Prayer is something that is complex and simplistic all at the same time. I would like to share some principles from Augustine that can help with prayer, and then you and I can see the wisdom of this prayer from Proverbs 30.
Augustine, who lived back in the 400 is considered one of the great Christian thinkers of all time. Augustine taught that before we can know what to pray for or how to pray for it, we must become the kind of person who accounts ourselves as "desolate" in this world, however "well off" we may be. We have to be able to see that no matter how great our circumstances are or can become, that they can never bring us the lasting peace, happiness, and consolation that are found in Christ.
Augustine taught that our heart's loves are 'disordered'. out of order. Things we ought to love third or fourth are first, and our love for God, which should be supremely, is third or fourth on our list of importance. Unless we recognize this heart disorder and realize how much it distorts our lives, our prayers will go array. Let me give you an example, If we think being in a relationship or financial security are the main sources of safety and confidence in life, then when any of these are in jeopardy, we will cry out to God for help, but our prayer will be nothing more than worry directed to God.Prayer won't bring the healing and comfort we need because relationships or financial security is our security instead of God being our security.
So once we see the truth of our hearts being disordered Augustine would say we are ready for the "next level' of prayer. He would tell us to pray for what we like, because now we know that comforts and rewards and pleasures in themselves only give fleeting fulfillment. Augustine points us to Psalm 27:4:
One thing I have asked from the LORD, that I shall seek: That I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, To behold the beauty of the LORD And to meditate in His temple.
If God is our greatest love, and if knowing and pleasing Him is our highest desire and joy, it transforms both what and how we pray.
This is where Augustine cites our prayer from Proverbs 30. The prayer from Proverbs 30 reveals a proper motivation. If we don't realize our hearts are disordered then our prayer may be, "Make we wealthy." But the prayer from Proverbs 30 is asking, "Lord meet my material needs, and give me wealth, yes, but only as much as I can handle without it harming my ability to put you first in life. Because ultimately I don't need status and comfort- I need you as my Lord."
Isn't that the attitude we need with any prayer that we pray? We only get to this attitude by realizing our hearts are disordered, and coming to the realization that only God can give ultimate fulfillment in life. Then we can apply the principle from Proverbs 30 to our prayer life.
Give me neither poverty nor riches; Feed me with the food that is my portion, 9 That I not be full and deny You and say, "Who is the LORD?" Or that I not be in want and steal, And profane the name of my God
Troy
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