Hear Me When I Call

One of the greatest gifts that God has given to mankind is the ability to pray. In times of grief or distress we have the ear of the One that provides the peace that passes all understanding. When we are faced with sickness and frailty, we can consult with the One that is able to heal and strengthen. Although, we have this great gift, it is often neglected and unused. Some have wondered if pray is effective because of unanswered prayers in the past, and some have wondered if God hears the prayers of all or if He answers the prayers of the unrighteous. What does the Bible say about prayer?

  “And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us:” (1 John 5:14) The Bible tells us that we can have confidence that God hears our prayers. The word “confidence” is defined as “having certainty.” We can have all assurance that God hears our prayers but notice where this confidence is found (“in Him”). In order to have assurance that God hears our prayers we must be in Jesus, which being “in Christ” means that we have obeyed His commands and are now in His body/church (Acts 2:38, 47; Mark 16:16). The verse also tells us that we must ask according to His will. Remember Jesus praying in the garden, as He asked three times that the “cup pass” from Him but He also prayed that the Father’s will be done (Matt. 26:39ff). 

   “Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.” (James 5:16).  The Bible tells us that prayer works. James reminds us the responsibility that lays on us all to “pray for one another.” How many times have we mentioned people in the prayers during the services of the church and why do we do that? Because we understand that our prayers are heard by God and that there is power in prayer. The verse says that the fervent prayers of the righteous “availeth much” which is to say that these prayers “have much force.” We pray for one another because there is strength in numbers and strength in prayer. 

   Psalm 4 is the words of David as he reflects the open ear of God when he calls out to Him. Verse 1 begins by David asking God to “hear when I call” and verse 3 states the confidence David has that God “will hear when I call unto Him,” and because He will hear David says he will “stand in awe, sin not,” he will “commune with his heart open and be still” (Psalm 4:1-4). This is the attitude the Christian should have toward prayer. Understand God hears us, and understand the power in prayer, open our hearts and commune with Him in prayer.