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“O Thou that
hearest prayer”
(Psalm 65:2)
Dear friends, allow me to once
again humbly escort you into that
“Holy of Holies”, that “Inner
Sanctuary” of the Christian life.
That part of true Christianity which
has the greatest influence upon the
believer’s spiritual well-being and
fellowship with Christ. That being
humble, fervent and persevering
prayer!
For though we may possess many
talents and gifts; and though we be
well learned in the doctrines and
truths of God; yet, if we be not men
and women of humble, fervent and
importunate prayer, we shall not
prosper in any of these things.
It was Spurgeon who once said,
“If any of you should ask me for an
epitome of the Christian religion, I
should say it is in that one word –
PRAYER!
That “Men ought always to pray
and not to faint”, was our
Lord’s exhortation on all true
believers (Luke 18:1), proving the
great need of our “persevering in
prayer. And that our “fainting”
is the immediate consequences of our
leaving off of prayer. How quickly
do those divine impressions of
Christ and His truths wither and
fade from our hearts, when they are
not secured by “humble, fervent
prayer”?
Ø
Our joy shall be temporary,
rather than enduring; because
all true prayer draws our hearts and
affections closet to Christ, from
whom all true and lasting joy flows.
Ø
Our afflictions and
burdens shall only bruise and
break us, rather than work for us.
For prayer enables the believer to
consider his/her afflictions as
“light and but for a moment, while
working for us a far more exceeding
and eternal weight of glory”. (2
Cor 4:17-18)
Ø
True prayer enables the believer to
know more clearly and personally
God’s providential dealings in his
life. For while Paul considered his
affliction to be but a “thorn in
the flesh”, it was through his
persevering prayer that God revealed
unto him His divine purpose for such
a “thorn”, allowing the
Apostle to “glory in that which
before prayer he considered to be
simply a hindrance. (2 Cor
12:7-10)
And yet, often our hearts are so
filled with doubts and fears and our
faith appears so weak and frail,
that we have great trouble
approaching the throne of Grace in
time of need. It is then that we
must learn to humbly find refuge in
the blessed promises of God’s most
holy and precious Word. And one of
those blessed promises and divine
encouragements to freely approach
the throne of grace in time of need
is found in these words of the
Psalmist!
“O
Thou that hearest prayer”. (Psalm
65:2).
What
great encouragement to pray! What a
warm and affectionate invitation to
approach the throne of grace and
pour our hearts out before God! For
the Psalmist does not declare that
God “might” hear our prayers, but
that “He hearest prayer”. He will
not turn a deaf ear, nor ignore our
petitions, regardless of how feeble
and frail they may appear to be. He
will not despise or turn away any
prayer that is put before His throne
in faith, for “he heareth
prayer”.
By the Psalmist declaring that God
“hearest prayer”, he is referring to
someone who truly “listens” by
taking a “personal interest” in all
our petitions. When God is said to
“hear our prayers” it is to assure
our hearts, as believers, that He
not only hears our words and our
expressions, but being God, who
“knows the secrets of the heart”
(Psa. 44:21), He is also well aware
of our deepest desires and cares.
This is a great comfort, especially
when it is impossible to put into
“words” exactly what we feel about
certain situations and cares of this
life. Yet God, who knoweth these
things “hears our prayers”. He knows
and is acquainted with those fears
and doubts and cares which no one
else can see, for He “hears our
prayers”.
There be many people who might take
the time to “listen” to our
heartaches and our troubles, yet do
they truly “hear us”? No one can
understand exactly what we feel, or
what heartache and trouble we might
be going through; But God, who
“looks on the heart” (1Sam 16:11),
has promised to “hear us when we
pray”.
Oh may the believer learn and be
assured in his heart that “God hears
our prayers”. And with this
assurance may we daily find
ourselves in the presence of God in
prayer, knowing that in every
situation and circumstance of life,
He takes a personal and intimate
interest in our spiritual
well-being.
“Trust in him at all times; ye
people, pour out your heart before
him: God is a refuge for us. Selah.”
(Psa 62:8)
Pastor Audey Shepard
Grace Baptist Church
Coleman Texas
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