Day 13 - 1 Chronicles

I'm not going to lie.  1 Chronicles is tough to read through.  It's got a lot of names and genealogies and counting.  It doesn't exactly flow.  But, there are some incredible prayers by King David in there.  This one is particularly powerful, in 1 Chronicles 29:10-19:

10 David praised the Lord in the presence of the whole assembly, saying,

“Praise be to you, Lord,


the God of our father Israel,


from everlasting to everlasting.


11 Yours, Lord, is the greatness and the power


and the glory and the majesty and the splendor,


for everything in heaven and earth is yours.


Yours, Lord, is the kingdom;


you are exalted as head over all.


12 Wealth and honor come from you;


you are the ruler of all things.


In your hands are strength and power


to exalt and give strength to all.


13 Now, our God, we give you thanks,


and praise your glorious name.

14 “But who am I, and who are my people, that we should be able to give as generously as this? Everything comes from you, and we have given you only what comes from your hand. 15 We are foreigners and strangers in your sight, as were all our ancestors. Our days on earth are like a shadow, without hope. 16 Lord our God, all this abundance that we have provided for building you a temple for your Holy Name comes from your hand, and all of it belongs to you. 17 I know, my God, that you test the heart and are pleased with integrity. All these things I have given willingly and with honest intent. And now I have seen with joy how willingly your people who are here have given to you. 18 Lord, the God of our fathers Abraham, Isaac and Israel, keep these desires and thoughts in the hearts of your people forever, and keep their hearts loyal to you. 19 And give my son Solomon the wholehearted devotion to keep your commands, statutes and decrees and to do everything to build the palatial structure for which I have provided.”

We are often proud and self-serving.  My prayers seem so petty, sometimes, compared to this.  David was fully of integrity and, as he said, the right intent.  That really is the key isn't it?  What is our intent.  God desires that we would 'get it.'  And I think what 'getting it' looks like is that our intent would be about the Kingdom of God always.  Our intent would never be about us.  We wouldn't be looking to further our own interest but, rather, the interest of God.  That's the right intent.  God turns His ear to hear prayers with that intent.  Let it be so for us.
David was called a man after God's own heart, and you see why when you read a prayer like this.  Does this mindset match your prayers?  David spent time in prayers praising God.  He was humble.  He realized that all he had came from God.