The Scriptures repeatedly tell us that God hears us. David wrote, "YHWH hears when I call to Him" (Psa 4:3). Another psalmist wrote, "I love YHWH, because He hears my voice and my supplications" (Psa 116:1). I've seen that and heard that in a variety of places and ways (verses, songs, sermons, etc.), but it suddenly struck me as ... remarkable.
David wrote, "When I consider Your heavens, the work of Your fingers, the moon and the stars, which You have ordained, what is man that You take thought of him and the son of man that You care for him?" (Psa 8:3-4). Exactly. Why would the Creator of all things, the God of the Universe, the King of kings and Lord of lords take notice ... of us? I wrote a letter to a president years ago and didn't hear back from him (no surprise). Why would the Almighty deign to hear me? In the text above I think we miss the point the psalmist makes. "YHWH hears me! That's why I love Him. That's why He's so astounding. He hears me. Amazing!"
Paul commanded us to "pray without ceasing" (1 Thess 5:17). Because God hears. Jesus told us, "If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you" (John 15:7). Because God hears. Jesus wanted His followers to pray at all times and not lose heart (Luke 18:1-8). Because God hears. If He doesn't, there are reasons (James 4:3; Psa 66:18; Isa 59:2; etc.). You can fix that.
2 comments:
God hears me--I find that remarkable and amazing, too! Also reassuring, inspiring, encouraging, heartening, and absolutely life-sustaining!
As an aside, I once wrote a letter to a president--and received a reply! It was to Nixon in the mid-1970s; it contained ideas for celebrating our nation’s Bicentennial (I think perhaps it was a school assignment, as I certainly was not advising presidents back then :). I received a pleasant acknowledgement written and signed by the infamous Rose Mary Woods. I don’t think I kept the letter but certainly wish I had.
Because we do often have such a small view of God, we miss out on just how truly amazing there things we take for granted from Him. We begin to expect Him to hear us because we're so precious to Him. We begin to accept other ways of salvation because why wouldn't He want to save more of us.
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