Pastor Ken
When I was young, my parents and teachers taught me to “hear what I say,” which in Chinese means to be obedient and follow instructions. Adults often praised and rewarded children who were obedient.
However, as we grow up, obedience may be considered as a lack of critical thinking. Unable to have individual judgment is regarded as a weakness. At the same time, we also learn to communicate, emphasizing the need to listen in order to understand before we respond. Some methods teach us how to filter, reflect, and analyze the information as we listen. We’re supposed to listen with empathy, to acknowledge the other person’s meaning and position, although it doesn’t mean we have to agree. We learn what the other party wants, but it doesn’t mean we will act according to their wishes.
Anyone who is familiar with the U.S. Supreme Court system knows that not all cases are granted a hearing before the justices. Only cases such as those related to interpreting the Constitution and the conflicts between individual states, etc. will be reviewed and accepted after following proper procedures. The trial taking place means the prosecution has a legal basis to argue, but the verdict is not certain.
Christians often ask, “How do I pray so that God will hear?” In their minds, they think that if we don’t pray, God will not know. When God “hears” our prayers, things will happen according to our wishes. Those thoughts don’t align with the Bible’s teachings about God’s all-knowing (omniscience) and everywhere-present nature (omnipresence).
Perhaps it would be clearer to say that God “heed” our prayers. Jesus taught us to call God “Father in heaven.” When children speak to their father, the father always listens and pays attention to them. Even before we utter a word, God knows our hearts. The Bible also says that God lives in us through the Holy Spirit and fully understands our thoughts.
The apostle Paul was a man of great faith. He asked God three times to heal him from a “thorn in his body” (a medical problem that caused pain). God certainly heard his prayers but did not heal him as he expected. Jesus Christ prayed three times in the Garden of Gethsemane that He would not be crucified, but He was still crucified and died. God the Father not only heard His prayer but also heard Him saying, “Not my will, but your will be done.” These two examples show God hears our prayers and knows our pains and expectations. However, in the end, things happened according to God’s will.
If one tries to manipulate God into fulfilling one’s wishes by using bribery, deception, bargaining, self-sacrifice, merits, etc., all will be in vain. Our God is a self-sufficient God and has no need for any such offer from humans. Rest assured, as our Father in heaven, God will listen to our prayers. We can tell Him all our wishes, but we must accept the outcomes even though they aren’t necessarily according to our desires. Often after a period, when we look back, we’re amazed at how things have turned out to be so wonderful. He is indeed a loving Father and the Almighty Lord.
