Prayer: Lord Preserve My Life

Isn't it a self-centered prayer to ask God to preserve my life? Answer: Maybe or maybe not. It depends on the motivation. If I am praying that God will preserve my life so I can live a little longer and enjoy this world a little more (and by default him less), then yes, it is a self-centered prayer. However, in Ps 143.11, we have a great example of David praying this exact prayer in a way that glorifies God.

For the glory of your name, O Lord, preserve my life. Because of your faithfulness , bring me out of this distress.

David's prayer is that in preserving his life, God's name will be glorified. David will get the help; God will get the glory. This is a God-centered prayer. When God demonstrates his faithfulness to David, it isn't David who will be praised, it is God.

This is why we can pray fervently and honestly for our own or other's restoration from illness. God is glorified when he heals people of illness, so it is good to pray that he will do so. Does he HAVE to heal them? Nope. He is God. He can do what he wants; however, he IS glorified; he is made to look great; his majesty and strength and power are demonstrated when he heals in response to our prayers.

So go on, O Christian. Are you sick? Is someone you know sick? Are you in danger? Pray fervently for God's preservation of life. As long as your desire is for God to look great!