4 minute read
“May my prayer be set before you like incense; may the lifting up of my hands be like the evening sacrifice.” (Psalm 141:2 NIV)
Praying pleases God.
When you pray, God listens. He just wants you to talk to Him. As you begin to converse with Him more, your prayers begin to change. Each conversation leads to a deeper relationship with God, which, in turn, changes your heart. Lifting your desires ends with wanting God’s instead. His will becomes more important than yours.
“Take delight in the Lord, and He will give you the desires of your heart.” (Psalm 37:4 NIV)
Our relationship with God is a heart bond. Placing your trust in God is an internal transaction. Your heart connects with God’s heart. When you pray, the language used is not verbal. Yes, we say words, but God listens to the emotion of the heart. When I am down on my knees in despair because of a circumstance in life, God hears the feeling I can’t verbalize. Releasing the heartache to God gives it to Him. He then replaces it with His peace.
Prayers don’t require words.
Think of a moment when something great happens to someone. As a coach, I gratefully get to see this look often. A student who is struggling to hit the ball finally hits it. Or when a weaker student becomes “Champion of the Court” for the day, the look in their eyes is indescribable. No words are necessary for me to know what their heart is saying. On the other side of the spectrum, pain is visible as well. If a child falls, the level of pain is seen quickly in their reaction. Not hitting the ball ten times in a row brings a look easily interpreted. And when a student loses, they all share the same momentary expression. Heart language is different from verbal language.
Everyone has a heart language only understood by God. Since He is your Creator, He wrote the speech. Communication requires two things: sending and receiving. In other words, God can’t interpret what you don’t send. Relationships require both parties to act. God is sending you messages of love; whether you receive them or not is up to you. If you aren’t talking to Him, you won’t receive the memo. Conversely, if you’re not sending anything to God, He’s not getting it. He can’t answer what He doesn’t receive.
Talking to God will deepen your understanding of God’s love for you. As you begin to receive His love letters, your desires start to change. Instead of doing all the talking, begin to listen. Don’t just send information; accept it as well. Let His desires for you become your desire for others.
Question of the Day:
Are you doing all the talking when you’re praying?
Further Reading: Zechariah 2:1-3:10 NIV, Revelation 13:1-13:18 NIV, Psalm 141:1-10 NIV, Proverbs 30:18-20 NIV
