(Note: St. Augustine is famous for writing a book called “The Confessions,” which was written completely as a prayer to God. In the same spirit, I plan to write these posts as a prayer to God.)
“Answer me when I call, O God of my righteousness! You have given me relief when I was in distress. Be gracious to me and hear my prayer!” (Psalm 4:1, ESV)
Answer me when I call, O God of my righteousness!
Heavenly Father, I come to you with nothing in my hands. I’m finally at a place where I recognize that I can’t do this on my own. I need you. So, even though I don’t deserve for you to answer my prayers, I beg you to hear my prayers. Father, allow me to cast my anxieties and burdens at your feet. Please hear me as I cry out to you for help.
Father, you are my righteousness. You are the God of my righteousness. I have no righteousness in myself. If left to myself, I would still be fully corrupted in sin and separated from you. Yet, you sent your Son into the world for me. You sent Jesus to live a righteous life on my behalf. You send Jesus to die on the cross for the forgiveness of my sins. You rose Jesus from the dead to reveal him as the conqueror of sin and death and Satan. Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!
Through Jesus, I can now enter fully into your presence. There is no longer any separation between me and you. So, Father, through your Son, I enter your presence—clothed in Jesus’ righteousness—and ask you to hear my prayer.
You have given me relief when I was in distress.
Father, as I plead with you now, I am reminded of the past. I can look back over the years of my life and see how you’ve repeatedly heard my prayers and answered them. I can see the repeated times when you’ve met me in difficulty and distress to bring about relief and comfort. I remember times when I didn’t think I had the strength to continue on, but you gave me strength. I remember times when anxiety seemed to overwhelm me and you gave me peace.
So, Father, since I know that you’ve delivered me in the past, I come to you trusting that you will deliver me in the present. I don’t know how you’ll deliver me. I don’t know how you’ll answer my prayer. Yet, I know that you will work on my behalf. You’ve been hearing me and answering me for so many years, why would I question you now? I trust you, Father!
Be gracious to me and hear my prayer!
Father, I ask you to grant me assurance that you are hearing my prayers. Sometimes it doesn’t feel like you’re listening. Times when it seems like you are far away—distant. Remind me you are listening to me—no matter what it feels like. Remind me you are working on my behalf and answering my prayers—even though they may not be answered the way I want them to be.
Father, give me assurance that you hear me when I cry out. I know that if you hear me, you will act. You will not sit idly by and listen. You will answer and act.
Father, I also know that any deliverance you bring to me is undeserved—its pure grace and mercy. I don’t deserve to be saved. I don’t deserve to be delivered. I know I need your grace and mercy as much as anyone else.
Yet, I know that you are a gracious and loving God. I know that you are long-suffering and full of steadfast love. So, I beg you, Father, to pour out your grace and mercy on this situation, hear my prayer, and bring relief in my distress.