Remember who you are talking with

Praise the Lord.

Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good;
    his love endures forever.

2 Who can proclaim the mighty acts of the Lord
    or fully declare his praise?
3 Blessed are those who act justly,
    who always do what is right.

4 Remember me, Lord, when you show favor to your people,
    come to my aid when you save them,
5 that I may enjoy the prosperity of your chosen ones,
    that I may share in the joy of your nation
    and join your inheritance in giving praise.

6 We have sinned, even as our ancestors did;
    we have done wrong and acted wickedly.

There is no better way to begin our week than to pray these lines from Psalm 106. Praising God is an act of worship, and one I too often eliminate from prayer time. My self-absorbed way tends to jump right in to my list of wants, totally ignoring who God is and what He has done for me. (Verse 1)

Learning how to pray was a journey over time, and one I have enjoyed traveling. Years ago when I was exploring prayer I would go into my office after my evening meal and read a couple different books on prayer. Someone (not sure who, but I would like to thank them) introduced me to Richard Foster and Dutch Sheets.

First I poured through the books by these two men and then I began to pour out my heart on pages of my journals.  That was when I first began daily writing in these books. God revealed himself to me during that season of my life as I discovered how good it was to Praise God for His goodness. I felt freedom which comes from acknowledging my sinfulness and accepting the fact that I was no better than the parents whose behavior I had resented for years. (Verse 6)

The years of stumbling through my morning prayer time, striving to get the words 'just right', have brought me to a time of humbly acknowledging my need for prayer and my desire for Jesus to be with me every day--all day as I plead with Him to remember me and forget my sin. (Verse 4)

Psalm 106:1-6