Prayer - Let Me Be Found in the Midst of God's Delight

David, longing for restoration with the Lord, writes in Pslam 51:10, "Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me."

It is easy to look at the upper layer of this Psalm and see the desire of David to be forgiven of his sin and thus restored to a right relationship with the Lord. I want to challenge you to peel back that top layer and look deeper into the heart of the Psalmist. If you can do this, you will find out why, in spite of his sin, David is known as a man after God's own heart, and you will discover the key to a deepening prayer life that will be transforming. The key I am speaking of is truth.

David approaches the Lord with hope that God will extend to him unfailing mercy. This word mercy refers to a graciousness that arises from deep-seated and intense emotions - from the depth of God's love for his servant, David. The Psalmist is asking to be considered with an endearment that wells up from deep within the heart of God and dispenses favor that will bring about restoration from his brokenness.

In verse 6, David recalls that the Lord's desire is for truth and sincerity. He says, "Behold You delight in truth in the inward being, and you teach me wisdom in the secret heart." In other words, he brings to God truth about his fragmented life that he is unable to fix and is asking to be found in the midst of God's delight and from that secret place gain wisdom.

And we think that prayer is about bringing our heart to God!

I have discovered in this beautiful heart-cry from David that prayer is not at all what I bring to God. Prayer is to show up in truth and with a sincere longing for His heart to be poured into me. And as my heart longs to go deeper and deeper into that secret place I find His favor and He imparts wisdom that I may know Him more.

Thus, it is my cry, "Create in me a clean heart O God and renew a right spirit within me."