The Morning Prayer of Expectation

We're going to begin our worship by singing to God's praise in Psalm 30.

! Let's sing Psalm 30.

! We're going to sing from verse 1 to verse 8.

Let's sing from verse 1 to 8, and the tune is St. Minvar.

St. Minvar.

St. Minvar.

St. Minvar.

St. Minvar.

St. Minvar.

St. Minvar.

St. Minvar.

St. Minvar.

St. Minvar.

St. Minvar.

St. Minvar.

St. Minvar.

St. Minvar.

St. Minvar.

Let's come to God in prayer.

Let us pray.

Lord, our gracious God, as we have been singing these words,

we are reminded of every reason that we have to give thanks to you.

We are reminded of all that you have done for us,

all that you are doing for us,

and indeed all that you will do for us.

For you are a God of salvation,

one who we can exalt, for you have rescued us.

When you bring us from darkness to light,

we know that that great work has been done,

that you have rescued us from the dominion of darkness

and brought us into that kingdom of light.

And so as we know you, Lord, and as we put our trust in you,

we thank you that that is our cry to you,

that we exalt your name,

that we praise you for all that you have done,

that you have heard our cry,

and that you have listened to us in our cries for mercy,

and that you have been gracious towards us.

And so we thank you for everyone here

who can testify to these words this evening,

for everyone who knows what it has been

and even is at this time to cry unto you

and to know that you are a God

who is mighty and awesome in power,

the one who is above all rule and authority of this world,

the one who has power in the heavens high,

and yet who looks down upon us so graciously in so many ways.

But you have not dealt with us as we deserve, oh Lord,

but that you have been merciful to us

and even patient and compassionate.

You have, oh Lord, not given us what we deserve,

but yet you remember us.

And we thank you that your favour is upon us still,

and that we know a day of grace and mercy.

But in that we know too that other days come,

and a final day will come,

when a day of judgment will be upon us.

And we know, Lord, that it is what we hear now

and what we do in these days

that's so important for us.

And so we pray for maybe any who haven't listened

to your voice as yet,

for any who have not cried out for mercy as yet.

That this evening, Lord,

we would realise the great privilege that we have in prayer,

the blessing that is ours to be able to call upon you

as one who hears and answers according to your will.

We do thank you, Lord,

for the blessing that prayer is to us as a people.

We are surrounded by prayer,

and we thank you for that.

But we pray, Lord, that we will see prayer far and wide

throughout our nation and throughout the world.

We do thank you that you have your people

to all ends of the earth.

But we remember those in particular who rule over us,

and we thank you for them, Lord,

and we pray for kings and queens throughout the world.

We pray for presidents and prime ministers.

We pray for those who have that sense of authority and power,

and yet, oh Lord,

not recognising that it comes from you,

not depending upon you in prayer,

but seeking to do things according to their own ways

and their own wisdom.

We pray, Lord,

that you will humble,

that you will humble them under your mighty hand,

and that they would come to recognise

that all authority and power is from you,

and that they would cry out to you,

that they would call upon your name,

even for mercy for themselves

and for all our nations of the world,

that we would be a people

who would see our great need for you.

And we thank you, Lord,

that as we call,

that you are able to show us your ways

and to teach us your paths,

just as you have done through all the generations.

When we see even the psalmist,

as he cries out,

Lord, he knew direction.

When we see your people

throughout the Old Testament

in times of great need and anxiety and fear,

yet being able to call upon you

and to know that you are with them.

When we think of the Gospels,

when we think of Jesus in them,

as he taught his disciples how to pray,

and even as we repeat that prayer

so often here, the Lord's Prayer,

we thank you for its simplicity

and yet its depth.

We thank you that it teaches us

about our relationship with you,

that you are our Father in heaven,

and that we depend on you for all things,

that with you is forgiveness,

that with you is all that we need

for life and for eternity.

And so we thank you for the teaching

we have in prayer.

We thank you for the way

we see prayer answered,

even as the disciples

and Paul on his missionary journeys

as they went out with the Gospel.

We thank you for the way

that you brought them through

so many different places

and among so many different people

by the power of prayer

and the movement of your Spirit.

And we thank you that today

we still have that power,

we still have that access to you

and through your Holy Spirit

that we are guided in all that we do.

And so we pray, Lord,

teach us to pray

and to look to you

and to wait upon you.

Remember us in our homes

and our families,

we pray, Lord,

that you would have mercy upon us.

We thank you that

even as we pray together this evening,

we all have our individual prayers

being offered up to you as well.

The things that go on

in our own lives

and experiences

that maybe we only know ourselves.

We thank you that

they are already revealed to you

and that you are with us

in every situation.

And we do thank you, Lord,

that your peace and blessing

is over us in these ways

that we know that

you have blessed us so much

with the Gospel,

with the peace that we enjoy,

with the way of life that we have.

Lord, we have so much

to be thankful for

and yet we take so much for granted.

And we just pray, Lord,

that you would just come

in a day of your power.

Come and restore to us

days of great blessing,

days of revival,

days of your Spirit

working powerfully in our midst.

We pray that for our churches

throughout our island.

We pray it to know it

in the preaching of the Gospel

in these days

and times of communion season,

that there would be times

of refreshment

and blessing to us.

But we pray to know it, Lord,

throughout our communities as well.

In our homes,

that there would be peace

in families

and among parents

and children

and all relationships like that.

We pray for our workplaces, Lord,

places where there can be

so many challenges to us

when we can feel resentment

or anger in different ways,

when we feel hurt

or used in different ways.

We pray, Lord,

for peace

and for your goodness

and mercy upon us there.

We pray for it in our schools

and among our young people.

We think of those

who are growing up

in a different generation

to what we have known,

with all the different pressures

and worries that they bring

in terms of technology

and so many other different pressures

weighing heavily

upon our young people.

We do pray, Lord,

for your protection,

your blessing

on children,

upon teachers,

upon all the staff

in our schools

and the Nicholson

and the primary schools

and throughout our communities,

that we would see

your blessing

poured out upon us.

We do thank you, Lord,

that the things

that seem impossible for us,

the things that seem

outwith our control,

the things that we seem

to only ask,

maybe thinking,

is it ever possible

that these things might be?

We thank you

that we come to the one

through whom

all things are possible.

For you are God

and you are Lord of all.

You have power,

you have authority

over all things.

And so help us, Lord,

to have faith

as we pray

and that we would wait upon you

and wait upon you

with that great expectation

that you are able

to do abundantly more

than all that we ask

or imagine.

So hear our prayers, Lord,

and look down upon us.

Continue with us

as we open up your word

this evening.

Guide us through it

and may your spirit

work in our hearts

and go with us

in the week ahead, Lord,

in all that we do

and all the places

that we go

that your hand

would guide us

and uphold us

and keep us

and forgive us

all our sins

as we come anew

this evening

confessing before you

that we are a people

who fall short

of your glory,

that we can never

meet your standards,

that your ways

are so far above our ways

and your thoughts

above ours.

And yet, O Lord,

we thank you

for your mercy.

We thank you

for your grace

towards us

and we thank you

for the forgiveness

that we know

as we confess

in the name

above every name,

the name of our Lord

and Saviour,

Jesus Christ.

So hear our prayers

through him

as we ask it all,

seeking your favour

upon us anew.

In Jesus' name,

Amen.

Well, we're going to sing again

to God's praise

this time

in the Scottish Psalter,

singing in Psalm 86,

page 341

of the psalm books.

Psalm 86,

we're going to sing

from verse 6

down to verse 11.

Psalm 86,

at verse 6,

page 341,

Hear, Lord,

my prayer

and to my voice

of my request

attend.

In troublous times

I'll call on thee,

for thou

wilt answer send.

The tune is Earshire

and we sing

from verse 6

down to verse 11.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

έ έ έ

Let us pray.

Let us pray.

which God has come, not any word is there.

All nations, new the nations shall come

and worship reverently

before thy face and day, O Lord,

thy name shall glorify.

Cause the heart exceeding great

and words by thee are done,

which are to thee

admire not the heart of thyself alone.

Be thy way,

I'm delighted, O Lord,

and what will I?

Good night, my heart,

as I live with thee for January.

Amen.

We turn to read God's word together

and we're reading in the book of Psalms.

I'm going to read in Psalm 5,

the whole of this Psalm.

Psalm 5.

You'll find it around page 538 of the church Bibles,

if you're using them.

Psalm 5.

And we can read the whole of this Psalm together.

It's a Psalm of David.

Give ear to my words, O Lord,

consider my groaning.

Give attention to the sound of my cry,

my King and my God.

For to you do I pray.

O Lord, in the morning you hear my voice.

In the morning I prepare a sacrifice for you and watch.

For you are not a God who delights in wickedness.

Evil may not dwell with you.

The boastful shall not stand before your eyes.

You hate all evildoers.

You destroy those who speak lies.

The Lord abhors the bloodthirsty and deceitful man.

But I, through the abundance of your steadfast love,

will enter your house.

I will bow down towards your holy temple

in the fear of you.

Lead me, O Lord, in your righteousness

because of my enemies.

Make your way straight before me.

For there is no truth in their mouth.

Their inmost self is destruction.

Their throat is an open grave.

They flatter with their tongue.

Make them bear their guilt, O God.

Let them fall by their own counsels.

Because of the abundance of their transgressions,

cast them out.

For they are rebelled against you.

But let all who take refuge in you rejoice.

Let them ever sing for joy

and spread your protection over them.

That those who love your name may exult in you.

For you bless the righteous, O Lord.

You cover him with favour as with a shield.

Amen.

And may God bless that reading from his word.

We're going to sing in the Psalms again.

Singing in Psalm 116.

In the Sing Psalms version.

Page 154.

Psalm 116.

Page 154.

Psalm 116.

Page 154.

All our Psalms this evening have this theme of prayer being heard and answered by God in amazing ways.

And of course, Psalm 116 is that prayer of love towards the Lord because he's heard the voice of the Psalmist.

Psalm 116 at verse 1.

I love the Lord because he heard my voice.

He listened when I cried to him for aid.

I'll call on him as long as I shall live because he turned to hear me when I prayed.

We're going to sing from verse 1 down to verse 9 to God's praise and the tune is Eventide.

I love the Lord because he heard my voice.

He listened when I cried to him for aid.

I'll call on him as long as I shall live because he turned to hear me when I prayed.

In the hearts of death, breathed and eternal thee,

Half on became free, languish of the grave,

With grief and trouble I was overcome,

Then on the name of God I call, Lord, sing.

The Lord the Lord is kind and full of grace.

O righteous and compassionate is he.

The Lord protects all those of childlike faith.

When I was in great need, he rescued me.

O my soul, God has been good to you.

For you, O Lord, have saved my soul from death.

My feet from stumbling and my eyes from tears.

That I may live for you while I am afraid.

Amen.

Well, we can turn back together to our reading in the book of Psalms and Psalm 5.

And we can read again at the beginning of the psalm, the first three verses there.

Give ear to my words, O Lord.

Consider my groaning.

Give attention to the sound of my cry, my King and my God.

For to you do I pray.

O Lord, in the morning you hear my voice.

In the morning I prepare a sacrifice for you and watch.

And then at the end of the psalm, at verse 9, it says,

The Lord has heard my plea.

The Lord accepts my prayer.

Sorry, wrong psalm.

But let all who take refuge in you rejoice.

Let them ever sing for joy and spread your protection over them.

For those who love your name may exult in you.

For you bless the righteous, O Lord.

You cover him with favor as with a shield.

The title for this evening's sermon is The Morning Prayer of Expectation.

And it may not seem to make sense to have it in the evening.

But it's just a reminder to us of the importance of prayer.

And that's going to be the theme of our service this evening, the importance of prayer.

And as you look at Psalm 5, you find here David beginning the day in prayer.

And he's going on throughout the day, then looking and watching to God who he has prayed to

and waiting with that sense of expectation.

So that's why we call it the morning prayer of expectation.

And prayer is such an important part of church life.

It's an important part of the Christian life.

Prayer is our relationship with God.

Both in a congregational sense as we gather together, prayer is important.

Every sermon, you hear every service, you come to, there's prayer in it.

Every time we have a prayer meeting, it is about prayer, praying to God.

There are times in our denomination once a year when we have a national day of prayer.

A day that's set aside for that very purpose.

But every day is a day of prayer.

We have prayer meetings throughout the week.

There's a monthly meeting on a Monday evening.

There's prayer meetings in Laxdale on Tuesday.

The English in the Seminary on Wednesday and the Gaelic on Thursday and the Seminary.

There's the Saturday evening prayer meeting.

Prayer is just part of our life and our routines.

It's such an important thing.

But how do we approach it?

It can sometimes become just a habit.

It can become something of just going through a routine.

And that's something we always have to guard against.

Do we have a sense of expectation as we come to prayer?

Yeah.

I think it's good to remind ourselves that that is the way that we should come.

We should always come with a sense of expectation that we are praying not to ourselves,

not to a people who we see around us, but that we are lifting up our voice to God,

the God of heaven and earth.

And that we remember who it is that we are praying to.

That then helps us to have that sense of expectation and anticipation of what God can do.

Because there may be times when we sense that coming to God and we feel that things are beyond

our reach, beyond change, beyond our capabilities, beyond recovery.

There are things that are just totally outwith our control.

And in a way, it's good that we would come like that.

Because that then reminds us that is why we come to God in prayer.

Because what is impossible with man, it is possible with God.

And so it's that dependence that we have.

And that's what we see with David in this psalm.

When we think of prayer and its importance, it is our lifeblood, our relationship with God.

And we see it with David in the psalms again and again.

In his own life, we see it again and again.

And with all God's people in the scriptures, you see it as so vital, so important.

And does it make a difference?

Well, of course it does.

When you look at David in this psalm, he's beginning his day with that sense of expectation,

praying to God, I'm crying to you, my enemies are all around me.

And yet he concludes this psalm with that, you cover him with favor as with a shield.

So he knows that God has been with him.

He knows that God is looking after him.

And you see it again and again through the scriptures, how God answers prayer in amazing ways.

But it's not just in the scriptures.

Many of us can testify to it in our own lives.

The way God has answered prayer.

The way God has helped us in different situations.

The way God, maybe even today, you've been praying about someone or something or yourself.

And you've seen God do something remarkable, something amazing.

That God is able to answer prayer.

And we can all look back, I'm sure, and see answered prayer in so many different ways.

And I'm sure many of us can look back and not just see answered prayer, but see how many of us are tokens to answered prayer.

The people who prayed for us when we seemed maybe beyond the reach of God.

When we seemed so far away from God that salvation was the last thing on our mind.

And yet people were praying.

And by God's grace, he brought us to himself.

That many of us are tokens to answered prayers.

Faithful prayers.

People who wouldn't give up in prayer.

Who kept praying.

Always believing that this God who we are praying to, the God of heaven and earth.

He is able to save.

He is able to do so much more than all that we ask or imagine.

And the scripture is full of people who are faithful in prayer.

David here we're seeing, but there's others too.

You think maybe names might come to mind immediately.

You think maybe of Daniel.

Daniel was a man of prayer.

And a man of prayer no matter what.

Didn't matter what was going on around him or what the threat was.

He still prayed to God.

That's what you read of in Daniel chapter 6.

Daniel 6 · chapter mention

When they decided, the wise men around Nebuchadnezzar decided that all prayer was to be made to him as king.

Not to God.

So they said, anyone who prays to any God or man during the next 30 days except to you, O king,

shall be thrown into the lion's den.

The lion's den was the threat for anyone who would pray to any other God or man apart from Nebuchadnezzar.

And it was a real threat.

It wasn't just they were saying something they weren't going to do.

We know because they were thrown into the lion's den.

But what was Daniel's response?

Was he terrified of this?

Was he afraid of this and said, I better stop praying?

No.

Daniel's response was when he learned about the decree that had been published in verse 10.

He went home to his upstairs room where the windows opened toward Jerusalem.

And three times a day, he got down on his knees and prayed, giving thanks to his God,

just as he had done before.

He was faithful in prayer.

And God heard and answered his prayers in amazing ways.

And so you see it throughout the scripture, this relationship of God with his people.

And even Jesus himself is a reminder to us of the importance of prayer.

Jesus spent time in prayer with his Father.

And it was often at times when things were busy.

In the Gospel of Luke chapter 5, for example, you read there that there were large crowds

Luke 5 · chapter mention

who were hearing about him and starting to come and follow him.

But in verse 16 of Luke 5, it says,

But he, that's Jesus, would withdraw to desolate places and pray.

So you see there, it wasn't just once.

It was his habit, his routine.

He would withdraw to desolate places and pray.

He would find his quiet place to pray.

And down through history, there's so many examples given to us of people who were faithful in prayer.

People who put us to shame as you read about them and the kind of prayer life that they had.

For example, Matthew Henry, who wrote a commentary on the whole Bible.

It's said of him that he would spend eight hours a day in pure study and prayer.

Eight hours a day in pure study and prayer.

And so many of the Puritan theologians of the 16th, 17th century, the same was true of them.

They were people of prayer.

And so we are reminded again and again of the importance of prayer.

And as somebody once put it, if you are too busy to pray, you are too busy.

If you don't have time to pray, you're not using your time right.

That's the challenge to us all the time, is it not?

Our relationship with God in prayer.

And I'm saying this to myself first.

And the situation with David here in Psalm 5 is one,

when we see him in a situation where there's so much going on around him.

There's so much that's going on that's weighing heavy upon him.

He's surrounded by enemies.

He's surrounded by those who are out to get him.

Those who are looking for an opportunity to bring him down.

Making him out to be an enemy of the people.

And yet, who is David?

Who is this David we read of in the Psalms?

Who is this David we read of in the Scriptures?

He is the king who was chosen by God.

He is the one through whom the line of Jesus would come.

So he is appointed by God.

He is a man after God's own heart, as the word describes him.

He is someone who has this closeness with God.

And yet, here he is under attack.

Here he is with his troubles are never far away, as it were.

And what we see him again and again is reminding us of the need to cry out to God.

And how real this cry is.

How real this prayer is.

The example we are given by David here is to begin each day in prayer with God.

And look with that expectation to him.

The God who shields and watches over his people.

Prayer is so important.

Spurgeon, Charles Spurgeon, in his book entitled Only a Prayer Meeting,

he speaks about the importance of prayer in that sense of togetherness.

And in his first chapter, there's two points that kind of stand out for me.

He said this, how could we expect a blessing if we're too idle to ask for it?

How can we expect a blessing if we're too idle to ask for it?

The importance of having that time of prayer with God.

But also of that collective nature of prayer, being together in prayer.

He said, how could we look for a Pentecost if we're never met with one accord in one place to wait upon the Lord?

How can we expect the blessing of God to be poured out if we're not meeting together with one accord in one place to wait upon the Lord?

To have that sense of watching and waiting expectantly on God.

And so there's lessons for us to learn from this psalm.

And the first thing is I want to see is David's approach is to God.

And it sounds obvious, doesn't it?

David's approach is to God.

But it's key because he doesn't start to deal with things by himself.

He has God with him.

And prayer has been much in the news recently.

And not for the reasons we would want it as such.

But it highlights that even in a negative sense it can highlight how important prayer is to people.

For example, just in the last month there has been a call by some to scrap Christian prayers

at the start of every session of the House of Commons.

We don't need prayer today.

We've moved on, was what some were saying.

And yet it was met with a pushback.

That there are still those who see the importance of prayer.

But it's just a reminder to us that that's the mindset of so many.

We don't need prayer.

We've seen it too in the news recently with talk of exclusion zones around health clinics.

Now without going into the details of why they're set,

it's the challenge that it's bringing towards those who would seek to be a praying people.

Where the threat is seen not just in the zones around,

but even in the homes around them as being under threat if you're praying.

Even in your own home.

That there could be a challenge against you.

And so there's all these things that are being highlighted for us

about the challenge that's being made against prayer.

Let's get rid of prayer.

Instead of seeing the gift and power that there is in prayer.

And who it is that we're praying to and what he's able to do for us.

And David reminds us in this psalm that in these days,

even our own days today,

it is such a time to see prayer and its importance.

And to see that it is only by seeking God in these days

that we will know days of blessing and days of peace.

And so David's approach is to God.

And his approach is in the morning.

C.S. Lewis said,

What was he saying?

He was saying,

We wake up in the morning and we can immediately be faced with,

I need to do this, that, and the next thing.

It's all such a rush.

And yet he's saying it's time,

that time in the morning is that time to make sure we push back

on all these things that will come as a first priority to us

and just make sure that we let that voice of the Lord come in.

That time with the Lord come in.

And so there's the challenge.

David is approaching God,

and he's approaching him in the morning.

Is that our priority at the beginning of the day?

To have that time with God.

Because the temptation would have been there for David here as well.

That same temptation coming under attack from those around him.

It would be so easy for him to turn on the offense,

to go on the attack against them.

But what he does is he approaches his Lord,

his God,

and his King.

David,

a king,

a royal king in this world,

still sees his dependence upon the Lord,

the Lord of all.

And so David is a great example to us

of the need for ourselves

to pray as well.

And he approaches God in an honest way.

Look at how he comes to him.

Give ear to my words,

O Lord.

Consider my groaning.

Give attention to the sound of my cry.

So he comes honestly.

He comes with words.

It's obvious as we pray that we use words.

But then he says,

Consider my groaning.

And hear my cries.

The sound of my cry.

And so he's coming,

just bearing his heart to God in every way.

It's not a case of approaching God

depending on how you feel.

It's not a case of saying,

I don't feel close to God just now.

I shouldn't come and pray.

It's coming whatever our situation,

whatever our circumstances.

Yes,

when there are times

when we can express our prayers in words,

but other times our prayers are just a groan.

They're just a noise that maybe comes out of us.

The groaning of our heart.

Or the cries of anguish that sometimes come.

They're still prayers that God hears.

And so we are to approach God with all our burdens,

all our cares.

And you notice too how he approaches God

in such a personal way.

Give ear to my words,

O Lord.

He is coming in that sense of knowing

who he is coming to.

And then at the end of verse 2,

he says,

My King and my God,

for to you do I pray.

So there's this personal nature

of coming to God.

My Lord,

my King,

my God.

And that's the relationship

that's open to us.

Every one of us can come

and approach the Lord,

the King,

my God,

in that same way.

He is the one

who is there for us.

He is the one alone

who is able to help.

We can approach God

through Jesus Christ,

our Lord,

the King of kings

and Lord of lords.

What a wonderful privilege it is

to be able to approach God,

the same God

as David prayed to,

the same God

that Daniel

was praying to,

the same God

down through all the generations,

the only God

who is able to help.

Somebody once said this,

Prayer is man's

greatest means

of tapping

the infinite resources

of God,

invoking by prayer

the mercy and might

of God

as our most effective means

of guaranteeing peace

and security

for the harassed

and helpless people

of this earth.

Invoking by prayer

the mercy and might

of God.

That is what we have

in prayer.

We have that access.

We approach the God

who is able

to do so much more

than we can ask

of him.

So much more

than we can even imagine

in our own minds.

He is able

to do it.

So David's approach

is to God

and so

is ours.

Second thing we see

is David's approach

is a priority.

It's a priority.

And again,

we see it just here

how he

just comes

to him

in this sense

of it's

the most important

and the most precious

thing he could do.

Martin Luther,

the reformer,

again,

who we're studying

in the Bible study

on Wednesday evenings,

the Reformation,

and it was Martin Luther

who was at the heart

of that.

He did so much

to bring the truths

of the gospel

to the people

of God.

And he would spend

at least two hours

a day

in private prayer.

And he once said

to a friend of his,

he said,

I've got so much

to do tomorrow.

I need to spend

an extra day,

an extra hour

in prayer.

Now,

is that the kind

of response

we would have

to the busyness

of life?

I've got so much

to do tomorrow

that I'll add

an extra hour

of prayer

into my schedule.

We would probably

go the other way.

We would think,

I've got so much

to do tomorrow,

I'll need to cut

back on my time

in prayer.

And yet,

for Martin Luther,

the priority

was that

prayerful relationship.

The priority

with David

here is that

prayer

with God.

That morning

prayer with God,

even though

there's so much

going on.

It was John Bunyan

who once said,

he who runs

from God

in the morning

will scarcely

find him

the rest

of the day.

And again,

it's just that

reminder for

ourselves

that in our

prayer life,

it is so important

to begin

the day

in prayer.

That priority

of beginning

the day

in prayer

with God

is set

the day

before him.

We depend

on him.

Jesus'

prayer life

was there

to see us

as well as

we saw

in Luke's

gospel,

how he would

go away

to a

quiet

place

and pray.

But you

also see

that so

often

it was

in the

early

hours

of the

morning,

in that

quiet

time

of the

day.

And that's

again a

lesson to

us.

When we

are fresh,

when we

have just

had our

night's

sleep,

when we

are about

to go

into

the

busyness

of a

day,

that we

give that

quality

time

to God.

Because we

have every

reason to.

because you

see in the

scriptures how

often it

tells us that

the blessings

of God are

new each

morning.

Lamentation

speaks of it

in chapter

3,

verse 22,

because of

the Lord's

great love,

we are not

consumed,

for his

compassion

never fail.

So there's

that reminder

of his

great love

towards us.

So what

other reason

do we need

to come

and pray

than we

know the

Lord's

great love.

We are

not

consumed,

we don't

get what

we deserve

because of

his

compassions

that never

fail.

So we

have all

of these

reasons,

but then

in the

next verse

it says

they are

new

every

morning.

So it's

not just

a one-off.

It's not

just we

pray on

the Monday

for the

whole week

ahead and

don't come

back again

until the

next Monday.

Our

relationship

with God

is on a

daily basis.

They are

new every

morning.

Great is

your

faithfulness

it says

in

lamentations.

So we

have that

reminder

every day

we have

reason to

give thanks

to God,

to make it

our priority

to come

to him

and especially

in the

morning.

Zephaniah

has the

same thing.

Zephaniah

Zephaniah 3:5

chapter 3

verse 5

The Lord

within her

is righteous.

He does

no wrong.

Morning by

morning he

dispenses

his justice

and every

new day

he does

not fail.

Again

there's this

reminder

it's every

new day

morning by

morning he

dispenses

his justice.

So every

day

you wouldn't

miss breakfast

or you

wouldn't miss

a meal

in the

day that's

going to

keep you

going.

And so

we see

here

morning by

morning

we are

reminded of

his great

faithfulness.

And so

we are to

make it

that priority

to come

to him.

Are we

giving the

best to

God in

terms of

our prayers

and beginning

each day

with him?

In many

ways and

you see it

here in

David what

he says

in the

morning you

hear my

voice in

the morning

I prepare

a sacrifice

for you.

And so

there's this

sense of

prayer it

is a

sacrifice.

We don't

prepare a

sacrifice maybe

in the same

way that was

done in the

Old Testament

but prayer

is still a

sacrifice.

It is still

something costly

something that

takes time

for us to

prepare and

to come

to God

with.

And it's

pleasing

to God.

So let us

make it our

priority to

pray.

Each new

day to be

as David

was coming

to the

Lord in

the morning

in the

freshness of

the day

thankful for

the Lord's

mercies that

are new each

day, for

his faithfulness

each day,

for all that

he gives us

day by day,

coming with

thankfulness to

him, to

commit that

day ahead

to him,

asking for

blessings anew

in it.

So it's a

priority.

The final

thing we see

here is David's

approach is

with confidence.

And you see

that just in

these two

words at the

end of verse

3.

And watch.

O Lord, in

the morning you

hear my voice.

In the morning

I prepare a

sacrifice for

you and

watch.

As David

offers his

morning prayer

to God, he

does so in

a way where

he leaves it

with the

Lord and

waits expectantly

on him.

How often

are you guilty

of praying,

committing

something to

God in

prayer, but

you can't

wait.

You can't

wait for an

answer.

You can't

wait to see

if God is

going to

work.

You start

to take

the situation

into your

own hands.

You'll do

something about

it yourself.

We all

do it.

We all

lose patience.

We all

try and do

things in

our own

way instead

of waiting

on God.

But here's

another reminder

to us

that God

is never

idle.

God is

never not

listening to

our prayers.

He doesn't

always give

us what

we want

as we

were thinking

this morning,

but he

does give

us what

we need.

And he

doesn't turn

any prayer

away.

He hears

our prayer,

and we are

to pray that

prayer in

his will

to be done.

And that's

what David

is saying

here in

these words.

He offers

up his

prayer and

his sacrifice

in the

morning and

watches.

watches.

And the

word there

for watch

has that

great sense

of expectation

behind it,

where he's

looking to

God, where

he's looking

to see what

is God

going to

do today.

There's a

sense of

excitement,

anticipation

in praying

to God.

And again,

we think of

our own

prayer life.

Do we

have that

sense of

expectation,

anticipation

as we pray

to God?

What is he

going to

do?

How is he

going to

work in

our midst?

And we

just think

of things

that we

have prayed

for as

a congregation.

What have

we prayed

for when

we've seen

God answer

prayer?

When we've

prayed for

conversions,

have we

prayed

expectantly

and watched

and waited

and say,

God, you

are going

to do

it?

Well, we've

seen it.

We've seen

people come

to faith.

Praise God,

he has

heard,

prayers.

We think

of different

things going

on in

our congregation.

Whether it's

Friday at the

Free, as

people have

prayed for

that, and

we've

prayed,

Lord, let

us see

people come

in.

Let us

see people

show an

interest in

the gospel

here.

Praise God,

we've seen

prayer answered.

We've been

able to watch

and wait on

God and see

amazing ways

that he

has answered

prayer.

Think of

prayers for

holiday clubs

or youth

work,

praying for

young people

to come.

Praise God

they're here

tonight.

They're here,

you're here

with us.

The gospel is

being heard and

we see it in

the mornings as

they go out to

Sunday school.

We see it

week by week.

Praise God,

he has

answered

prayer.

And has that

been because of

our confidence?

confidence.

Well,

sometimes it's

despite our

lack of

confidence.

But we are

reminded here

that as we

pray to

God,

we pray

and watch.

That sense

of expectation,

God is

able.

So that

whatever it

is that we're

asking for,

he is

able.

You see it

with the

prophets in

the Old

Testament as

well.

The prophet

Isaiah in

chapter 30.

verse 18.

Therefore the

Lord waits to

be gracious

to you and

therefore he

exalts himself

to show

mercy to

you.

For the

Lord is a

God of

justice.

Blessed are

those who

wait for

him.

There is

blessing in

waiting on

the Lord.

Micah the

prophet, he

had the same

experience.

And you can

often go through

so many of

the Lord's

people in

the scriptures

waiting on

God.

Micah 7

Micah 7:7

verse 7.

But as

for me, I

watch in

hope for

the Lord.

I wait for

God my

Savior.

My God

will hear

me.

There's

confidence.

God will

deal with

this.

And

surely there's

a sense of

excitement in

that.

That God

is able to

deal with

this.

For David,

he had

offered his

prayer, he

had offered

his sacrifice,

and watch.

He is

able to

wait for

God.

In

Psalm

116,

as we

sang there,

the second

half of

verse 5,

the Lord

protects all

those of

childlike

faith.

When I was

in great

need, he

rescued me.

The Psalm

is all about

crying out

to God.

Do we

have that

childlike

faith?

That

childlike

faith, that

dependence on

him.

We need to

be like

that child,

but a

child with

that sense

of expectation,

childlike

faith, where

we trust

that God

is able.

Dr.

Helen

Rosevear,

she was a

missionary in

Africa, and

she tells

some amazing

stories of

how she saw

prayer answered.

I wanted to

finish with

this one.

It's a story

of a time

when they

had had a

great tragedy

where they

were.

She was

working in

a mission

station, and

she was

working among

young mothers,

and she

said this

day a

mother at

her mission

station died

giving birth

to a

premature

baby.

So obviously

it was a

difficult time,

and they

didn't have

the medical

facilities

that we

have today.

And she

was saying

we tried

to improvise

an incubator

to keep

the infant

alive, to

keep the

baby warm.

But the

only hot

water bottle

we had

was beyond

repair.

And so

we asked

the children

to pray

for the

baby and

for her

sister.

And she

goes on to

say one

of the

girls responded

and prayed

like this,

dear God,

please send

a hot

water bottle

today.

Tomorrow

will be

too late,

because by

then the

baby will

have died.

And dear

Lord,

please send

a doll

for the

sister so

she won't

feel lonely.

It's such

a simple

prayer,

a child

prayer.

Well,

that afternoon

she said a

large package

arrived from

England.

And the

children watched

eagerly,

she said,

as we

opened it.

And much

to their

surprise,

under some

clothing,

was a

hot water

bottle.

The

prayer was

answered.

But the

little girl

who had

prayed,

what did

she start

doing?

Ellen

Rosevear

says immediately

she started

digging into

the package

and exclaiming

with great

excitement,

well,

if God

sent that

hot water

bottle,

I'm sure

he sent

a doll

too.

And there

in the

bottom of

the box

was a

doll.

And what

was so

amazing

about it

was God's

timing.

It was

five months

previous that

that package

had been

made up

and sent

from England

and sent

over to

this mission

station in

Africa to

arrive on

that very

day that

it was

needed.

God

had known

that prayer

even before

it was

offered up.

They'd

known,

he had

known

their

need.

That

childlike

faith

was

rewarded.

And God

has promised

to hear

his praying

people.

And that's

what we

have to

remind

ourselves

of too.

We are

to come

and approach

God who

is able,

God who

is Lord

of all.

And we

are to

make it

our priority

to come.

God

and we

are to

wait and

watch

with that

expectation

as we

do so

that he

is able

to hear

and answer

prayer.

And again,

somebody wants

prayer like

this, when

we pray we

are to

remember

three things.

First,

the love

of God

that wants

the best

for us.

Secondly,

the wisdom

of God

that knows

what is

best for

us.

And thirdly,

the power

of God

that can

accomplish

it.

And so

as we

think of

David

here,

reminding

us of

the importance

of prayer,

let us

have that

confidence,

that boldness

to come

and approach

God with

all our

cares,

with all

our

prayers,

making it

our

priority

and knowing

that he

is able,

that we

can watch

and wait

for him

to do

more than

we ever

ask or

imagine.

Let us

pray.

Lord,

our

gracious

God,

we do

thank you

that we

have such

great power

in prayer,

not from

ourselves,

but in

the one

to whom

we offer

our prayers

up to.

We thank

you that

the way

is opened

up for

us

through

Jesus

Christ,

our

Lord,

that we

come in

his name,

the name

above

every name,

acknowledging

their

dependence

upon you

and thankful

for every

blessing that

you give

to us.

Your

blessings

new each

morning,

great is

your

faithfulness,

and may

you make

us a

faithful

people

to keep

on praying

and not

to lose

heart,

and to

remember

that we

can watch

and wait

with

expectation,

for you

are God

who is

able.

So continue

to hear

our prayers,

continue to

answer

according to

your will,

and teach us

always to

pray as a

priority in

our lives.

We ask it

with the

forgiveness of

our sin,

in Jesus'

name,