A Word from the Word

God Hears and Answers

 

Psalm 65:1–3

Praise awaits you, O God, in Zion; to you our vows will be fulfilled. O you who hear prayer, to you all men will come. When we were overwhelmed by sins, you atoned for our transgressions.     NIV

It often happens that in a counseling session with some troubled soul, someone who has a marital problem or financial problem or some other kind of problem; I have to tell that person very honestly: “I don’t have the answer to your problem. I can’t tell you exactly what to do, but one thing I can tell you, God hears and answers prayer.”

That’s what the psalmist says, “O you who hear prayer, to you all men will come.” Ultimately everybody needs God. Everybody needs to know that God hears and answers prayer. That’s what’s going to bring, ultimately, the whole of humanity to God – the fact that God hears and answers prayer. And there’s one special prayer that He delights to answer above all others and that is the prayer for forgiveness of our sins. When we’ve sinned and failed God and man we don’t need to turn away in despair, we can turn back to God, cry to Him for forgiveness and then we’ll be able to say, as the psalmist says there, “When we were overwhelmed by sins, You atoned for our transgressions.”

Don’t let fear or guilt or despair keep you from praying. Remember, in the depths of your agony God hears and He answers prayer.