November 10, 2019 - INSCRIPTIONS FROM THE HEART

He is Present, He hears and He answers

My brother was recently blessed with a baby girl. When he gets home after a long day of work one of his favourite things to do is spend time with this little one. She is close to four months old and when my brother takes her in his arms she stares at him and her face lights up with a smile. She immediately tries to have a conversation with him. Of course as she is only four months old, she cannot speak. But she tries to make noises and tries to express herself. During this process my brother takes the time and joy to listen to her baby talks.

I don’t know if he understands her but he takes the time to listen to her. When she is alone by herself and starts to cry, he goes and picks her up and she calms down as she finds assurance by his presence.

One of the names God is attributed with in the Old Testament is Jehovah Shammah. Jehovah Shammah means “The Lord is there” (Ezekiel 48:35). Psalm 18:6 says, “In my distress I called upon the LORD, and cried to my God for help; He heard my voice out of His temple, and my cry for help before Him came into His ears.” Such an assurance that God actually hears! He actually takes time to listen to what we have to say. He doesn’t only take time to listen to us but he also takes the time to answer us when we call upon him. It says in Psalm 34:4, “I sought the LORD, and He answered me, and delivered me from all my fears.”

This is one of the most powerful assurances you and I can ever have being a child of God – that God is present and that God actually listens. 1 Peter 3:12 says, “For the eyes of the Lord are over the righteous, and his ears are open unto their prayers…”. Our words are not lost into thin air or they don’t get lost in the void of space. They reach our Heavenly Father’s ears and He answers. My beloved brothers and sisters, He is very much fond of you and listens to each of our prayers. And He answers not too late but right on time.

Doug Bennyson