The Prayer God Hears
As I called, and they would not hear, so they called and I would not hear, says the Lord of hosts. (Zechariah 7:13)
Zech. 7:8-13; Ps. 81:11-16; Prov. 1:24, 28; Jer. 7:13-19; James 4:3
What Is God Saying?
Zechariah was a young prophet who saw visions. He told his people of the bright future God had in store for them. These eight visions point to prosperity and blessing for Israel, but it is contingent upon their ‘diligently obeying’ the voice of the Lord (Zech. 6:15). If is the big-little word written across Israel's destiny. The message of Hope is, ‘Old men and women sitting in peace and children safely playing in the streets’ (8:4, 5). ‘They shall be my people and I will be their God’ (8:8). Then, he gives a stern warning of what will happen if Israel does not obey the v0ice of the Lord. A deputation from Bethel asked a question about the validity of fasts. He points out that fasts have no meaning unless those who fast obey the law of the Lord. Faithfulness, sincerity, and obedience are important. ‘To obey is better than to sacrifice’ was the counsel of an older prophet (I Sam. 15:23). ‘To obey is better than to fast’ is the counsel of the young prophet.
How Does This Apply To Us?
If we love the Lord, His commandments will not seem burdensome. They will be liberating. They do not fence us in. They set us free. Love is the root and obedience is the fruit. God hears the cry of repentance, but He must turn a deaf ear to formal, half-meant, and shallow praying.
Pray With Me
Heavenly Father, You have never turned away the prayer of those who come in faith. You have never withheld Your mercy from those who walk the path of obedience. Let me look at my heart under the revealing light of the Word to which Your Spirit has led me today. May the fuzzy half-obedience of an unyielded heart snap into focus until I am more concerned about hearing Your call than I am about Your hearing my call.
Through the dim, the dust, the confusion, and the distraction of competing interests let me hear Your still, small voice. Listening for that voice, I will concern myself less with getting things in answer to prayer. I will be more concerned with becoming Yours in a walk of faith. In tune with Your will, I will not be so much demanding answers as supplying answers. I will not waste time trying to bend Your will to my notions, and I will see the wonder of answered prayer as I bend my notions to Your will. Call, and I will hear, Lord. In Your wisdom, in Your way, by Your grace, You will hear when I call.
In the name of Christ my God. Amen.
Moving On In The Life of Prayer
Listen then Pray. Listening leads to praying. Listening undergirds praying. Listening gives direction to praying. But there is one more thing, listening and obeying make up the true essence of praying. The prescription for prevailing prayer is not only to hear but to heed. God will listen and God will answer in wisdom and justice and power when the prayer that is lifted is linked to a life that obeys. Let us spend more time supplying answers to God than in demanding answers from God. Are you listening?
