#5 Thoughts from the back deck...

#5 Thoughts from the back deck...

My hearing is not the best, especially in a room full of other people talking or ambient noise. Often, a single voice gets lost and jumbled up with the voices of others around me.
It is my fault. I wrecked my hearing growing up. Headphones, a Walkman, and for those of you who are clueless as to what a Walkman is, Google it!
There is a lot of noise in the world. Ideas compete for our attention. Certainly, the devil shouts out his distractions.
So much noise. So many voices. No wonder we have a hard time hearing God speak.
I had a close friend once tell me: "Andy, why should I pray? He has not done anything for me?"
So much noise. So many voices.
Have you experienced what I have experienced? I can give you a laundry list of items I have prayed for that are and were important, and yet...God was quiet. I have taken things before the altar of the Lord, seeking Him, and the ambient noise around me makes it hard to know if God hears me!
I understand what my friend meant, but he is incorrect. God is not aloof. God is not tone-deaf to us. God does not ignore us.
Psalm 116:1-2 I love the Lord, because he has heard my voice and my pleas for mercy. Because he inclined his ear to me, therefore I will call on him as long as I live. (ESV)
God hears.
God answers.
God knows the root issue in our lives.
God answers with perfect wisdom.
Here is some truth for us: Some are poor. Some are middle class. Some are rich. Some have health. Some have health struggles. Some live in houses. Some live in apartments. Some live in a cardboard box on the street. Some have plenty of food. Some have no food. Some have found love. Some seek love. Some have never experienced love.
All our experiences vary!
None of us are living out the same situation or life experience.
EXCEPT that we all are broken by sin.
EXCEPT as surely as we live, we will die.
God has heard our pleas for mercy. He has inclined His ear to us. He has given you His Son. God hasn't done anything for us? No, God has done everything for us!
Does God answer every prayer? I believe God hears every prayer. Nothing spoken to Him gets drowned out or jumbled up. I also believe God answers every prayer, just not the way we expect Him to.
So love the Lord. He has heard you. Call on Him as long as you live. He has given us what we need most.
All 

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