Not Just For Reading

Psalm 17

In a company I worked for there was a man who was telling he had read the entire Bible, the complete Koran, and other texts each of which are considered the source that various religious groups follow, and in reading them he didn't see much difference from one to another. But while he felt he had taken the "good" things to him from each of the writings the implementation of them in his life was entirely up to him. That incident has given me instruction in different ways ever since that time. The first thought I had was “did he only just read, or did he know or ask to know the author when he read those texts?” Then, what criteria did he have available to judiciously choose what to follow? Himself? Other men? And even more close to the heart today when I am asking if Jesus would have prayed this psalm as a prayer, and why would He have done so, and if He did then how could praying that have been seen as being answered? Then there's the follow-up big question, have I prayed that prayer expecting results in my life?

In asking the Lord to show me things about Jesus, especially in this current study asking could Jesus have prayed this psalm to His Father to gain the strength He needed daily to live on this earth dwelling among us as fully human there are already several convincing and convicting thoughts for me about what I need and my own human condition before God. In asking whether Jesus could have prayed those earlier (and later) rather dark and desperate psalms there seems sufficient cause to say, Yes, Jesus in His humanity could have had the same words and thoughts these human writers had when they wrote them. It is equally as daunting an idea that I must understand that if Jesus had reason to possibly pray this way then so must I.

Now in Psalm 17 this is specifically called, A Prayer of David. If David prayed this prayer it would seem that it should be understood and go without saying that Jesus, yes Jesus who was a direct descendant of David even being called the son of David could very well have prayed this prayer to His Father. But it is very necessary I find I must re-read the psalm several times to gain the understanding how I need the different areas of my life changed by what I read. But as I do so my own question comes back to me, Am I just reading this to read? Am I willing to let the Holy Spirit use it to work in my life? Do I ask the author to show me what He means? No, not meaning me personally knowing David. He was only carried and guided by the Holy Spirit in what to write. Even so in that writing it may have been a lot easier for him to write being a man after God's own heart. On the other hand worth considering is he faced very troublesome times and evil actions of his own in his life thereby more fully understanding the extent to which his words were necessary.

As I write this I can't help but remember an author I met. There was a series of books, true stories about challenges a man had faced and the trails he had followed in his life because of those challenges. The second book told how he married and with him his wife traveled the second part of his journey along beside of him. Later she would also coauthor a book about how that travel impacted their unseen spiritual lives. There was a day when I found myself in the part of the country near where they lived so I purposely went with my wife to seek out and find their farm. We saw their daughter first as she came out to ask why we were there. Then reluctantly, but graciously Barbara came out to talk to us. We learned they were no longer married. We spoke briefly about their experiences. What really stuck with me was when she said, We may no longer be together, but every detail written in the books is true. Now we may read first person stories much like these were, and biographies, even autobiographies, but there is something about talking to the author themselve, they look right at you and confirm that every detail that was written in those books is true. As I write it makes me want to read all those books again to read their experiences and what they learned about people, places, and the condition in the heart of man. Shouldn't that be the same for those who know the author of the Bible, be assured every word and detail is true, to want to reread it simply because you have seen the author and they reassure you that every word is true?

So when I reread this psalm, even reading every psalm I must ask myself, Do I know the author? Not David here, but his source, the Holy Spirit? It's not that the author changes and not questioning whether I know Him or not changes, but like that day, one day, only for minutes, I was face to face talking with the very author of some of those books. Nothing can ever change that or take it away. But like this time now I must be reminded my relationship with the God of the Word remains. And when what I read is the Holy Bible I must be reminded that no matter how I feel, how absolutely lousey and disconnected I may feel, or how wonderfully close I may feel, I know the author. What I read is true, and I must have it impact my day today that I might tell Him that, and ask for Him to indeed be with me and change me.