Our Awesome God
June 27, 2010
I said, “I beseech You, O Lord God of heaven, the great and awesome God, who preserves the covenant and lovingkindness for those who love Him and keep His commandments, let your ear now be attentive and Your eyes open to hear the prayer of your servant”.~Nehemiah 1:5,6a
Nehemiah asks God to listen to him. David does the same thing in several of the Psalms, saying “Pay attention to me,” as it were. They had boldness in their prayers. How bold are our prayers that we bring before our Father? Do we have the attitude of the husband in “Brighton Beach Memoirs?” His wife said for him to go to the synagogue and pray. His response to his wife was that it wasn’t his turn yet to have his prayer answered, for there were men with more important prayers ahead of his.
That attitude makes God small. A limited God is not very knowing, can’t be everywhere, and certainly isn’t very powerful. Think about it. In reality, God is all-knowing, every where and all- powerful. God hears all our prayers and acts upon them. “With all prayer and petition pray at all times in the Spirit (Ephesians 6:18a).” Consider from this verse the variety of prayer: prayer of cries for help, confession of sin, praise, adoration, thanksgiving, and interceding for others. Our prayers should be specific, not vague. Petitions or supplications are definite requests for specific benefits. Think back over the past as to how many petitions for healings, requests for jobs, guidance for locating a congregational minister, and youth minister that our Father has answered.
“For the eyes of the Lord are toward the righteous, and His ears attend to their prayer”
(1 Peter 3:12) . It matters not to the awesome God how many of us approach His throne at the same instant. He hears each one of us and gives us all full attention. “Therefore let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in the time of need” (Hebrews 4:16) . Thanks to Jesus and His sacrifice, we can be confident that the Father hears us and will answer our prayers.
To the Father we are valuable, created in His image. He gave us His Son to free us from His wrath. ”“Are not two sparrows sold for a cent? And yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father. But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. So do not fear; you are more valuable than many sparrows. (Matthew 10:29-31). God knows each of us completely. We have no secrets from Him. So praise and thank Him for His love, demonstrated through the gift of Jesus, for His mercy and grace given to us, and for the fact that He longs for us to join Him in heaven.
Heavenly Father, truly You are an awesome God, You are all-powerful, and all-knowing. You care for me as You do, and You listen attentively to my prayers as if I were Your only child, my Father. It is amazing that You do this for each one of Your children. You are truly limitless and all-powerful. In the name of my Savior, Christ Jesus.. - Ed
Ed Wittlif ~ Denver, Colorado (JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) (JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)
Ed Wittlif, former preacher of Albert Lea Church of Christ in Albert Lea, Minnesota, is a University Church of Chirst member.