**I have called upon thee, for thou wilt hear me, O God: incline thine ear unto me, and hear my speech.** Psalm 17:6
David’s relationship with God is one to be envied. David accepts God’s sovereignty and knows that God is the only one that can give him the best answer for his needs. I think it is frustrating for anyone to be talking to another person and then realize that that person was not paying attention to what they were saying. Or perhaps they are listening but they can only hear the words and cannot see our heart. I believe this is why David went to God with his greatest fears, his deepest desires, and his truest needs, even those issues that all of us are afraid to say out loud. He knew that God would hear perfectly, would completely understand him, and would have no doubt as to what he is really saying and needing. This conversation continued daily between David and God throughout his entire life of faith. —see Psalm 86:3, 88:9
An important thing to notice in this verse is that the author of this psalm says that he has already called upon God in the past. He has a history of bringing his needs before God. This history with God gives him the confidence of knowing that he will also receive an answer. David then invites God to draw closer to him because they have something new to talk about.
So, what can we learn from David and God’s conversational relationship? My first thought is that we all need to learn how to communicate better, whether it be with God, friends, or family members. We need to make our own ideas clear to others, but more importantly, we need to learn how to listen not only with our ears and our mind but also with our heart. Do we truly recognize what others are telling us? Do we hear the words between the lines? Do we know how to ask questions to be sure that we not only understand their words but the essence of what they’re trying to tell us? Can we get to the heart of their concerns? Can we communicate ours?
David clearly gives us the example and the encouragement to learn how to speak our hearts to God. If there is anyone that it is safe to be transparent with, it is an all-knowing, ever-present and all-powerful God. Yes, He already knows everything we are going to say and everything that we need. But, when we learn to be specific about what we are asking of God, then the answers that God sends are clear answers. If we are short on cash, and ask God for an extra $20 and then receive a surprise gift of $20 from an unexpected source, we can be sure that God heard our prayers. Sometimes, we ask in such general terms that we never notice if God has answered us or not, or we simply doubt whether the answer came from Him or not.
It is like the prayer “God, please, take care of everyone in the world.” How would we ever know if God answered that prayer? This prayer could actually discourage our faith because there are many people who starve or are not healthy or they do not live in safe surroundings. Does that mean God did not hear us? Does it mean that neither God nor we know what we’re asking? Of course, I’m being facetious because nothing escapes God, but you get the idea, right?
Let’s learn to be specific in our requests, so that our faith in our God will grow more each day as we see him answer our prayers. And then, with that same detailed concern, let’s learn to listen to others from our hearts as God does for us.
Do you have a great story of answered prayer?
In Your Presence by Elevation Worship