Teach Me Your Way

"Teach me your way O Lord; I will walk in your truth; unite my heart to fear your name." 

Psalm 86:11 (NASB)

I think that often times we get things backward.  Prayer is one that sometimes reveals more about our theology than we would even care to think about.  For instance.  If we were to ask the question of who comes first, God or you, how would you answer.  Most of us would of course answer that God and His desires and commands come first and that I am secondary.  We know that this answer is good theologically.  And then we pray.  

I want to run a simple test.  Pick a time that you plan on praying and just do a few basic mathematical calculations.  Every time you say something about God and His character and His nature add 10 points.  When you give God praise for things He has done that do not directly involve you or someone close to you add 10 points.  Then make a second column.  In this column, add 10 points every time you ask God for something.  In the second column, add 10 points every time you request something from God on behalf of someone that is close to you.  Add 10 points every time you tell God the best thing that he should do.  Add 10 points every time you wonder what God has not done what you have been praying for.  Now compare the two columns.  An even score would mean that your prayer is 50/50 focused on you and God.  I am not sure that is even a good number, but so often my prayers are not even.  My prayers tend to be out of balance on the side of focusing on me and my needs.  I need the AC to come back on at work.  I need the struggle I am having to be resolved.  I need my friends' illnesses to be cured.  I need my acquaintances' family members needs to be met.  I need provision.  I need compassion in a difficult problem.  I need, I need, I need, I want.  And at the Amen, I have spent far more time talking about me than about God.

All of this is not to say that asking God for the cares of our hearts is a bad thing, it is not.  It is a very good thing and is even commanded in Scripture.  But I think when the psalmist prays that God would teach him His ways, this is a much needed element of our prayers that is often missing.  We focus so much on what we want God to do that we miss the work He needs to do in us.  

Teach me God to walk in your way.  I want to do the things that please you instead of demanding that you do the things that please me.  Make my heart to desire to serve and obey you in all that I do and use my prayer life to enable and accomplish this.  Amen.