Kick The Ball in the Net
From my elementary school years through my high school years, the tiny school I attended only offered three sports for boys: track, football, and basketball. Those were the only three sports I gained any experience in during my youth and the only three sports I might watch on television during my youth. I knew almost nothing about other sports.
This was especially true regarding soccer. When my family and I moved to Memphis in 1998 we quickly realized that soccer was one of the dominant sports in the Mid-South, at least for children and teens. Thus we signed Jordan up for a soccer team and started attending practices and games. In those early years, in my naïveté about the game, I believed soccer was only about one thing: kick the ball into the net. Boiled down to its essence, that’s all soccer was to me at that time: kick the ball into the net.
I used that one thing to evaluate our entire experience about soccer. For example, if Jordan’s team of youngsters kicked the ball into the net more times than the team they were competing against on Saturday morning, I felt great. I was enthusiastic about soccer. And if Jordan herself managed to kick the ball into the net, I was a raving soccer fan! Soccer was the best game ever invented! But if the opposing team kicked the ball into the net more frequently than Jordan’s team did, I was disappointed. And if Jordan didn’t even get the chance to kick the ball into the net during, I was disillusioned. Soccer was the dumbest game ever invented!
For me, soccer was only about one thing: kick the ball into the net. I evaluated every practice and every game by that one thing.
But over the years, as I watched more soccer and as I began to assist in coaching Jacob’s soccer team, a whole new world opened up to me. I saw that soccer was about much more than just this one thing. I learned that there were many critical and exciting elements that make up a soccer game and a soccer practice. For example there were intricate foot skills like the “crossover,” “stop and go” and the “garrincha” by which the players could elude defenders and move up and down the field with the ball. There were specific positions which team members played like “forward” and “midfielder” and “sweeper.” There were offensive plays which the players could run like a “wall pass” or an “overlap.”
And as I began to learn these other elements, they changed the way I evaluated the experience of a soccer game or a soccer practice. Now, if we had a game where our boys didn’t kick the ball in the net as often as the opposing team, I still had reasons for rejoicing because some of them had performed several “stop and go” maneuvers, or because a handful of them had played their position correctly, or because they had done several “wall passes” during the game. Soccer was no longer just about kicking the ball in the net. It was about so much more.
Some of the boys on our team still struggle with this. For a small number of them, soccer is still just about one thing—getting the ball in the net. And they will forget all about foot skills, they will abandon their position, and they will refuse to pass the ball just so they can try to personally kick the ball into the net. What we’re constantly trying to help them see is that there’s much more to the game. We want to help them evaluate the experience of a game or a practice by more than just that one element. To us coaches, it doesn’t matter if that player scored a goal or not. What matters is whether or not he played his position, he used some foot skills, or he passed to an open player.
Prayers that Ask God
Something similar happens in prayer. For many people, prayer is about one thing: getting a positive response to their request. If we could listen in to their prayer life for a week and record what we hear, we’d find that they spend most of their prayer-time in one type of prayer. The bulk of their conversation with God is taken up with what I’ll call “Prayers that Ask God.” Their prayer journal is primarily a list of requests. They hope for a “yes” when they present those requests to God. For many, prayer is primarily just about asking God for things.
And many of us tend to evaluate our entire prayer experience by that one thing. If we get a positive response from God to our requests, then prayer is good and God is great. But if the prayer goes unanswered or we get a heavenly door slammed in our face, then prayer stinks and so does God. If the ball gets kicked in the net, we love prayer and God. But if the ball doesn’t get kicked in the net, we have second thoughts about both.
This type of prayer—Prayers that Ask God—is rooted in Scripture. From Old Testament to New Testament, from Genesis to Revelation, we find godly people asking God for good things and hoping for a positive response to their request. Abram prays for a son (Gen. 15). The Israelite slaves in Egypt pray for rescue (Ex. 1). Hannah prays for a child (1 Sam. 1). Jesus prays for the cup of the cross to pass (Matt. 26). The church prays for Peter’s release from prison (Acts 12). God wants us engaged in this type of prayer. God wants us to spend some time making requests of him.
The challenge, however, is that for too many people prayer is only about this one thing. If we looked at pie chart of our prayer life, there would only be one slice: Prayers that Ask God. The entire pie would be Prayers that Ask God.
And when God answers “no” to these prayers, we are ready to give up prayer all-together because this type of prayer is the only prayer we know.
Prayers that Face God
The truth, however, is that there is much more to prayer than simply Prayers that Ask God. When we explore the lives of the most seasoned and experienced pray-ers in the Bible, a whole new world of prayer is opened up. We learn that prayer is about much more than just this one thing. We realize that our experience of prayer can be evaluated by much more than whether or not the ball got kicked into the net or whether or not our request was answered positively.
The book of Psalms preserves the greatest collection of prayers in Scripture. It allows us to overhear the most devout people of God as they pray and petition. Through the Psalms we are permitted to listen to some of the most dedicated and enthusiastic pray-ers ever known. We hear the content of their conversations with God. And we quickly realize that for them, prayer included a wide variety of elements.
Specifically, the Psalms introduce us to five other types of prayers. These are five prayers that God cannot refuse. These are five prayers to which we will hardly ever hear “no”.
First, some of the Psalms record what I’ll call “Prayers that Face God.” These are moments when the person praying faces God with a sin and spends time asking for cleansing, forgiveness, and mercy. Those who prayed the Psalms devoted some of their prayer time to coming clean with God and confessing their sins. Prayers that Face God comprised an important portion of their prayer time.
Psalm 32 provides one example: 3For when I kept silent, my bones wasted away through my groaning all day long. 4For day and night your hand was heavy upon me; my strength was dried up as by the heat of summer. 5I acknowledged my sin to you, and I did not cover my iniquity;
I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the LORD,” and you forgave the iniquity of my sin. (Ps. 32:3-5 ESV). Here David allots significant time to just facing God with his sin and acknowledging it before God.
Psalm 51 is the most famous of these penitential Psalms: Have mercy on me, O God, according to your steadfast love; according to your abundant mercy blot out my transgressions. 2 Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin! 3 For I know my transgressions, and my sin is ever before me. 4 Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight (Ps. 51:1-4 ESV) Here David spends time confessing his sin and praying for cleansing.
What if, on a daily basis, we added this type of prayer into our prayer time? Imagine if we only spent part of our prayer time each day in Prayers that Ask God, making specific requests of God about health, and jobs, and family and friends. Imagine if additional prayer time was devoted each day to Prayers that Face God—acknowledging specific sins before God and asking for cleansing from those sins. Not only would we be likely to not hear a “no” to that prayer, but our whole experience of prayer would be different. Suddenly a “no” that stemmed from Prayers that Ask God wouldn’t carry the same weight it once did. Prayer would be about much more than just that one kind of prayer.
Prayers That Tell God
A second type of prayer which we hear these mature people praying in the Psalms is what I’ll call “Prayers that Tell God.” Repeatedly we listen to the psalmists taking time to tell God what’s wrong in the world or what’s wrong in their lives. These are called prayers of lament or prayers of complaint. These ancient pray-ers believed a healthy prayer diet included portions dedicated to telling God what’s bothering us and upsetting us.
Sometimes, as Psalm 13 illustrates, the person praying dedicated time to telling God what was wrong with God! 1 How long, O LORD? Will you forget me forever? How long will you hide your face from me? 2How long must I take counsel in my soul and have sorrow in my heart all the day? How long shall my enemy be exalted over me? (Ps. 13:1-2 ESV) Here, David boldly tells God what’s wrong with God.
Elsewhere David tells God what’s wrong with other people: 12Many bulls encompass me; strong bulls of Bashan surround me; 13they open wide their mouths at me, like a ravening and roaring lion. 14I am poured out like water, and all my bones are out of joint; my heart is like wax; it is melted within my breast; 15my strength is dried up like a potsherd, and my tongue sticks to my jaws; you lay me in the dust of death. 16For dogs encompass me; a company of evildoers encircles me; they have pierced my hands and feet— 17I can count all my bones—they stare and gloat over me; 18 they divide my garments among them, and for my clothing they cast lots. (Ps. 22:12-18 ESV). Jesus himself quoted from this psalm while on the cross. In it we talk to God about what’s wrong regarding the way others are treating us.
What if, on a daily basis, we added this type of prayer into our prayer experience? Imagine if we only spent part of our prayer time each day in Prayers that Ask God. Imagine if additional prayer-time was devoted each day to Prayers that Face God, and to Prayers that Tell God—boldly informing God about the things that bother us and upset us about him and about the world. Not only would we be likely to not hear a “no” to that prayer, but our experience of prayer would be vastly different. Suddenly prayer would be about so much more than just Prayers that Ask God.
Prayers that Acknowledge God
A third type of prayer which we hear in Psalms is prayer that acknowledges the often hidden and behind-the-scenes work of God. I’ll call these “Prayers that Acknowledge God.” As these ancient pray-ers looked at the sun, the moon, the rain, the grass, the lions, the food on their table and the Scriptures opened before them, they saw God’s handiwork. They recognized that God was responsible for the basic fundamentals of life that make life so stable and so good. Thus they spent a portion of their prayer time acknowledging that God was the one who had created and blessed us with these basic things.
For example, in Psalm 19, David devotes several moments to recognizing that God’s creative powers lies behind creation and Scripture: 1 The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims his handiwork. 2Day to day pours out speech, and night to night reveals knowledge. 3There is no speech, nor are there words, whose voice is not heard. 4 Their voice goes out through all the earth, and their words to the end of the world. In them he has set a tent for the sun, 5 which comes out like a bridegroom leaving his chamber, and, like a strong man, runs its course with joy. 6Its rising is from the end of the heavens, and its circuit to the end of them, and there is nothing hidden from its heat. 7 The law of the LORD is perfect, reviving the soul; the testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple; 8 the precepts of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart; the commandment of the LORD is pure, enlightening the eyes; 9the fear of the LORD is clean, enduring forever; the rules of the LORD are true, and righteous altogether. 10More to be desired are they than gold, even much fine gold; sweeter also than honey and drippings of the honeycomb. 11Moreover, by them is your servant warned; in keeping them there is great reward. (Ps. 19:1-11 ESV) David’s prayer-journal is filled with acknowledgement of the way God made Scripture and the heavens.
In Psalm 104 we listen as one person praying spends time acknowledging God’s work of feeding the wild animals: 10You make springs gush forth in the valleys; they flow between the hills; 11they give drink to every beast of the field; the wild donkeys quench their thirst. 12Beside them the birds of the heavens dwell; they sing among the branches. 13 From your lofty abode you water the mountains; the earth is satisfied with the fruit of your work. 14You cause the grass to grow for the livestock and plants for man to cultivate (Ps. 104:10-14 ESV).
What if, on a daily basis, we added this type of prayer into our prayer experience? Imagine if we only spent part of our prayer time each day in Prayers that Ask God. Imagine if additional prayer-time was devoted each day to Prayers that Face God, Prayers that Tell God, and Prayers that Acknowledge God—prayers that recognize that God is the one who made the sun rise this morning, made the sandwich for lunch possible, gave us the Scriptures we read at night, and invented a human body that loves a good rest. Not only would we be likely to not hear a “no” to that prayer, but our experience of prayer would be vastly different. Prayer would be about so much more than just Prayers that Ask God.
Prayers that Thank God
A fourth type of prayer which those in the Psalms spent much time in is what I’ll call “Prayers that Thank God.” Also known as prayers of thanksgiving, in these prayers the person thanks God for something specific which God has recently done in his/her life. Prayers that Acknowledge God respond the way God has acted in making the earth and his word. But Prayers that Thank God respond to something very specific God has recently done in our life. Rather than just remarking “How lucky!” or telling someone else “You’ll never believe what just happened!” this person stops and spends some moments thanking God for the way He worked at that moment in such a significant way.
In Psalm 30 we listen as David devotes several minutes to thanking God the way he recently rescued David from some peril: 1I will extol you, O LORD, for you have drawn me up and have not let my foes rejoice over me. 2O LORD my God, I cried to you for help, and you have healed me. 3O LORD, you have brought up my soul from Sheol; you restored me to life from among those who go down to the pit. 4Sing praises to the LORD, O you his saints, and give thanks to his holy name. 5 For his anger is but for a moment, and his favor is for a lifetime. Weeping may tarry for the night, but joy comes with the morning. (Ps. 30:1-5 ESV).
Psalm 124 was prayed by the pilgrims as they returned to Jerusalem regularly for festivals. In it, the people thank God for the way he rescued them from a specific danger: 1 If it had not been the LORD who was on our side—let Israel now say—2if it had not been the LORD who was on our side when people rose up against us, 3then they would have swallowed us up alive, when their anger was kindled against us; 4then the flood would have swept us away, the torrent would have gone over us; 5then over us would have gone the raging waters. 6Blessed be the LORD, who has not given us as prey to their teeth! 7We have escaped like a bird from the snare of the fowlers; the snare is broken, and we have escaped! 8 Our help is in the name of the LORD, who made heaven and earth. (Ps. 124:1-8 ESV)
What if, on a daily basis, we added this type of prayer into our prayer experience? Imagine if we only spent part of our prayer time each day in Prayers that Ask God. Imagine if additional prayer-time was devoted each day to Prayers that Face God, Prayers that Tell God, Prayers that Acknowledge God, and Prayers that Thank God—thinking of specific ways God has acted during the day and thanking him for those actions. Prayer would suddenly be a vastly different experience.
Prayers that Praise God
A fifth type of prayer we regularly hear the psalmists praying is what I’ll call “Prayers that Praise God.” Here they are not only spending time thanking God for something specific he recently did, they are primarily praising God for who he is. They are worshiping at full volume and pouring forth adoration because of the kind of God whom God is.
Psalm 100 is a perfect example: 1 Make a joyful noise to the LORD, all the earth! 2 Serve the LORD with gladness! Come into his presence with singing! 3Know that the LORD, he is God! It is he who made us, and we are his; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture. 4 Enter his gates with thanksgiving, and his courts with praise! Give thanks to him; bless his name! 5 For the LORD is good; his steadfast love endures forever, and his faithfulness to all generations. (Ps. 100:1-5 ESV).
The Psalms close with one of these prayers: 1 Praise the LORD! Praise God in his sanctuary;
praise him in his mighty heavens! 2Praise him for his mighty deeds; praise him according to his excellent greatness! 3Praise him with trumpet sound; praise him with lute and harp!
4Praise him with tambourine and dance; praise him with strings and pipe! 5Praise him with sounding cymbals; praise him with loud clashing cymbals! 6Let everything that has breath praise the LORD! Praise the LORD! (Ps. 150:1-6 ESV)
What if, on a daily basis, we added this type of prayer into our prayer experience? Imagine if we only spent part of our prayer time each day in Prayers that Ask God. Imagine if additional prayer-time was devoted each day to Prayers that Face God, Prayers that Tell God, Prayers that Acknowledge God, Prayers that Thank God, and Prayers that Praise God—times of conversation with God in which we just worship and adore him for his power, his greatness, his goodness and his reign. Suddenly a “no” that stemmed from Prayers that Ask God wouldn’t carry the same weight it once did.
A New Appreciation for Prayer
I now have a deep and wide appreciation for soccer. I enjoy watching soccer games and I take pleasure in coaching and watching our boys’ soccer team. There is so much to watch and experience and take in now. The same is true regarding prayer. The psalmists take us from an experience of prayer in which we only practice one type of prayer and thus face heartache and disappointment when that prayer gets denied, and they lead us to a multi-faceted experience of prayer in which there is so much to say and so much to take-in.
