questions and answer them.  We seek the purpose for the conversation and how the conversation can be productive.  Why would we think the LORD would do no less?  I, for one, am so thrilled when the LORD does this.  Prayer is not a one-way street.  Prayer is a dialogue.  It is a conversation between the saint and his Father.  Listening is just as much a part of prayer as speaking is.

Many years ago, when my sons when my sons were little, I spent a better part of two hours in conversation with one of them that, to him, was one of the most difficult conversations he had experienced to date.  There was nothing between us.  He is simply a quiet person who doesn’t open his heart up very easily.  He would rather keep it all inside.  As a little guy, it took about an hour of simply sitting there, patiently and in silence, waiting for him to open up.  Part of it was that he could not discern his feelings and what facts were involved.  He was feeling a certain way, but could not understand why.  So, any conversation would have been frustrating unless time, compassion, and patience were the ingredients.  It took about two hours before we figured it out together.  Much tossing back-and-forth emotions and facts.  Trying to get to the reality of it all.  Fast forward into his teen years, and we had another episode.  Having established a pattern, he knew what it meant when Dad said he wouldn’t leave the room until they figured it out together.  It didn’t take several hours this time.  But it did take a while.  There was much back-and-forth.  There were probing but respectful questions asked.  Questions design not to be critical, but to gather more understanding.  When dealing with emotions, sometimes they can be misleading.  These times were precious.  I wouldn’t trade them for the world.

Prayer can be merely asking for that which needs to be tended in the near future.  Like a blessing offered before a meal or an opening prayer to a church service.  But our private prayer should be far more intimate.  There should be pauses between our words long enough to hear the Father’s words in response.  One might ask if I hear an audible voice.  No, I don’t.  It is more of an awareness of truth or perspective that came from without rather than from within.  The Holy Spirit was given, in part, as that person of the trinity that brings to remembrance the things we have been taught.  He is that person of the trinity that bears witness with us that we are a child a God and He does care to fellowship with us.  Although His voice is not an audible one, it is no less real.  All this to say that when David met with God that night, God reflected David’s words back to him that he might examine the motives, purpose, and emotions involved in the prayer.  These times are more than precious.  These times are eternally special.  I trust that when you pray, you and the LORD have a give and take.  It is the greatest experience one can ever have!