For those who are users of the instant messaging service Whatsapp the ‘ticks’ in the image above will be familiar to you. These ticks appear next to the message you send, 1 tick shows whether it has been sent from your phone successfully a 2nd tick appears to show it was delivered to the phone of the person you are messaging and when the 2 ticks go blue it indicates the person has read your message. Presumably these ticks are there for the benefit of the person sending the message and to provide some reassurance. The strange thing is that these ‘Two blue ticks’ can have a negative effect to the sender of the message prompting thoughts such as ‘They have read my message – why no reply?!’ Or for the one who receives the message – ‘I must reply quickly because the sender knows I have read it!’
How reassuring for us to know that God always hears our prayers when we pray in the name of His Son Jesus Christ. He always hears. We may have to wait for an answer but He always hears. The Psalmist David said ‘The eyes of the LORD are upon the righteous, and his ears are open unto their cry.’ Psalm 34 v15
The Apostle Peter confirms this himself saying ‘For the eyes of the Lord are over the righteous, and his ears are open unto their prayers:..’ 1 Peter ch3 v12. The open ear of Almighty God who waits to answer prayer is a great blessing for poor sinners in need of help, may your faith and mine grasp hold of that promise. Peter adds at the close of the verse a solemn warning ‘…but the face of the Lord is against them that do evil.’
A further comfort is the infinite knowledge and wisdom of Almighty God in knowing all things concerning us – our needs, our fears, our sorrows and our joys. The God to whom we pray knows what we need before we ask – and He knows what is best for us! Jesus said ‘….for your Father knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye ask.’ Matthew ch6 v8 and again in verse 32 of the same chapter ‘…for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things.’ But ask in the prayer of faith we must – it is God’s appointed way. Let it never be said of us ‘…ye have not, because ye ask not.’ James ch4 v2
Abraham’s servant having been sent to get a wife for Isaac made this great burden a matter of prayer. He asked God to direct him to a suitable bride for Isaac and that she would be willing to go with him. We read ‘And it came to pass, before he had done speaking, that, behold, Rebekah came out,…’ Genesis ch24 v15 Before he had finished praying the answer appeared before his eyes. What a loving God!
We need two things in our prayer life – Faith and patience. May God give us both in great measure and we will have all the benefits and reassurance we need to walk the path of life.
Isaiah ch65 v24 ‘And it shall come to pass, that before they call, I will answer, and while they are yet speaking, I will hear.’