He's Waiting to Hear From You

Last night, our pastor spoke to us about prayer in our mid-week service. His words are still resonating today in my heart. You see, I love to pray. I pray often. I talk to God constantly. I pray for others, I pray for my own heart, I pray, pray, pray. I have found that I cannot go a day without talking to my Father many times. Last night the message really spoke to me in a way that I hope I will not forget. I took notes feverishly as if I had never heard about what praying is really supposed to look like. I feasted on what the Word of God says about prayer.

The message encouraged me greatly, but, it was what happened next that really drove home the pastor’s teaching. The service ended and I went to the restroom before heading to choir practice. I was in a bit of a hurry because I was helping to lead choir last night (our wonderful volunteer choir director was out for the evening), I also needed to clean off the stage and put music books away from the service. I simply wanted to run into the bathroom and get on with what I needed to get on with. But, God had a different plan. A dear, dear sister-in-Christ stopped me to say that she had a serious prayer concern that she needed to share with me and she asked me to pray. (You see, I have asked her MANY times to pray with me for something or someone) Of course, I felt compelled to stop and really listen. I did. Praise God! What she shared with me broke my heart and caused me to start praying immediately. This was not something that I needed to promise to pray about later, only to possibly forget, as I sometimes do. This was something that needed to receive the attention of prayer urgently. And so, without even thinking about it, we took each other’s hands and began to pray. We prayed for God to intervene in the circumstances that weighed heavily on both of our hearts. We prayed out loud while others walked in and out of the restroom. We prayed until we cried together, we prayed with confidence in our God, we prayed expectantly and with patience, actively, dependently, submissively, knowing that God’s timing is perfect and that we can trust Him. We asked for His will to be done. We asked for His protection over this circumstance. Our prayers were fervent and strong. We felt the Presence of God with us. I have not stopped praying since then over these particular circumstances, as I’m sure she has not either. I am still overwhelmed by the feeling that I had as we prayed together, hands joined. It was a blessing to me to pray with my dear sister. It was a reminder of God’s beautiful grace and mercy.

God’s Word says many things about prayer. I’d like to share some of these things with you, some from our pastor’s message last night and some that God has laid on my own heart this morning. I think it would be okay with him for me to share.

We are to pray privately (and corporately) - Matt. 6 and 7

We are to pray in His will – John 14:13-14

We are to pray without ceasing, persevering in prayer – 1 Thess. 5:17; Romans 12:10-12

We are not to worry about anything, but to pray about everything with thanksgiving – Philippians 4:6-7

We are to pray for others and confess our own sin – James 5:16-18

We are to assemble together in His Name – Matthew 18:20

We are to give thanks in our prayers – Psalm 100

There are many other verses about prayer. I encourage you to get out your own copy of God’s Word today and study these verses about prayer and then pray, pray, pray!

Last night, I sat through our pastor’s message and was moved deeply by what I learned and re-learned. He told us that prayer is both about talking to God and listening to God. He taught us how to pray and how to listen. And right after this beautiful message, God gave me and my sister-in-Christ a chance to practice what we had just heard from him. It was a beautiful reminder to me that God is always ready to listen. He is always ready to spend time with His children. He hears the prayers of all, and may choose to answer even the unbeliever’s prayers, however His Word promises that He will hear and answer the prayers of those who belong to Him.

            We do not have control over the outcome of our prayers last night. We have hope and believe that God heard us and will answer according to His good pleasure and will. However God chooses to answer, one thing we know, that God is faithful. He knows what is best for each of us. He cares about every detail of all of our lives and He loves to spend time listening to the prayers of His precious children. He will answer. Have you spent time with Him today? What is on your heart that you need to take to Him in prayer? Please take the time to talk to Him. Praying will move you into a precious time with your Father. It will bless you with peace and it will give you an opportunity to watch God work in the circumstances of your life and in the lives of those you care about.

There are no special rules, just talk to Him. He's waiting to hear from you. :)

Thanks for reading! May you be encouraged by these written words. God bless you!!