Prayers From the Bible Part 1Sample

Intentional remembrance - Asaph's prayer

This psalm begins with Asaph crying out to God in what seems to be a very difficult time. We read how he’s seeking God, desperate to be comforted by Him, crying out for His help, and feeling very discouraged by God’s lack of response. He declares his desperation and disappointment, questioning God’s love for him amid the silence.

But then, the shift. Asaph goes from wallowing in self-pity and despair… to remembering the faithfulness of God. You can hear Asaph’s countenance change with his words. What caused this? Had God’s voice boomed through the difficulty of the trial? Had there been a miraculous change of circumstances? No. Verse 11 shows the author focused on WHO God is rather than WHAT he was facing. The shift in perspective was a result of the shift in focus. He intentionally remembered the goodness of God.

Instead of meditating on what was happening to him, Asaph remembered God's nature, power, and heart toward him. He recalled all the amazing ways God had shown Himself strong in the past and that God never changed. His spirit followed his focus. Asaph then began to express the faithfulness of a loving, powerful God, declaring in verse 14, ‘You are the God of great wonders!’

We are no different from Asaph. We can often be tempted to allow life's challenges to make us question where God is. Instead, remember who God is, what He has done… and that if He has done it before, He can do it again.

Written by ABIGAIL GEORGE