Originally published Monday, 16 March 2015.
Price of a prayerless life
Simply said…prayer works. I know that, and you know that. Sure …right?
I heard a story last week about a young mom who had been praying to God about a certain decision she needed to make. She lamented, “It felt like God wasn’t listening.” The ladies gathered around her story, suddenly stopped to encourage her, reassuring her that every prayer is heard.
She continued to tell us just how God heard her prayer. She went to an antique store to do a little retail therapy on the same day she had the feeling that God’s hearing was clogged a bit when speaking her request. She spotted an old dainty figurine of magnolia flowers perched atop a glossy, golden ceramic branch setting on a corner on a dusty shelf. The uniqueness of the piece drew her curiosity in. With a toddler on her hip, she moved toward the shelf. She picked up the shiny treasure, holding it gently. She turned over the glazed flower and saw a name written on the bottom. She gasped. Written in gold, was the name of her husband’s deceased grandmother. The grandmother had been a collector of fine unique antiques and signed the family name to each one. Once she died, her memory collection was given away.
Recognizing the heritage, she walked the precious memento to the cash register and paid $4.00. The connection to her husbands legacy was worth way more than that. She couldn’t wait to get home to tell her husband of rare find. It was then that God spoke to her heart and said, “Trust Me, I’ve heard your prayers, and I just wanted you to know. You have been heard.”
What a personal God! No one would have known except this mom on that day what that a single name would have meaning, yet God in His mercy bends down and listens to each one of our words to Him. You might be thinking this is just a nice feel-good story, and in her family it was a huge sign that God has been present and listening to her prayers.
What about your prayers? Does it feel like no one is listening to them? Do you believe that God hears our prayers? If we were truly honest with ourselves, we would have to admit there are times when it seems as if God isn’t listening, with all the requests that are pounding on Heaven’s heart door.
Most Christians profess that prayer is their weakest area. It’s a human trap that we can all fall into. The apostles of the early church certainly knew the trappings of ministry and the busyness of every day life, and also the collision of both ministry and life along the way. The truth of the matter is we often don’t take time to pray, and therefore we slip into the lie that “God knows it all anyway, so why pray about it?”
The price of prayerless life is high. God wants to help and empower those who make themselves available to His words and works. God knows the depth of our distractions that take our hearts wayward and yet He loves us anyway. God knows the least, the last, and the lost by name. He knows you like you don’t know yourself. He knows of the healing He wants to give you, He holds the peace that you need, and He longs to show His compassion upon you.
He also knows your unbelieving heart. How often do we ask God for something but yet don’t believe Him for the very thing we have asked Him for? One thing to remember is, that God is not a vending machine. There are divine reasons that He doesn’t give us everything we selfishly ask for.
Talking to the Father shows our faith in the unseen. Having faith and trusting God completely to be our Source pleases Him. Don’t let a day go by without talking to the only God who loves more than you can love yourself.
Don’t give into the price of a prayerless life. Because God does hear every word, and we can’t do this life without Him.
Mark 11:24 “Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.”
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