Luke 18:8 | Psalm 45:18
“Earth to God. Come in, God…”
You probably have not read the funny story of a man who was spiritually hard of hearing. In it, the man prayed sincerely and heard audible whispers from God in reply…except his hearing was not so good. So when God told him, “Love your neighbor,” the man heard, “Double your labor.” So he got a second job–and ended up tired and confused.
Are you a good spiritual listener?
Most people are accustomed to talking to God through prayer. But it is also important to listen for an answer. The answer may come through an image in your mind, a feeling in your spirit, a word that bubbles to the surface of your thoughts, or any number of ways.
The answer may come as you are asking, afterward, or much later. You may ask the Lord something only to be met by ‘radio silence’. But keep asking [https://thesuperbookshow.com/persistence/]. Jesus assures us that our persistence will pay off.
And will not God bring about justice for his chosen ones, who cry out to him day and night? Will he keep putting them off?
(Luke 18:8 NIV)
God may give you what you want right away. He may refuse your request. Or he may make you wait longer than you want. But he always hears you.
The Lord is close to all who call on him, yes, to all who call on him in truth.
(Psalm 45:18 NLT)
If you truly believe that God loves you, it should not be too difficult to understand that what God wants for you is better than what you could want for yourself. He knows better, and he knows you better.
So pray confidently, knowing that God hears you, that he loves you, and that he will give you what is best for you.
Questions for Group Discussion
- Have you prayed and had God tell you ‘No’? If you feel comfortable doing so, share details. Especially: how did you know?
- What do you think it means to “call on the Lord in truth,” as in Psalm 45:18?
- How does it make you feel to know that God hears your prayers, whether he answers them or not?
- Have you ever been in a position to answer requests? If so, what made you decide to say yes or no? How did you feel toward the ones who made the requests? Did their requests change the way you felt toward them?
Challenge: Yes, No, and Wait
This is a kind of Biblical treasure hunt.
We would call it a scavenger hunt because there is a list of items to find, but since finding those items leads to wisdom, treasure hunt seems more accurate.
