“For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, and His ears are open to their prayer….” 1 Pt. 3:12a
There was the answer I had been longing to hear. Someone was listening and had been all along. The Lord has His ears bent towards His children. He hears our whispers. In His omniscience, He is not ignorant of all the other voices, however, He also is in tune with my voice as if mine is the only one. As I soaked in this sweet truth I felt hope return. What a privilege to know that my voice has a 24-hour audience with the King of Kings.
How often do we minimize the immense power and purpose of our prayer lives? In the midst of all the upheaval that is encompassing us, we need to hold fast to these verses:
“And this is the confidence that we have toward Him, that if we ask anything according to His will He hears us. And if we know that He hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests that we have asked of Him.” 1 John 5:14-15
This verse uses the word confidence. Though we may be fearful today to even speak to our neighbor about the things we see flashing in front of us, we need never be afraid to utter our thoughts and feelings to our God. When we are claiming His promises, holding onto His truth, and believing in His sovereignty, we are confident that we are on solid footing with Him.
“Even before a word is on my tongue, behold, O Lord, You know it altogether.” Psalm 139:4
Sometimes, we just don’t have the right words. We are in utter disbelief at what we see on our screens or hear from those who seem to control the narrative. I literally have been speechless on a number of occasions lately. But with God, we are never in a passive voice. He can take our thoughts and put them into words for us. He can even discern the motives and desires of our hearts. What a blessing to know that I don’t have to wax eloquent to be assured that my silence still speaks.
“In distress, I called upon the Lord; to my God I called. From His temple, He heard my voice, and my cry came to His ears.” 2 Samuel 22:7
These days are distressing, to say the least. Being unsettled is almost a mainstay for everything from jobs to schools and everything in between. We are left searching for a place to catch our breath and gain our equilibrium. Thankfully, we can find that place in our loud cry to God.
“I call upon You, for You will answer me, O God; incline Your ear to me; hear my words.” Ps. 17:6
I love the word incline in this verse. The definition of incline is: to feel willing or favorably disposed toward an action, belief, or attitude. Just take a moment to soak that in. The Creator God feels a willingness to bend His ear to His feeble and finite creation. He displays a favorability towards me, His child, whenever I call Him. In a world where our voice may be just another in the drowning crowd, that is not at all the way our God feels. He is disposed to hear only me. What a compelling truth that should keep us calling to Him at every turn, in every season.
In our world today, our voices may take a back seat in the culture for now. But we can rest in the reality that the One who is listening to us has an eternal viewpoint that transcends all the turmoil and division. We have a place to be heard. Now more than ever we need to bend His ear and call out with regularity on behalf of our culture, nation, children, churches, neighbors, and a lost world.
What have you been bending God's ear about lately?
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10 Comments
7/10/2020 07:00:20 pm
What a comfort to know that He is always atuned to our voice.
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1/30/2024 08:25:16 am
Absolutely, Mandy!! The assurance that God is always attuned to our voice is a source of great comfort and reassurance. May you continue to experience the comforting presence of God.
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7/15/2020 06:47:05 am
I love the fact that we can have honest meaningful conversations with God - because He knows! Thank you for the reminder.
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1/30/2024 08:27:12 am
You're so very welcome, Sharon!! The ability to have honest and meaningful conversations with God, knowing that He understands, is indeed a precious aspect of our relationship with Him. Thank you for your comment!
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7/16/2020 10:01:36 am
As I have tried with my limited attention span to be present for 4 sons, and now a growing posse of grandchildren, this truth about God's unwavering attention becomes ever more precious.
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1/30/2024 08:29:32 am
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1/30/2024 08:30:47 am
Absolutely, Jerralea, the thought that God is willing to incline His ear toward us is awe-inspiring and speaks to the depth of His love and attentiveness. May you continue to experience the awe of God's love!
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7/18/2020 09:32:36 pm
"What a privilege to know that my voice has a 24-hour audience with the King of Kings." Wow! That is something to meditate on! I am reviewing one of my favorite books right now on the blog, A Shepherd Looks at Psalm 23 and a lot of this resonates with what I am learning. What a comfort and encouragement that God is near to us, listens to us, guides us, protects us as a Good Shepherd. That we can call on him in out distress and he listens to our cries and acts on our behalf. It is truly amazing when I stop and think about it!! Thank you for the encouragement!
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1/30/2024 08:32:19 am
You're so very welcome, Elena!! It's wonderful that the reflection resonates with what you're learning from "A Shepherd Looks at Psalm 23." The imagery of God as our Good Shepherd, who is near, listens, guides, and protects us, is indeed a profound and comforting truth. Thank you for sharing your thoughts and reflections!
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