Jealousy and covetousness turns otherwise good people into cruel thieves. When we allow it, it disfigures us.
Cain thought it was justified to steal the life of his brother Abel.
When we feel ourselves getting jealous of what someone has, (or what we do not have), we ought to give even more to the person we are jealous of, and break the darkness that is rising in the mind.
Difficult yes, but in this way we can “Give no place to the devil.”
This post is simply Psalm 26 put into a prayer easily spoken.
Dietrich Bonhoeffer uncovered the amazing spiritual fact that it is Jesus Christ who is praying through the Psalms. He prays and we get to listen in and even participate in the prayers. Sometimes we can read them directly, as written and make them our own prayers. Other times we can make them our own by changing the pronouns to “me” or “us”, as long as it does not change the meaning.
My experience is that the prayers found in the Psalms revive the spiritual life when prayed in earnest and in faith. There is a good deal of evidence that Jesus prayed the Psalms throughout his life.
If this practice is good for him then it is more than good for me. Sometimes praying can seem difficult and monotonous. But other times we need the scriptures to carry us along and help us to speak and to pray with Jesus Christ. It is a wonderful privilege to listen in on the prayers of Jesus and hear what he says to his Father. And even identify with the words and say them back to him as his responsive follower.
Below is a slightly modified Psalm 26 which I have used as a personal prayer.
Vindicate me, O Lord, for I have walked in the integrity of Jesus Christ, and I trust in the Lord without wavering. 2 Prove me, O Lord, and try me; test my heart and my mind. Your steadfast love is before my eyes, and I walk in your faithfulness. I do not sit with men of falsehood. nor do I consort with hypocrites. I hate the assembly of evil doers, and I will not sit with the wicked. I wash my hands in innocence and go around your altar, O Lord, proclaiming thanksgiving aloud, and telling all your wondrous deeds.
O Lord, I love the habitation of your spiritual house made with living stones, your ecclesia, your brethren, the place where your glory dwells. Do not sweep my soul away with sinners, nor my life with bloodthirsty men, in whose hands are evil devices and whose right hands are full of bribes. But as for me, I shall walk in my integrity; redeem me, and be gracious to me. My foot stands on level ground; in the great assembly I will bless the Lord.
The prayer of Jesus Christ otherwise known as Psalm 26
This was first posted to my social media wall on March 1, 2018.
I’ve found this quote to be very true. I’ve also benefited from not disregarding people I really don’t like to be around. Just because we don’t like someone doesn’t mean we should not listen to them or that they don’t have valuable things to say. Especially if they follow Jesus Christ, listen closely to everyone.
I know people who don’t like me all that much and it seems they go out of their way to ignore, to cold-shoulder and to disregard me. Truth is, I really have no ill feelings toward most of these people and I know I could help them if we had a better relationship.
Sometimes when we don’t like someone, the feeling is mutual, but at other times the feeling is not mutual and it is just one-way. Either way we would be wise to get in the habit of listening for the Lord speaking through his followers. all of them. Those talented, and those not talented. Those like us and not like us. Those we like and those we don’t like. Those who like us and those who don’t like us. Be looking and listening for Jesus Christ in all things and all people. He is worth finding, no matter where we find him.
If we listen and hear nonsense, we just discard it. But if we listen and hear Jesus our lives are enriched greatly.
Listen for Jesus speaking through people you don’t like, and in ways that you don’t expect.
Adam Collier March, 2018
Facebook
Twitter
YouTube
English