Come and hear, all you who fear God, and I will tell what he has done for my soul.
I cried to him with my mouth, and high praise was on my tongue. If I had cherished iniquity in my heart, the Lord would not have listened.But truly God has listened; he
has attended to the voice of my prayer. Blessed be God, because he has not rejected
my prayer or removed his steadfast love from me!
Psalm 66:16-20 ESV
For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous and his ears are attentive to their prayer, but the face of the Lord is against those who do evil.
1 Peter 3:12 NIV
“Your prayers are like love letters to me.”
Once again, I poured my heart out to the Lord in prayer. I reminded Him, as if He didn’t already know, that I have been seeking His heart for this particular petition for almost twenty years. Lord! Hear my cry! In that moment, I envisioned the face of the Father turning to me. He then picked up a large stack of letters tied together with a red ribbon, topped with a decorative heart. The bundle represented the prayers of my heart, twenty years worth, to be exact. The Lord calmed my concern as He spoke, “ Your prayers are like love letters to me.” Like love letters? “ Yes, keepsakes of love.” He continued, “ I know every word, verse, line, petition, joy, and heart-ache, that you have submitted before me. I knew them, before you even uttered your request. I know you. I know your heart. I know each circumstance. Trust me when I say, my hand is upon this.” He then drew the letters, tied in red, close to His side. His smile filled me with great peace. As He turned, His light filled the chamber, illuminating innumerable letters bundled with red ribbon, all to be answered in His perfect timing.
At times, if we are honest, many of us get frustrated with what seems like a delayed
response from the Lord. The heart-ache can be too much to bear when we focus upon unanswered prayer. Travail builds, as our hope is broken. The accuser steps in, trying to convince us our prayers do not matter, and that God is not attentive to our cry. Eagerly, the enemy agrees with our sorrow, attempting to ambush our prayers; misleadingly, he comes against the character of God. However, we must remain determined, deliberate in prayer, staying focused upon the truth.
The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.
James 5:16 NKJV
Even David felt the delay of unanswered prayer. He spoke of the struggle in Psalm 6.
I am worn out from my groaning.
Psalm 6:6 NIV
Verse nine, affirms the power of persisting in prayer.
The Lord has heard my cry for mercy; the Lord accepts my prayer.
Psalm 6:9 NIV
God hears us when we pray!
Yet, scripture does warn us if we cherish iniquity within our heart, the Lord will not listen to our prayers, for He turns His face against those who do evil. We should all heed such a warning, and seek the Lord, requesting Him to search our heart.
Search me, O God, and know my heart; try me, and know my anxieties; and
see if there is any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.
Psalm 139:23-24 NKJV
As our hearts are made right before Him, He will not reject our prayer, nor remove His steadfast love from us. Believe again in the goodness of the Lord. Our God is faithful. Continue to seek Him. His ears are attentive to our prayers.
He is looking for your letter.
❤️
Prayer
Father,
Thank You for keeping my prayers close to Your heart, bundled within Your love and power. My soul soars with shouts of praise in response to the goodness You have shown me.
In Christ, my prayers are effectual. I trust You to answer me in Your perfect timing.
May my heart be right before You. Search me, O God, and know my heart, my every anxiety. Show me any wickedness within my depths, that my prayers would not be hindered. Lead me upon Your straight path, for Your namesake.
Thank You, Father, for holding on to my every prayer.
I believe in Your goodness, Faithful One, and await Your answer.
Most assuredly, Your timing is perfect - to the letter!
❤️
Amen
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