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.
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.
έ έ έ
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.
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
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
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.
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
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,
Amen.
We're going
to conclude
by singing
from this
psalm that
we've been
looking at,
Psalm 5.
In the
Sing Psalms
version,
the first
two stanzas,
Psalm 5
on page
4,
the tune
is Arlington,
O Lord,
give ear to
what I say.
Think on
me as I
sigh,
and listen,
O my
King and
God,
as I
plead
earnestly
for help,
because
to you
I cry.
We'll sing
the first
two stanzas
to God's
praise.
Amen.
singing,
As morning light returns again
I lay before you my request
And with expectation here
After the benediction I'll go to the door to my left
We'll close with the benediction
Now may grace, mercy and peace from God
Father, Son and Holy Spirit
Rest upon and abide with you all now and forevermore
Amen
Thank you.