Ka Ipu o Lono shares weekly devotionals to provide spiritual enrichment to members of the Kamehameha Schools ‘ohana. For more inspiration, visit the KS “Our faith” website.
Heluhelu Baibala
Ua kāhea aku au iā ia me kuʻu waha a ua
hāpai ʻia aku hoʻi ia e koʻu alelo. - Nā Halelū 66:17
I cried out to him with my mouth; his
praise was on my tongue. - Psalms 66:17
He manaʻo o ke kahu
At a recent ekalesia with our seniors, I began my lesson on “The Art of Prayer” with Proverbs 29:18 which states that when God’s word is not used as our guide, everyone does their own thing and creates chaos. However, for those who receive and apply God’s word, God’s vision, and God’s revelation, joy is their prize. I then shared with them a short portion of an essay by John Bunyan entitled, “What is Prayer?” written in 1662.
“Prayer is a sincere, sensible, affectionate pouring out of the heart or soul to God, through Christ, in the strength and assistance of the Holy Spirit, for such things as God has promised, or, according to the Word, for the good of the person, their family, their church, their community, and the world, and surrendering your control, in Faith, to the will of God.”
Next, I asked them to select words that they connected with in this definition of prayer, and after a few seconds shared mine. I told the class that the word “sincere” stood out for me and that I believed there was a reason for its placement in this short, but profound definition. Simply, you can’t pray without being honest, truthful, and candid. This kind of authenticity blesses our Savior’s heart and speaks that language of love that breaks down every wall of selfishness. Thus, it is Psalmist’s heart that is open and vulnerable, and the honest cry depicted in today’s scripture acknowledges the sovereignty and mercy of Yahweh. God rules with love!
Although Psalms 66 is not attributed to King David, he does pour out his heart to Ke Akua numerous times in the Psalms. For instance, in Psalm 143 he says, “Hear my prayer, O Lord; give ear to my pleas for mercy! In your faithfulness answer me, in your righteousness!” Even if his pathway was not always straightforward and aligned with God’s vision for him, it was David’s sincerity that God appreciated.
Praying starts by being brutally honest. You cannot heal from what you won’t admit. So, tell God what’s in your heart. Be truthful. Let God know the good, the bad, and the ugly that is before you, and always end with praise.
TAGS
daily devotional,christian values,our faith
CATEGORIES
Kaipuolono Article, Regions, Themes, Culture, Community, Hawaii Newsroom, KS Hawaii Home, Kapalama Newsroom, Kapalama Home, Maui Newsroom, KS Maui Home, Newsroom, Campus Programs, Hawaii, Kapalama, Maui, Hawaii campus, Kapalama campus, Maui campus
Print with photos
Print text only
