Do we hear the cries of our children when they have gotten themselves in trouble?
When I was about 12 I got picked up for shoplifting. Surprising I know, Pastor Cory arrested for shoplifting, but it's true. I have told this story before so I won't go into much detail this time. I remember sitting in the police station of my little town while the sheriff was calling our parents. I remember the response my friend got from his dad,"I should just leave him in jail over night so he can learn his lesson"(He came anyway). My parents came and picked me up, the car ride home was very quiet. I don't remember much more punishment then what the state was giving me.
As I look back on it now, I am grateful my parents came and picked me up that night. There was no, "leave him in there" comments. They came and got me and they listened to me when I told them what had happened even though I was in the wrong, I had disobeyed them and the state, and I had gotten my friend in trouble right along with me.
In Job chap 35 Elihu makes a crazy assertion. He says God doesn't listen to the wicked. He starts with asking rhetorically if God is affected by our sin and righteousness. The answer for him is no, only other men are affected by such things. Then he says God doesn't even give us the time of day. When we are wicked he doesn't heed us one bit.
For one thing I think he is arguing against himself, if our sin and behavior doesn't effect God, then why does Elihu say God punishes us for it. If God was truly detached from us he would just leave us alone completely. And then to say God only pays attention to us and to our prayers when we are good is crazy talk. What kind of Father, let alone a father in heaven, would God be if he ignored us when we are good or bad.
I believe in a God who loves his children, who listens to their cries, and who came down to the police station, was born as a baby, lived on this earth, and died on the cross to pick us up. He has no intention of leaving us down here to wrought in prison. He is coming back again to save us, to take us home.
Today may we see the heart of and intimate God who is involved in the lives of his children and will take them home. He listens to our every prayer no matter what condition we have gotten ourselves into.
Jesus loves me when I'm good, when I do the things I should. Jesus loves me when I'm bad even though it makes him sad. Yes Jesus loves me! Yes Jesus loves me! Yes my Jesus loves me! The bible tells me so.
Hey Wettco, my name is John. I read a lot of blogs on religion and prayer and I've i feel like I've ended up here once before. I'd love to hear your thoughts about this prayer exchange website PrayerMarket.com I thought it was an interesting idea and would be curious to hear what you (or other Christians) think about it
ReplyDeleteI'll check back here in the next day or two, thanks & God bless
John W.
At first glance I'm not interested enough to go past the first page. Getting paid or rewards for Prayer??? Not a fan of that idea myself considering prayer is about a relationship with God our way of having a conversation with him. I'm fine with people sharing their prayer requests with one another, but the reward is the relationship with God. No other is needed!!!
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