I Have Heard

In a post last month we discussed the story of the aborted Assyrian attack on Jerusalem. When the invading army appeared on the borders of the land, King Hezekiah prayed to God for help:

O Lord God of Israel, which dwellest between the cherubims, thou art the God, even thou alone, of all the kingdoms of the earth; thou hast made heaven and earth. Lord, bow down thine ear, and hear: open, Lord, thine eyes, and see: Of a truth, Lord, the kings of Assyria have destroyed the nations and their lands, And have cast their gods into the fire. Now therefore, O Lord our God, I beseech thee, save thou us out of his hand, that all the kingdoms of the earth may know that thou art the Lord God, even thou only.
-- 2 Kings 19:15-19

The Lord sent His answer through His prophet Isaiah:

Thus saith the Lord God of Israel, That which thou hast prayed to me against Sennacherib king of Assyria I have heard. ... I will defend this city, to save it, for mine own sake, and for my servant David’s sake.
-- 2 Kings 19:20, 34

According to the record, that very night the Lord sent a plague among the Assyrian army, killing 185,000 soldiers in their beds before the sun rose in the morning.

Prayer is our most powerful defense in every situation. What's more, if we listen when we pray, God will tell us He has heard us. God wants to communicate with us, not just listen to us. Prayer should be a dialog, not a monologue.

Partnership with God

In the days of Samuel the prophet, the people of Israel wanted to replace the theocracy with a monarchy. Not satisfied with the rule of prophets, they wanted a more traditional and predictable government headed by a king. Samuel knew they were trading a rich spiritual heritage for a popular but inferior trend. He used every means at his disposal to dissuade the people from their foolishness. At one point, he called down thunder and rain from the sky in the presence of the people to convince them that God's prophet has more power than a king could ever be.

Though the people resisted Samuel's warnings, they were frightened by his display of God's power, and fearing for their lives, pleaded with Samuel to pray to the Lord to spare them. Samuel reluctantly agreed to their request for prayer but acquiesced with the following statement:

Moreover as for me, God forbid that I should sin against the Lord in ceasing to pray for you: but I will teach you the good and the right way:
-- 1 Samuel 12:23

We learn from Samuel that regular prayer is a commandment, and if we stop praying, we sin. It is our duty to pray for ourselves and for others.

Prayer is for our benefit. God does not need our prayers. He knows all things, all needs, all pains and sorrows, and all joys. He does not need to be told what to do to run the universe and bless His children.

We, however, need prayer. We need to connect with God. We need to learn our role in His plan. We need to learn how to help Him in His work. Sincere prayer with real intent places us at God's disposal. Prayer enlists us in His army and prepares us for service.

If we try to live without God, we sin. We withhold ourselves from Him, and so He withholds Himself from us. Prayer is the key to a successful partnership with God in serving His children.