Give Me

Foundation not made of cotton candy.

“Mom, give me the scissors.”

“Mom, scissors, now.”

These are the phrases my 10-year-old daughter shouted to me from the next room earlier today.  She had a friend over, so I suppose that she thought it would be cool to be rude. 

Unfortunately for her, I did not think it was cool or funny and she got a scolding rather than the scissors. 

It’s so easy to catch a similar case of the “gimmees” in my prayer life. 

“Lord, give me a good day.”

“Lord, give me guidance.”

“Lord, give me success.”

(“Lord, give me a polite daughter.”)

Or, we spiritualize it.

“Lord, give me strength.”

“Lord, give me peace.”

Lord, give me grace.”

The bottom line of what we are asking for is ease for our lives.  We want to live full, rich, peaceful lives, at 72 degrees, with no traffic, no lines, and no hassles, no commercials, no hunger, no fatigue, no trials, no troubles, no tests, no interruptions to OUR schedules, and pretty much every breeze blowing OUR way. 

Is that really too much to ask?

Hmm.

Actually, there are several “Give me” prayers in the Bible.  Five different times in Psalm 119, the author asks God to give him something.  Each time, it’s the same plea.  Do you know what he begs God to give him?

Peace?

Help?

A new car?

Nope. 

Give me understanding, that I may observe Your law And keep it with all my heart.

Give

Me

UNDERSTANDING.

The Psalmist is begging for understanding of God’s word (the Bible).  Why?

I think the answer is in v. 144 of Psalm 119. 

Give me understanding that I may live.

Apparently, reading, understanding and walking in the ways laid out in scripture is the key to true life.

In Psalm119:37, he asks God to turn away his eyes from vanity.  That word “vanity” can be synonymous with “vapor.”    So, the Psalmist is asking God to help him not focus so much on the fleeting things of this world: possessions, successes, and comforts.  These things are like vapors—which can be seen by the eye and even felt for a split second, but they are worthless when it comes to a foundation for eternity.

As you may already know, Bill and I are building a house (well, actually, the construction workers are building it, but you know what I mean).  We got to see the location when it was just an empty lot.  Then, they began putting in the foundation.  They made the foundation out of cotton candy.  No, I’m just joking.  They actually laid down these big, thick heavy cinder blocks.  I pray that it is a sturdy and true foundation for our new home. 

It’s the whole rock vs. sand thing—we all know in theory that we should build our house on the rock.  But, what does that mean!?  How do we do it??

Ask for understanding.

Ask for God to help you pry your eyes away from the vapors this world tries to pass off as necessities. 

When we begin to understand the Bible, our hearts are enlightened and we begin to fully know the hope of the gospel, understand the riches, and grasp the greatness of God’s power offered to us. 

When we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, the foundation of our soul is strengthened.  And slowly, we quit striving after easy lives.

Instead, we walk confidently into extreme temperatures, we drive joyfully into traffic, we wait patiently in lines, we count less things as hassles, we see less commercials because we are watching less TV, we skip a meal so that someone else can have one, we lean on God in our fatigue, and find strength during trials and perseverance in troubles.  We learn from tests and endure interruptions with grace because we value people more than our schedules. 

And at some point in the midst of this, we understand that we are truly living.