IN his devotional book, "The Spirit of God within you", Dr. Johnny Hunt says, "One of the reasons I love the Psalms is that I often need God to bail me out of something." I can identify with that - that'd be with Dr. Johnny & King David. David was always getting into stuff and asking the Lord to take care of his problem.
In these two verses, I see 3 requests that should be the cry of the heart:
1) Teach me - This is a great prayer to pray, but it is a greater attitude to have. If I am to be taught, then I must be teachable. One of my good friends (Pud) has been growing spiritually by leaps and bounds since he retired from his life-long work. He expressed his attitude to me like this, "I have missed so much in my life spiritually so I am wanting to do all I can do for as long can do for my Lord." He also said, "People think we know more than we know." We shouldn't miss this truth: There is nothing natural about becoming & living the Christian life. Just because you are an adult, spent your entire life in Sunday school, or your family is a generational church family doesn't necessarily mean that you mature in your faith. You and I must be taught, we must have a teachable spirit. "Lord, Teach Me."
2) Lead Me - This is a progressive path. Whether it is toward restoration from sin or headed toward spiritual maturity, we (you and me) must be taught before we will allow ourselves to be led. Asking God for leadership is admitting that you don't know the way, so it's very hard because we want everyone to think we know everything. (This is a product of the modern generation or culture. There was a time, in the not too distant past, when we recognized that we didn't know everything and didn't have to "one-up" the other person. In the past 25-40 years, much has changed in the culture. Presently I'm reading a book by George Barna entitled, "The Seven Faith Tribes" In this work, he describes the things which have markedly changed who we are, what we do, how we act & react, & what it is that drives us. The Breakdown of the family, the devolving influence of the church, the change in public education, and more. He further speaks of the new set of values that are destroying this culture. Things like; from accountability to belligerence, from responsibility to rights, from respect & dignity to incivility and arrogance, discernment to tolerance, and from pride in production to the joy of consumption. Our Prayer 'teach me' should progress to 'lead me'. Lead me in your ways, your truths, your path, and by your Spirit. Learning new things is huge, but being led in it affirms, confirms, and imprints it on us.
3) Revive Me - This is the heart cry of a true, redeemed, & born-again Child of God who has become distracted or fallen into sin. For to fall into sin is to fall out of fellowship with the Father. Revive me, restore me, renew me, and even refresh me becomes the prayer.
There are two things of note here: First; the personal pronoun - "ME". The old negro spiritual that was sung in the cotton fields says, "It's not my brother, not my sister, but it's me, O Lord." Candidly, the teaching, leading, nor reviving will come until the prayer becomes "ME". I'm the one! I'm the one who needs the teaching, I'm the one who needs the leading, I'm the one who needs the reviving, IT'S ME!
The second thing is this: "THE REASON". Why am I praying "REVIVE ME?" Too often, our reason is that we want our lives to be better, to do better, and things to go better. The RESULT may be that life gets better, but that too is a modern-day attitude that makes US the center of our universe. David understood the secret, the need, and the reason to be revived, it was & is "For YOUR NAME'S SAKE." In 21st century America, we try to make everything 'all about us,' when in reality, it's all about Him. He was here in the beginning, not us. He will be the last King standing at the end, not us. If we are standing at the end, it will be because of His grace and mercy and our presence in 'that day' will bring honor to His name. Praying for Revival so that people will know He is God has incredible power for the human soul. Revival will bring your soul out of trouble so that our Sovereign God and His righteousness will be displayed. By the way, to be 'revived' is to be "Spirit-filled" with the manifest presence of the Holy Spirit. John 6:63 begins with: "The Spirit is the one who gives life."
Dear Lord, "Send your manifest Holy Spirit to breath life into us (me) and refresh our souls for the day in which we (I) live."
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