Calling Out to God #6

One of our greatest examples of calling out to God is found in the Psalms of David, which often are prayers. Like Psalm 17: 

6 I call upon you, for you will answer me, O God;

    incline your ear to me; hear my words.
7 Wondrously show your steadfast love,
    O Savior of those who seek refuge
    from their adversaries at your right hand.
8 Keep me as the apple of your eye;
    hide me in the shadow of your wings,
9 from the wicked who do me violence,
    my deadly enemies who surround me.
10 They close their hearts to pity;
    with their mouths they speak arrogantly.
11 They have now surrounded our steps;
    they set their eyes to cast us to the ground.

At times when we read David's Psalms it can seem like he was paranoid: full of fear that everyone was out to get him. In reality, it was actually true, as his own king, Saul, as well as the great enemies of the Philistines were both pursuing him at the same time.  David called out to God, believing that God heard him, loved him, and was able to protect him. He sensed God's love so much he felt like he was "the apple of God's eye. He trusted God's protection as if he were a bird under its mother's wings. He saw the 180 degree contrast between the heart of God and the evil intentions of wicked, arrogant men. Do you feel that way about God? That will make a big difference in your prayer life. What I find extremely interesting is what happens in the last verse above. It is not the last verse of the Psalm, but it is very significant. David says: 11 They have now surrounded our steps; they set their eyes to cast us to the ground. As a result of calling out to God, David's voice has changed. When he started, it was all about "me", but after talking with God for a while, he is aware that many others are affected by the evil around him. He begins to care about others.  That is a major step in effective prayer: It's not all about me.