21st September

O you who hear prayer. Psalm 65, 2

God listens to us

For many people prayer is only a recitation of some sentences learned by heart.

No, prayer is speaking to God like a child speaks to his father with confidence and respect. All over the earth millions of people can speak to the Lord at the same time, because not any thought of any individual does not escape his perfect knowledge. Several psalms of David maintain: "You perceive my thoughts from afar. You are familiar with all my ways. Before a word is on my tongue you know it completely, O Lord" (Psalm 139, 2 - 4). "From heaven the Lord looks down and sees all mankind. From his dwelling-place he watches all who live on earth" (Psalm 33, 13 & 14).

To pray is to explain our troubles, our needs and also to give thanks. To pray is to be sure that he listens to us and that he will answer us according to his perfect knowledge with what is good for them to speak to him. If he speaks to us through his word, the Bible, he also wants us to speak to him by prayer. God is love and the proof of this love is that he listens to us.

The Lord Jesus is the great intermediary between the Christian and God. The Christian can address his prayers to God through the Lord Jesus. At the same time he also encourages his own to directly speak to him by reminding them: "The Father himself loves you" (John 16, 27).