Short And Simple Can Be Effective

“Hear, O LORD, and have mercy upon me: LORD, be thou my helper.” (Ps 30:10 AV)

Sometimes the simplest, shortest, and most succinct prayers are the best ones of all.  This is not complicated.  The context refers to trouble with the enemies of God.  But it just as well could be any type of need.  Especially those overwhelming needs.  Sometimes we think that praying a long and detailed prayer is more impressive to the LORD.  It is the heart that matters most.  Sure, I teach our people to pray detailed prayers.  Don’t just pray that a loved one might come to Christ.  Rather, pray for specific events that might work to that end.  Don’t pray for healing, pray for the specific needs that would result in a healing.  The reason I teach our people to do that is that it is easier to see the hand of God if you are looking for details rather than an overall direction.  But often, the greatest of God’s miracles is at the end of a very short, concise, and desperate prayer.

I think of Peter as he began to slip into the troubles water.  “Lord, save me,” was all he needed to blurt out.  I think of Moses’ prayer when told to go into battle.  Or Elijah’s prayer in calling down fire from heaven.  Then there is the sinner’s prayer of Luke.  “Lord, be merciful unto me, a sinner.”  Jesus said that he went away justified, and the Pharisee whose prayer was long and self-exalting did not.  There was the prophet’s prayer for rain, Daniel’s prayer in the lion’s den, and David’s prayer as he fled Absalom.  John’s prayer in Revelation chapter one is another.  The list goes on and on.  In fact, if one were to research all the prayers recorded in the bible, the student would be sore pressed to find any prayer longer than a single chapter.  Does that mean that God is against long prayers?  Absolutely not.  Prayer is a conversation with God.  Paul said to pray without ceasing.  Now that is a long prayer.

What strikes me is that David’s words, although few, were effective.  Prayer is not complicated.  It is often misunderstood.  Prayer is simply having a conversation with our Creator God who listens and responds by His Spirit.  Productive prayer, above all else, is transparent prayer.  It is not presumptuous.  It is not evasive.  Prayer is not a duty.  It is not something to be checked off as those it is a task among many.  Prayer is not an event.  It is a way of life.  Imagine if we treated all our relationships that way.  My wife would divorce me.  If I told her she only gets ten minutes a day and all I am going to do is talk to her and she doesn’t get to respond, she would have my head.  I don’t think my marriage would have lasted too long.  God wants our hearts.  He wants our fellowship.  He wants to be our Father, and we, His children.  Prayer does not have to be an official act of the day.  Prayer, whether short or long, simply needs to be all in.  The whole heart.  David got right to the point.  Please be merciful and help.  That was it.  And God heard it.