Week of June 29
God Is Not a Chatbot
Read: Amos 4-6; Psalm 86; Titus 1
“Incline your ear, O Lord, and answer me,
for I am poor and needy.”
Psalm 86:1, ESV
Introduction
“In prayer it is better to have a heart without words, than words without a heart” (John Bunyan). The psalmist knew this when he cried out, “You are my God!” This psalm has been termed an “individual lament,” in which God is called upon to help with need (v. 1), affliction (v. 7), and enemies (vv. 14, 17). The writer knows that he is devoted and faithful to God, so he confidently expects God to answer him and to defeat his enemies (Handbook).
Interpreting the Bible Text
The psalm’s structure
In this psalm are five strophes, each consisting of a prayer for mercy and a confession of the Lord (vv. 1-5, vv. 6-10, vv. 11-13, vv. 14-15, and vv. 16-17; EBC). We will turn our focus to the first section of the psalm today, where the worshiper cries out to God for help. His petition helps you and me to develop our own soul cries for God’s help too. We have much to learn from the psalmist about steps to effective prayer!
Evidence of God’s mercies in our lives
God is personal in nature (Exodus 34:6, “the Lord passed before him”). Verses one through four provide us with requests that are supported with reasons. The psalmist has crafted a careful argument he offers to the Lord. No shotgun-style praying here with petitions that fly off in every direction! He knows precisely what he wishes to place before the Lord and states it clearly. We should notice that “you are my God” is the only statement in these verses that stands on its own without making a request or stating a reason (Handbook).
God listens when we pray. I liken it as an all-important nail upon which each of the prayer requests hangs. It occurs at something like a midpoint in the first four verses (v. 2). The petitions begin with “incline Your ear, O Lord,” meaning “to bend the ear” or “pay attention to” or “to listen.” It is not clear what the psalmist’s needs are, but the phrase “poor and needy” is a common one for “the godly” (35:10; 37:14; 40:17; 70:5; 109:16, 22; EBC).
God cares for our every need. He petitions the Lord to “preserve” his life, for he is godly. He literally asks for God to guard his “soul” (which means his whole person), and not to let him die. He longs for God to extend His covenant blessing to him, the one by which God protects His people from harm (cf. Numbers 6:24-26; Psalm 121; EBC).
God is merciful (Exodus 34:6). The supplicant now prays for God to “be gracious” to him, meaning to take pity or to have mercy on him. Any sinner who sees himself or herself rightly knows the importance of this petition (cf. Romans 3:23; 6:23). Some translators use the phrase, “Cry in your heart for me” to describe the earnest plea in the psalmist’s words (v. 3; Handbook). He then widens the prayer by asking God to “make happy” or “joyful” the soul of your servant (v. 4). From “Lord listen, please,” to “I need your joy to flood my being,” we see how full and rich the prayer of this person was. The focus throughout has been on all those elements of God’s being that bring true meaning and flourishing in a life. No puny request for material things when the one who creates all things is available to render aid!
God listens when we pray. I liken it as an all-important nail upon which each of the prayer requests hangs. It occurs at something like a midpoint in the first four verses (v. 2). The petitions begin with “incline Your ear, O Lord,” meaning “to bend the ear” or “pay attention to” or “to listen.” It is not clear what the psalmist’s needs are, but the phrase “poor and needy” is a common one for “the godly” (35:10; 37:14; 40:17; 70:5; 109:16, 22; EBC).
God cares for our every need. He petitions the Lord to “preserve” his life, for he is godly. He literally asks for God to guard his “soul” (which means his whole person), and not to let him die. He longs for God to extend His covenant blessing to him, the one by which God protects His people from harm (cf. Numbers 6:24-26; Psalm 121; EBC).
God is merciful (Exodus 34:6). The supplicant now prays for God to “be gracious” to him, meaning to take pity or to have mercy on him. Any sinner who sees himself or herself rightly knows the importance of this petition (cf. Romans 3:23; 6:23). Some translators use the phrase, “Cry in your heart for me” to describe the earnest plea in the psalmist’s words (v. 3; Handbook). He then widens the prayer by asking God to “make happy” or “joyful” the soul of your servant (v. 4). From “Lord listen, please,” to “I need your joy to flood my being,” we see how full and rich the prayer of this person was. The focus throughout has been on all those elements of God’s being that bring true meaning and flourishing in a life. No puny request for material things when the one who creates all things is available to render aid!
Applying the Text to Your Life
I do not want to divert your attention away from the point of the psalm, but do want to share a recent encounter I had across the last few weeks with a chatbot “customer service assistant.” Yes, I had wished for human interaction, but I was required to chat with an AI- generated support mechanism, or chatbot. I was reminded repeatedly by my chatbot friend of steps in the process I had already completed. I reminded the customer service tool, that I had nicknamed “Rufus,” of my exact step-by-step follow through with “his” previous instructions. In all my attempts to receive help, Rufus would not “incline his ear” to the real need.
Here is the spiritual point. God never leads us in endless prayer circles. We may find great comfort to know that when we pray, He cares and responds. The Lord wants us to approach Him face to face with our hearts and needs.
Here is the spiritual point. God never leads us in endless prayer circles. We may find great comfort to know that when we pray, He cares and responds. The Lord wants us to approach Him face to face with our hearts and needs.
For Reflection and Action
1. Please do not peel off your prayers like skinning a potato. Take time to open your entire soul to the Lord, one carefully-designed petition and reason at a time. Enjoy the relationship with the Father, who wants to communicate face-to-face. Secondly, upon what hinge do your prayers hang? Eliminate any false allegiances (idols) that will interfere with your main claim, “You are my God.” Worship and want Him more than any of your requests.
2. For Families: Teach your children to pray like King David, who poured out his heart to God, in whom he trusted completely. Empty your laundry basket and invite your children to come with you to the living room or outside in the shade, and to bring three small stuffed animals with them. Invite them to participate in an unusual “prayer time.” Now draw a sign that says, “You are my God” and tape it to the laundry basket. Have your children stand back from the basket about ten feet.
Ask your children to pretend that their stuffed animals are their prayers. Share with them about the three kinds of prayers the psalmist prayed. They can pray the same way too. Share that they can use their words to speak, shout, sing, rap, or rhyme them! Now invite them, one at a time, to take the first stuffed animal and ask God to please listen to his or her prayer. Then throw the stuffed animal into the “You are my God” basket. God promises that He will hear us.
Next, take the second toy and ask God to guard and keep them safe. God is the one who sees us and cares for us. Throw it into the “You are my God” basket. Finally, let them ask God, please, to give them joy as they follow Him. Then throw the final prayer into the “You are my God” basket, for He is our joy indeed!
May your paths be straight,
Larry C. Ashlock
2. For Families: Teach your children to pray like King David, who poured out his heart to God, in whom he trusted completely. Empty your laundry basket and invite your children to come with you to the living room or outside in the shade, and to bring three small stuffed animals with them. Invite them to participate in an unusual “prayer time.” Now draw a sign that says, “You are my God” and tape it to the laundry basket. Have your children stand back from the basket about ten feet.
Ask your children to pretend that their stuffed animals are their prayers. Share with them about the three kinds of prayers the psalmist prayed. They can pray the same way too. Share that they can use their words to speak, shout, sing, rap, or rhyme them! Now invite them, one at a time, to take the first stuffed animal and ask God to please listen to his or her prayer. Then throw the stuffed animal into the “You are my God” basket. God promises that He will hear us.
Next, take the second toy and ask God to guard and keep them safe. God is the one who sees us and cares for us. Throw it into the “You are my God” basket. Finally, let them ask God, please, to give them joy as they follow Him. Then throw the final prayer into the “You are my God” basket, for He is our joy indeed!
May your paths be straight,
Larry C. Ashlock
Posted in Pathway Devotionals