Saturday, November 7, 2009

Turn us again to yourself, O God...

The Daily Reflection written by Mark D.Roberts a few days ago, focused on Psalm 80. His thoughts centered on the phrase, Turn us again to yourself, O God..., which are found in verses 3, 7 and 19. He had encouraging, enlightening and hopeful things to share about this passage but my heart lingered on that one phrase - Turn us again to yourself, O God...

There are several things I find in these words which bring me delight and hope. This prayer by Asaph asks God to "Turn us" to himself. The scriptural basis for the fact that we can ask God to originate the turning not just for ourselves but for others is something I hadn't located or mindfully registered previously. I have frequently prayed for myself and others to turn to Him in repentance but I perceived the turning to be a personal response to God as a result of confessional prayer. I had not grasped the reality that God is at work "Turning us" as we pray and petition with intercession on behalf of ourselves and others.

This verse in Psalm 80 provides not just a glimmer of hope but a burst of evidence that there's life changing influence coming from our loving, merciful and powerful God when we pray with these words of conviction - Turn us again to yourself, O God... I pray today with renewed zeal for those including myself whose hearts need "turning" again to God.

No comments: