Solomon's Prayer

God hears.

If I am in a enormous material bind, which man on the planet is most likely to have the resources available to help me? I suppose William. Gates or Clinton -- take your pick. But how likely is it that either man would respond to my murmured plea for help? Not very likely, you are right. And sticking my head out the window and hollering would make no difference. If I tried using the phone to make contact with them directly, I suspect I wouldn't succeed. And if I tried a fax or an email, the results would likely be the same. I doubt either of them would even hear from me.

So why do I doubt I could contact either of these men effectively? They are just too busy and too important for me and my problems. They have a limited amount of time and a limited number of things on which they can focus. These factors are by no means unique to these men. I don't doubt most national and business leaders would be just as inaccessible to me.

Despite their importance and busyness, these men do not compare to God. He is infinitely important and has far more things to keep track of than either of them. Thankfully, God does not know any of the limits that these men possess; He has no limits at all. That, combined with His limitless love, grace, and mercy, means I can contact Him any time.

And He hears me. Praise God, He hears me!

My friend, He hears you just as well and just as easily. No matter when you call, whether by night or by day, God hears your cry and your prayer. Need wisdom and guidance? Call on God. Need patience and longsuffering? Cry out to the Lord. Are you down and need a lift? He will hear you if you call on Him. Have you run out of steam for the spiritual marathon and the daily grind? Pray to the Almighty God. Have repeated defeats emptied you of confidence and courage? Turn to the One who will listen to you.

As I write, I struggle through one of the most agonizing, desperate periods of my life. I hear the Egyptians behind me, I see the mountains towering up into the clouds on either side, and I feel the spray from the Red Sea. I feel hemmed in on every side; nothing has yet opened into a path of escape for me. I am stuck. (Could this be the last batch of youth pages I write?)

No, I am not stuck! God hears, I'm telling me! God will answer. And He'll do it, not because of who I am, but because of Who He is.

I believe that; I really do. How about you? I wonder how bad things would have to get before we would decide God has turned His ear, if not His back, on us. I hope our faith in Him is sure enough to never reach the point of giving up hope in Him.

"Well, it isn't that I've given up hope in Him. I've just given up on myself!" Good! Now I've got a verse for you: "Why art thou cast down, O my soul? and why art thou disquieted within me? hope thou in God: for I shall yet praise him, who is the health of my countenance, and my God" (Psalm 42:11).