I Can't Pray That
Psalm 25
As we grow up there are subjects, right or wrong, we learn not to talk about either in family, in groups, or with some who just don't want to hear it. But more importantly, at least hopefully, we learn not to say somethings simply because they are not true. Not long ago in a court I had to swear to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth. An interesting exchange was made at the end of the proceedings. I was asked if there were any questions I might have. My reply, “I'm not a part of the law profession so I don't know if there are questions I should be asking”. The presiding judge replied, “There are many in the law profession who don't know if there are questions that should be asked”.
When we begin growing in Christ from the very beginning there are two things that are true, we don't know everything, actually hardly anything that we know we should ask. Second we don't know evry truth there is. After living a full life in Christ at the end of our life there are two truths. We still don't know everything we should ask. We still don't know all truth. But there are also two things we should be taught to know from the very beginning of growing in Christ. When we try to pray but just can't know what to ask, the Holy Spirit prays in our place. And also the Holy Spirit will lead in all truth.
Sometimes when we are growing we are encouraged different things to pray and we think, I can't pray that. It may be that there are truths about living life as a believer we don't yet understand and feel we may be flying in God's face, then later learn truth about God that is exactly what He desires us to pray.
Today in asking, would Jesus prsy this psalm there were parts that were a resounding NO! All is again the need of a human for strength and fortitude and right relationship to maintain righteousness with the Father. But then David says,
Remember not the sins of my youth, nor my rebellions, but according to thy kindeness remember thou me, even for thy goodness sake, O Lord.
Psalms 25:7 GNV
And...
For thy Names sake, O Lord, be merciful unto mine iniquity, for it is great.
Psalms 25:11 GNV
And also...
Look upon mine affliction and my travail, and forgive all my sins.
Psalms 25:18 GNV
While a true believer finds these passages readily a part of their prayer life (thinking Solomon, Daniel, and Nehemiah) Jesus could have easily have prayed this psalm leaving out these specific verses of acknowledging sin and iniquity. This is not without precedent in what Jesus did. When He read what we know as the beginning of Isaiah 61 he read only the part that pertained to Himself then and there (Luke 4). Because David knew he had sinned he could write the entire psalm and pray it just as well as we can.
How important to not be looking only asking "if Jesus could pray this psalm", but “should I not be praying this psalm”? Like David we must look at ourselves and acknowledge our inadequacies, our failures, our sins as we seek for restoration, but also that power to keep from sinning reflects what Jesus may have been seeking of His Father too. This reminds me of the old hymn, "I Would Be Like Jesus". “Earthly treasures vainly call me, I would be like Jesus'.
So while we must honestly acknowledge at times "I can't pray that", "I'm not ready to pray that", while Jesus could honestly say of these few verses "I can't pray that" it is something for us to definitely say, "I must pray all of that psalm."