God Hears Our Prayers
READ: Acts 16:16-40
I was pulling out of our garage on my way to work when I hit the side of the garage and dented the car. My dad said it was fine. We’d talk about it when I got home.
While I was at work, I kept thinking about whether my dad would be mad at me, thinking about it really bothered me. Then I remembered what one of my favorite hymns said, “Take it to the Lord in prayer.” God answered me by taking away my worry. Later God also answered my prayer - my dad wasn’t mad at me as I had worried about; instead, we talked about what had happened and worked out the problem.
In Acts 16:25-26 we're told that Paul and Silas were praying and singing to God and the prisoners were listening. They have been asking God to rescue them, and in verse 25 we're told that God did just that! God answered their prayer in an amazing way. This doesn't mean that God always answers our prayers the way we want - he could have left Paul in Silas in prison, if that would have served His purposes better. But in this case he did, and it helped to strengthen their faith. Their prayers and hymns were also a witness to other prisoners and guards - the only witnessing they could do in the circumstances they were in, but they didn't pass up the opportunity...
Prayer can be said in any form: silent, out loud, by oneself, or with others. It can be said anywhere, since God is omnipresent, at anytime (24 hours a day), and for almost everything, from asking God to heal a cut to asking Him to protect our nation. It’s important to realize that God doesn’t always answer on the spot, but He does answer as He sees fit.
Jesus says in the Bible, “Call upon me in the day of trouble, I will deliver you and you will honor me.” So next time you are in a crisis, have a problem, are moved to praise him for His blessings, or just any situation at all, take your prayers to God.
THINGS TO THINK ABOUT: Do I pray enough? Why do I pray? Can I pray for anything? Why is it good for me to pray?
PRAYER SUGGESTION: Pray about your troubles. Pray for help to get through the day.