Gifts From God: Devotions From Time of GraceSample

The Gift of God Himself: God listens

One of the most infuriating experiences known to man is to try to communicate something important with someone who isn’t listening. “You’re not listening to me” is a complaint heard by millions of children from frustrated parents and by millions of husbands from frustrated wives. Behind that aching complaint is pure fear--fear that the kids are just going to ignore our obsolete advice, fear that our husbands think we’re too dumb to take seriously.

How terrifying, then, to fear that our prayers just clunk to the ground, unheard and unopened. What if God thinks we’re too dumb to take seriously or that our needs and hopes and wishes are too trivial to concern the great King?

On the contrary! Jesus told the believers once how delighted God is to hear the prayers of his people and how eager he is to help them with what they need: “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened” (Matthew 7:7,8). Could that be any clearer? Ask away! (Psst--remember--he likes you!)