One-a-Day...for the Heart: The Listener
But God did listen! He paid attention to my prayer. Praise God, who did not ignore my prayer or withdraw His unfailing love from me, the psalmist exclaimed in Psalm 66:19-20.
God is a great listener; He so intently wants to hear us that He bends down to listen to us! In Psalm 116:1-2 (NLT), David said, "I love the Lord because He hears my voice and my prayer for mercy. Because He bends down to listen, I will pray as long as I have breath!
The most effective way to talk to a child is to get down at his level by bending, kneeling, or sitting. It’s far less intimidating to little ones than if we tower over them as giants and speak down to them. It’s pretty amazing how much a child will share while conversing with someone who is eyeball-to-eyeball. We can access their hearts much quicker, for they are at ease to speak freely. The threat of punishment or rebuke is softened. It is one of the most tender moments of interaction when a child, comfortable at being on the same level with an adult, confesses that he did steal the cookies from the jar or that it is his crayon scribbling on the wall.
The verse preceding the fact that God listened and did not ignore the psalmist’s prayer says, If I had not confessed the sin in my heart, the Lord would not have listened (vs. 18). The Message translation says, If I had been cozy with evil, the Lord would never have listened. Uh-oh. The chocolate around his mouth and the pile of crayons by the wall kept our little friend “cozy with evil” until he confessed his fault and had his little soul cleansed by a loving parent who bent down to listen to him. So it is with The Listener, the One who loves us more than we can know or understand. He eagerly waits to bend down and listen to you! O my people, trust in Him at all times. Pour out your heart to Him, for God is our refuge, (Psalm 62:8 NLT).
Psalm 66 further states, I called out to Him with my mouth, my tongue shaped the sounds of music. But He most surely did listen, He came on the double when He heard my prayer. Blessed be God: He didn't turn a deaf ear, He stayed with me, loyal in His love (vs. 17, 19-20 MSG).
Are you at an eyeball-to-eyeball conversational position with The Listener? He already sees the cookie crumbs around our mouths and the pile of crayons by the wall. [The Listener] The Lord looks down from heaven and sees the whole human race. From His throne He observes all who live on the earth. He made their hearts, so He understands everything they do (Psalm 33:13-16 NLT).
The Listener made our hearts, so He understands everything we do. Let that sink in, and be comforted by it! It doesn’t take long for Him to bend down and listen. It takes humility and honesty on our part. Is anyone crying for help? God is listening, ready to rescue you! (Psalm 34:17 MSG).
© 2022, Chris Werre