The Pleasure of God in the Prayers of the Upright
March 22, 1987
The sacrifice of the wicked
is an abomination to the Lord,
but the prayer of the upright
is his delight.Last week we turned a corner in our series on the pleasures of God. Up until that time we focused on the pleasures of God in his own perfections and his own works of creation and providence. We stressed his self-sufficiency and his overflowing fullness of joy and his sovereign freedom from coercion or constraint or bribery or blackmail.
Is There Any Pleasure in A Prayer?
If you can't find enjoyment in your prayer, there is probably something missing.
Is there any power in a prayer? That question, frequently asked, may preempt a more fascinating one. Is there any pleasure in a prayer? I suspect that for many people prayer is seen as a duty imposed, rather than a pleasure eagerly sought. I suspect that prayer is something that arises most often out of need, desperation, guilt, or perhaps merely habit. If these impressions of how many people relate to prayer are accurate, then it might be useful to clear the decks and take a fresh look at this widely misunderstood but critical element in the life of the soul. In my view, prayer is a natural and spontaneous response to the presence and beauty of God; prayer is not something necessarily imposed by religious professionals, led by experts, limited to the theologically educated. Prayer is what wells up from within when one stands in the presence of God. And to the extent that prayer flows from a relationship with a loving God, then it is clear: prayer is one of the supreme pleasures of life. After all, can you think of anything that gives greater satisfaction and pleasure than being in the presence of someone you love? If that "someone" happens to be God ... blow me away!
Prayer as one of the supreme pleasures of life
In order to see it this way, one may have to clear away some powerful misconceptions. Consider how it was that you were first introduced to prayer. Were you ever told that learning to pray was something that every good child ought to do? Did your father or mother insist that you say your prayers before going to bed at night? "Now Johnny, don't forget to say your prayers!" Do you remember having to wait at the dinner table before eating a sumptuous feast, so that a family grace could be hastily recited?
I remember being asked to pray for the starving Armenians long before I had the slightest inkling who the Armenians were. I remember being reminded to pray for poor Aunt Minnie, though Aunt Minnie frequently spoiled our Sunday afternoons with her long and uneventful visits. And I was made to feel guilty that feeding the Armenians or entertaining Aunt Minnie were not high on my list of priorities at the age of ten or eleven. I also have distinctly unpleasant memories of prayers foisted off upon me and my classmates during the morning assembly in my public school (before the Supreme Court rescued me from that pious captivity) and prayers intoned at great length on purely ceremonial occasions like the Inauguration of a new Preside
Do You Find Pleasure in Prayer?
by Elaine Helms
When you think of prayer, do you associate it with pleasure?
Too often we pray when we are in trouble, in pain, or when we need something. A sign that you are maturing in your faith is when you desire to be in the presence of the Lord just to be with Him, to ask what is on His heart, or just to rest in His arms in peace and delight
The Pleasure of Morning Prayer
How we start our day often dictates how we view the rest of the day. There are many days when I feel confused or even anxious. I feel like I am running on empty. What is the problem? Perhaps, I have forgotten the pleasure of starting my day with the most important person in my life, my Heavenly Father. The Psalmist, David, understood the importance of starting the day with a time of prayer with the Lord. “My voice shalt thou hear in the morning, O LORD; in the morning will I direct my prayer unto thee, and will look up.” (Psalm 5:3)
1. Morning prayer is a pleasure because it reminds us of our need of God. David lived his life with one trial after another. These trials were a constant reminder to him that he needed his Heavenly Father daily. When we start our day with prayer, we are saying to God: ” I need you throughout this day. I need your wisdom. I need your strength. I need your protection.” Morning prayer enables us to come to God with all humility
2. Morning prayer is a pleasure because it reminds us of the greatness of God. David recognizes the greatness of God when he writes: “Hearken unto the voice of my cry, my King, and my God.” (Psalm 5:2) David constantly writes about the attributes of God. Morning prayer enables us to start the day focusing upon God. We remember that our God is faithful, merciful, loving, holy, just, all-powerful, omnipresent, all-knowing, and wise. We also remember that He is our Father, who wants to take care of us throughout the coming day.
3. Morning prayer is a pleasure because it enables us to sort out our priorities. David says: “I direct my prayer unto thee, and will look up.” (Psalm 5:3) David was a man after God’s own heart because he had the proper priorities in his life. David started his day by seeking direction from God. His relationship with the Lord was the top priority of His life. When we start the day with the Lord, we are saying to him: “My relationship with you is the most important priority in my life.” Wrong priorities create confusion and very anxious days. When our relationship with the Lord is right, everything else will fall into its proper place.
4. Morning prayer is a pleasure because we can share our burdens with the Lord. David writes: “Lead me, O LORD, in thy righteousness because of mine enemies: make thy way straight before my face.” (Psalm 5:8) David faced many enemies. These enemies were a great burden upon David. We begin our day with many burdens. We have burdens in our family. We have burdens at work. We have financial burdens. We have health burdens. We have many other burdens. Our morning prayer time is a great opportunity to cast these burdens upon the strong arms of our Heavenly Father. “Cast thy burden upon the LORD and he shall sustain thee: he shall never suffer the righteous to be moved.” (Psalm 55:22).
Every day begins with a great opportunity to talk to our loving Heavenly Father. When you love someone deeply, it is a pleasure to start the day with them. Prayer is not a chore, but a pleasure. God is always available to listen to us, but are we ready to speak to Him?
“Dear Heavenly Father, there are many mornings that I forget to take the time to talk with you. I have forgotten the pleasure I derive from spending this time with you. You are patiently waiting for me every morning. You are always ready to listen. Help me to come to you each morning with an open heart, remembering that you also take pleasure in hearing from me. Amen”
March 22, 1987
- by John Piper
- Topic: Prayer
The sacrifice of the wicked
is an abomination to the Lord,
but the prayer of the upright
is his delight.Last week we turned a corner in our series on the pleasures of God. Up until that time we focused on the pleasures of God in his own perfections and his own works of creation and providence. We stressed his self-sufficiency and his overflowing fullness of joy and his sovereign freedom from coercion or constraint or bribery or blackmail.
Is There Any Pleasure in A Prayer?
If you can't find enjoyment in your prayer, there is probably something missing.
Is there any power in a prayer? That question, frequently asked, may preempt a more fascinating one. Is there any pleasure in a prayer? I suspect that for many people prayer is seen as a duty imposed, rather than a pleasure eagerly sought. I suspect that prayer is something that arises most often out of need, desperation, guilt, or perhaps merely habit. If these impressions of how many people relate to prayer are accurate, then it might be useful to clear the decks and take a fresh look at this widely misunderstood but critical element in the life of the soul. In my view, prayer is a natural and spontaneous response to the presence and beauty of God; prayer is not something necessarily imposed by religious professionals, led by experts, limited to the theologically educated. Prayer is what wells up from within when one stands in the presence of God. And to the extent that prayer flows from a relationship with a loving God, then it is clear: prayer is one of the supreme pleasures of life. After all, can you think of anything that gives greater satisfaction and pleasure than being in the presence of someone you love? If that "someone" happens to be God ... blow me away!
Prayer as one of the supreme pleasures of life
In order to see it this way, one may have to clear away some powerful misconceptions. Consider how it was that you were first introduced to prayer. Were you ever told that learning to pray was something that every good child ought to do? Did your father or mother insist that you say your prayers before going to bed at night? "Now Johnny, don't forget to say your prayers!" Do you remember having to wait at the dinner table before eating a sumptuous feast, so that a family grace could be hastily recited?
I remember being asked to pray for the starving Armenians long before I had the slightest inkling who the Armenians were. I remember being reminded to pray for poor Aunt Minnie, though Aunt Minnie frequently spoiled our Sunday afternoons with her long and uneventful visits. And I was made to feel guilty that feeding the Armenians or entertaining Aunt Minnie were not high on my list of priorities at the age of ten or eleven. I also have distinctly unpleasant memories of prayers foisted off upon me and my classmates during the morning assembly in my public school (before the Supreme Court rescued me from that pious captivity) and prayers intoned at great length on purely ceremonial occasions like the Inauguration of a new Preside
Do You Find Pleasure in Prayer?
by Elaine Helms
When you think of prayer, do you associate it with pleasure?
Too often we pray when we are in trouble, in pain, or when we need something. A sign that you are maturing in your faith is when you desire to be in the presence of the Lord just to be with Him, to ask what is on His heart, or just to rest in His arms in peace and delight
The Pleasure of Morning Prayer
How we start our day often dictates how we view the rest of the day. There are many days when I feel confused or even anxious. I feel like I am running on empty. What is the problem? Perhaps, I have forgotten the pleasure of starting my day with the most important person in my life, my Heavenly Father. The Psalmist, David, understood the importance of starting the day with a time of prayer with the Lord. “My voice shalt thou hear in the morning, O LORD; in the morning will I direct my prayer unto thee, and will look up.” (Psalm 5:3)
1. Morning prayer is a pleasure because it reminds us of our need of God. David lived his life with one trial after another. These trials were a constant reminder to him that he needed his Heavenly Father daily. When we start our day with prayer, we are saying to God: ” I need you throughout this day. I need your wisdom. I need your strength. I need your protection.” Morning prayer enables us to come to God with all humility
2. Morning prayer is a pleasure because it reminds us of the greatness of God. David recognizes the greatness of God when he writes: “Hearken unto the voice of my cry, my King, and my God.” (Psalm 5:2) David constantly writes about the attributes of God. Morning prayer enables us to start the day focusing upon God. We remember that our God is faithful, merciful, loving, holy, just, all-powerful, omnipresent, all-knowing, and wise. We also remember that He is our Father, who wants to take care of us throughout the coming day.
3. Morning prayer is a pleasure because it enables us to sort out our priorities. David says: “I direct my prayer unto thee, and will look up.” (Psalm 5:3) David was a man after God’s own heart because he had the proper priorities in his life. David started his day by seeking direction from God. His relationship with the Lord was the top priority of His life. When we start the day with the Lord, we are saying to him: “My relationship with you is the most important priority in my life.” Wrong priorities create confusion and very anxious days. When our relationship with the Lord is right, everything else will fall into its proper place.
4. Morning prayer is a pleasure because we can share our burdens with the Lord. David writes: “Lead me, O LORD, in thy righteousness because of mine enemies: make thy way straight before my face.” (Psalm 5:8) David faced many enemies. These enemies were a great burden upon David. We begin our day with many burdens. We have burdens in our family. We have burdens at work. We have financial burdens. We have health burdens. We have many other burdens. Our morning prayer time is a great opportunity to cast these burdens upon the strong arms of our Heavenly Father. “Cast thy burden upon the LORD and he shall sustain thee: he shall never suffer the righteous to be moved.” (Psalm 55:22).
Every day begins with a great opportunity to talk to our loving Heavenly Father. When you love someone deeply, it is a pleasure to start the day with them. Prayer is not a chore, but a pleasure. God is always available to listen to us, but are we ready to speak to Him?
“Dear Heavenly Father, there are many mornings that I forget to take the time to talk with you. I have forgotten the pleasure I derive from spending this time with you. You are patiently waiting for me every morning. You are always ready to listen. Help me to come to you each morning with an open heart, remembering that you also take pleasure in hearing from me. Amen”