Can You Hear Me Now?

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I have not posted in nearly a month. The busy holiday season gave me excuses for falling behind on prayer and study. (I have to get those batches of cookies done, the presents wrapped and so on.) Also, I do not choose what I write about. I sometimes have ideas but the Holy Spirit often does revisions or chooses something completely different.

I was in a period of my life when I felt as if my prayers were falling into the dirt beneath my feet.  I couldn't feel God. It felt like I was knocking on the door where no one was home.

I called the wisest woman I knew, my grandmother Mommy. (Georgia) She clucked her tongue the way she did when she was puzzling over a crossword problem. She said, finally,
"Well, I guess you just keep praying anyway"

I hung up somewhat disappointed. I guess I wanted some magic or some task or something to fix things. So I called the other wisest woman I knew, my other grandmother Gigi (Ethel). Imagine a thick syrupy country Kentucky accent if you can. Her answer was
"Wahl now honey, you jest keep on a prayin' anyway."

Two wise women who gave exactly the same advice. What are the odds? Pretty good actually. All through history people have felt that God couldn't hear them and have called out to Him.

I know you all remember Job. His so called friends tried to tell him that he must have really sinned or his children did, and that he should seek God. As if he hadn't already been earnestly praying.

Job 23:8-9  But if I go to the east, he is not there: if I go to the west. I do not find him. When he is at work in the north, I do not see him; when he turns to the south I catch no glimpse of him. 

The prophet Elijah, even after seeing great miracles was afraid that of Jezebel and ran away, praying to die. He is in hiding when he finally hears the voice of God. 

David in Psalm 13:1-2 asks,
"How long, Lord? Will you forget me forever? "

Even our Lord, Jesus, cried out asking God why had he forsaken him.

Of course there are those that God cannot hear. According to Isaiah 59:2
"But your iniquities have separated you from God; your sins have hidden his face from you, so that he will not hear."

Luckily, the Bible is full of advice on being heard.

1 Peter 3:12
"For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous and his ears are attentive to their prayer."

1 John 5:14
"This is the confidence we have in approaching God; that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us."

I am now an old woman, although not so very wise. But if you are feeling like God is not hearing you, repent, and keep praying. He does hear. He will answer in His own time. I guess my grandmothers were some pretty smart women.