Every night at the same time the phone rings, and it is the same person.
They go on to tell you what a lousy day they had, how they don’t like their job,
and all the things they need. They ask for help, guidance, and maybe even
direction, but just as you begin to answer, they have ben doing all the talking,
they have to go. They are tired, their favorite show is coming on, and they
hang up, after telling you they will call later. And then tomorrow comes and
the same process takes place. Night after night, you can tell by the time who
it is, and never do get to answer. Or even talk. Sound familiar? This is what
most people’s prayer life is like, we beg, cry, and ask God for advice, but
just when He is going to give us the answer, we hang up. We leave, never having
a dialogue, only a monologue, which really is not a conversation at all. But
yet God is patient, and is there time after time, just waiting to answer, or to
talk to you, but we don’t listen. If a person did this to you, you would get
upset with them, fortunately God doesn’t get upset with us. But still wants to
get a word in edgewise every once in a while. The bottom line is we don’t
listen..even in real life, to real people. yet God ahs created us with some
divine characteristics. One is we have twice as many ears as we do mouths.
Maybe so we can listen twice as much. But yet the mouth overrules. Second,
hearing is the last thing to go. I have prayed over people in comas, only to
have them respond, one girl in particular Dick and I visited. She was in a
coma, yet when we joked with her, while I held her hand, you could see the heart
monitor skip as the spirit in her laughed. And she woke up then, laughing and
wanting water for her parched throat. And there are others. Thirdly, you can
control your mouth, but not your hearing. Try not to listen-it doesn’t work,
but you can shut up. A manifestation of self control, your choice to speak or
not. But the hearing goes on. Fourth-it is a conversation, not a monologue.
Imagine a phone call where you speak for 3 minutes, then it is the other
person’s turn for 3 minutes. Try that one on your spouse...yes dear is not the
proper response. Can you hear me now?
We also have this false impression that God is waiting to hear from us
about problems, so He can act. When I was sick and life flighted, it happened
so quick I couldn’t pray. I had gone into a coma. Yet god had everything under
control, and had the situation well in hand. Isaiah 65:24 tells us that even
before we pray, He has begun to answer. So why do we have prayer chains? Why
do we desire to have so many praying for us? Is there one critical voice to be
heard by God and then He acts, or when we come up short does He fail to answer.
If only one other one prayed, we were only a few prayers short of an answer.
But again God has everything under control. And when I had literally millions
praying for me, I asked God why so many? And His answer was simple, and made
sense. So that those who did pray could see the glory He was working. It was
for His benefit for glory, and for us to be blessed and witness the miracle.
And like I told Lucia who came out to help, God had you there for your benefit
too, to see His glory and boost your faith. To testify like John did of the
things He had witnessed. No one can ever deny you of what you have seen,
although they may not believe it themselves. She saw it firsthand, and to all
who prayed, may God’s blessings be upon you. For the more you pray for, the
more answers you will get, and the more of God’s glory you will see. We call
them blessings, and God hands them out freely....but you must listen for the
answer. Sometimes it is yes, and we think how smart God is, He agreed with us.
Sometimes it is no, and we wonder, did God hear us? Did He understand, because
we obviously told Him what we needed. gain we don’t listen. In my life every
time I was told NO, it was because a better yes was coming. But what when He
says wait? For what? How long? That’s when we have to trust Him, for we don’t
know what is going on in the heavenlies. Job is a good example of that, and
look how he ended up being blessed. Are you that patient? I wish I was.
And yet sometimes we wrestle with God like Jacob did. We get tired and let
go, give up, hang up, or rephrase our request. But god hangs onto us, His
really wrestling with us to get our attention. So He can bless us. So although
it appeared Jacob was wrestling with God, God was really wrestling with Jacob.
A new way to envision how He will never leave you nor forsake you. How He
stands closer than a brother. And how He never gives up, never gives in. It is
us who need to change, not Jesus.
But the final component is obeying, doing what God says. And experience
has taught me the harder the answer, the bigger the blessing. And that if God
says it, it is done. Finished, like Jesus said. And we should obey out of
trust, rather than obedience. When God says jump into the pool, He is there to
catch us. He is that honorable, are we with Him? So if you aren’t hearing from
God, maybe what we have here is a failure to communicate. God has never stopped
talking, His word doesn’t tell us He who has a mouth let him speak, but it does
say “He who has an ear, let him hear.” And God’s answers are always right and
for our benefit. Maybe we ask incorrectly. Paper or plastic? When He has a
better way altogether. Red or green chili? Maybe the answer is Christmas-both
red and green. Or none at all. Don’t give Him a choice, don’t limit God.
Tonight when you lay down to sleep, and after asking the Lord you soul to
keep, lay still and listen. He is speaking in your language, a still, small
voice. “Be still, and know that I am God,” He says, not “be still and no that I
am god, we say.” What a difference correct punctuation makes. So add some
exclamation marks to your prayer life by listening. And may he words of your
mouth be pleasing to God. You will only know when you hear His voice. And only
His sheep will and obey. And that is why we pray, and maybe some insight to a
closer relationship with God. Jesus did all His Father told Him to do, He heard
His dad’s voice. Can I hear an ABBA Father to that? So drift off tonight in
prayer, listening and wake up amazed. Good morning Lord, instead of good Lord
it’s morning. Listen to what the spirit has to say and be blessed. And you can
tell Him you heard it here. Sure beats being the jawbone of an ass-another
story for another time. And never stop praying for me, and I will honor God by
doing the same. Amen? Amen.
love with compassion,
Mike
matthew25biker.blogspot.com