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Welcome to season 2 of the Determined to Dance podcast. I pray that you’ll be uplifted, encouraged, and will move forward each and every day. Today’s episode, Daily Prayer: God Listens, looks at the privilege of praying to a God who hears our every word.
Show Notes: Prayerful Situations: Daily Prayer: God Listens
One of my favorite books in the Bible is Jeremiah. Yes, I know that’s odd because it’s the story of a prophet called to deliver a message to a people who didn’t want to hear it. Later, part of the Israelites would be taken captive to Babylon. The rest, along with Jeremiah, would remain under Babylonian control at home. The prophet continued to deliver a message that was widely ignored. What I enjoy so much about Jeremiah is the passion of the man. He seemed moody and melancholy (I can definitely relate) but still had a poetic and intriguing style of writing. Listen to Jeremiah 29:11-13:
“For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope. Then you will call upon Me and go and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. And you will seek Me and find Me when you search for Me with all your heart.” NKJV
The people ignore God but He hasn’t forgotten them. I’m sure at times Jeremiah wondered why God kept sending out the message. The king even took Jeremiah’s handwritten words, cut them into small pieces, and tossed them in the fire. But God still wooed. And called. And extended His hand. He still wanted them to join Him in the dance of life. But most of all, He listened.
I want to lift my chin and say, “I would have never acted that way if God listened to me.” The problem is, I already have. Many times. God says believe and I doubt. He says move and I hide. He says love and I don’t.
He loves me anyway.
Let’s take a closer look at these verses. What is God saying about prayer and listening to these stubborn people?
- God is thinking of their peace.
- God wants to give them a future and hope.
- God is listening.
Wow. God has the Israelites on his mind and heart. And the Old Testament was given as an example for us. God is also thinking of our peace, and future, and gives hope while He listens. To us. What more could we ask for? Nothing. But these verses also point out what God wants.
- He wants them to call on Him.
- He wants them to pray to Him.
- He wants them to seek Him with their whole heart.
And I believe He wants the same from you and me. Daily. No, we don’t have to join a monastery or move to a mountaintop. But we can call to or acknowledge God every day. We can take a moment to thank, praise, intercede, and ask Him for what is on our hearts. And the seeking. Not a half-hearted thought amongst all the busyness. Instead, we need God like the air we breathe.
When my dad was in his early thirties, he contracted a disease similar to Muscular Dystrophy. It left him paralyzed and in a wheelchair for the rest of his life. He sought to disprove God during this difficult time in his life but found Him instead.
Dad spent the rest of his life seeking God. Daily. I remember him studying the Word for up to eight hours a day in the recliner or laying on the couch. My dad had more faith in God than anyone I’d ever met. He sought and God listened.
What’s so cool is God listens to me even though I don’t study for super long stretches of time. He meets me where I am and He’ll meet you where you are. The more time we spend with Him, the more we want to. His beauty and glory draw us and slowly, like a flower opening to the sun, we become like Him.
What a glorious thought. What a glorious God.
“So, all of us who have had that veil removed can see and reflect the glory of the Lord. And the Lord—who is the Spirit—makes us more and more like Him as we are changed into his glorious image.” II Corinthians 3:18 NLT
Let’s pray: Father God, thank you for listening to us. There is nothing more important than You spending time hearing our cries, our joys, our pain. Help us to steal away from our busyness to enjoy moments with You. What an incredible Father you are. In Jesus’ name, we pray, amen.
As we seek God and are open to His will and ways, God listens. Next week, we’ll talk about the sin that so easily trips us up and how confession frees the heart and soul. Until then, stay determined to dance…
Links:
Story of the scroll written by Baruch (Jeremiah dictated) that the king destroyed.
My debut novel, Jessie’s Hope
Remember: Daily Prayer: God Listens
Video of the week:
I absolutely love music and each week I’d like to share a relevant song we can enjoy together.
I like Jeremiah too.