Getting Our Prayers Heard

It seems the more I think about prayer, talk about prayer, read about prayer, meditate about prayer, the more I hear about prayer and how to pray. When I was a child, as I mentioned in an earlier post, I was raised in a Catholic home. My concept of prayer was very different then. Although I don't remember it being said or taught overtly, I got the impression that the words of my heart were just not good enough for “God” and that I had to pray what I now think of as “formula prayers”. If you had a similar background or history, you know what I mean: The “Our Father,” the “Hail Mary,” and the “Glory Be.” The Our Father, more popularly known as the Lord's Prayer or the Disciples Prayer is found in Matthew 6:9-13, when Messiah Y'shua's disciples asked Him how to pray. The “Hail Mary” has its roots in Luke 1:28 and 1:42 plus some additions deemed suitable by various popes along the way. And the “Glory Be” started with the simple praise to the Father, Son and Holy Spirit in the early 300s CE. In 529 CE, the rest of the prayer was added. And so, I was left with the impression that my own words were not good enough and that any matter for prayer needed to be “Hail Mary'ed” into submission. In my youthful mind, tough issues required the rosary, the repeated repetition of all three of the above prayers.

We grow. We learn.

My convictions are much different now. David said in Psalm 19:14, “May the words of my mouth and the thoughts of my heart be acceptable in your presence, YHVH, my Rock and Redeemer.” YHVH's interested in what I THINK?!?! He's interested in what I have TO SAY?!?! I have a chance of what I think and what I say being ACCEPTABLE to the Creator of the Universe?!?! Astounding!!! I don't even fare so well with a good portion of my family who see me as the universal definition for the term “fruitcake.”

But now, since I know I have a chance to be accepted by YHVH, how can I approach the throne of my Creator? I love Psalm 15 for its clear instruction:

Oh, YHVH, who shall sojourn in Your Tent? Who shall tabernacle on Your holy mountain? He who is walking flawlessly and effecting righteousness; he who is speaking truth in his heart. He has not vilified with his tongue; he has done no evil to his associate and has borne no reproach against the one near him. Despised in his eyes is the reprobate, yet he glorifies those fearing YHVH. He makes an oath and does not change, [even if] it hurts. He has neither lent his money at interest or taken a bribe against the innocent. He who does these things shall not fall at any time.

Proverbs 28:9 is FAR more blunt:

“If a person will not listen to Torah, even his prayer is an abomination.”

Every fiber of our being cries out “NO!” “Unfair” and we ask, “What about the sacrifice of Messiah?” Beloved, the potency of Messiah's sacrifice for us is dependent on our obedience to Torah. Y'shua HIMSELF said that the situation existed where He could say (Mat. 7:23), “'I never knew you! Get away from me, you workers of lawlessness!' for He said in John 14:15, “If you love Me, keep my commands.” Even as late as the Book of Revelation (written in 96 CE for our time) Y'shua is still pleading with those that say they follow Him, “As for me, I rebuke and discipline everyone I love; so exert yourselves, and turn from your sins!” (Rev. 3:19) My point is that to fully connect with YHVH, even through the atoning sacrifice of Messiah Y'shua, we must turn from and avoid sin. We can't live wanton lives and expect our prayers to be heard.

So, in a nutshell, here's the plan: When we approach our Father in prayer, first make sure there are no impediments, that nothing stands in the way of our prayers getting heard. Thus, every prayer should start with thoughts and words of repentance. On any given day, anyone who is human has stuff for which to repent. Whether it was just a pen that followed us home from work or we rolled our eyes at our spouse, we need to clear the way to the Throne of YHVH. Next, having thoughts and speaking words of thanksgiving is in order. Most of the time we go running to the Throne with a shopping list of needs, as if our Creator was some sort of blessing 'Dispense-O-Matic'. If we had focused on what YHVH has already done, we just might see that the need we think we have is already taken care of. (Don't worry, I've got more fingers pointing back at me than will ever be pointed at you.) And while we're sharing our needs with our Father, let us not forget that HE KNOWS our condition FAR BETTER than we do. We just see our current circumstance, He knows the cause and His intention for the outcome. He knows the end from the beginning. That is why praying for OUR intention may not be the best thing to do. Case in point, had Hezikiah died when YHVH wanted him to, he would have never seen the destruction of his kingdom. He wanted to live, and so he did. If we pray for our Father's will to be done and for us to have the grace to accept and understand His will, we are maturing in our walk with Him. We are building our TRUST in Him as our Father and Sovereign. He says in Jeremiah 29:11-13, “11 For I know what plans I have in mind for you,' says YHVH,'plans for well-being, not for bad things; so that you can have hope and a future. 12 When you call to me and pray to me, I will listen to you. 13 When you seek me, you will find me, provided you seek for me wholeheartedly”

And TRUST is probably the best thing to do in order to get our prayers heard, for we must come to Him like little children, trusting in expectant hope with thanksgiving.

Shalom b'shem Sar Shalom / Peace in the Name of the Prince of Peace

yocheved