“For the eyes of the Lord [are] over the righteous, and his ears [are open] unto their prayers: but the face of the Lord [is] against them that do evil.” (1Pe 3:12 AV)
Every once in a while, I need to be reminded of this truth. There is an important thing to remember here. When Peter states the LORD’s face is against them that do evil, he is not inferring every and all evil. Otherwise, the face of the LORD would be against everyone and no one would have the eyes and ears of the LORD. Peter is stating the simple fact those who love the LORD have the ears and eyes of the LORD even if they fail. But those who have rejected the love of God have inherited the enmity of God against their soul. Having clarified this, the truth for us this morning is to remember that we have God’s eyes and ears. If we have received Jesus Christ and our LORD and Savior, then the ears and eyes of God are open to our needs and our prayers. We can forget this. Or, at the very least, fail to appreciate the full implications of it.
If we are not careful, we can live rather isolated from the presence of God. Not that He has gone anywhere. He is in all places and at all times. What we can often do is live in our own little temporal world, forgetting an eternal God is always there, waiting and watching that He might have an intimate relationship with the souls whom He created. We are so temporally minded that we often forget the presence of God has gone nowhere. We can become overwhelmed with circumstances or guilt to the point we think God has abandoned us. He can no more abandon His children than a loving father, his child. It matters not what we have done, or failed to do. God loves us with an everlasting love. Our behavior may require His chastening hand born out of love, but He will never leave nor forsake. That is His promise to us!
Prayer is a funny thing. The Bible tells us that faithless prayer is useless prayer. The most important truth to remember when approaching God is found in Hebrews chapter eleven and in verse six. “But without faith [it is] impossible to please [him]: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and [that] he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.” (Heb 11:6 AV) When we go to God in prayer, we must believe that He is. Or putting it another way, we must believe He exists. Even more pertinent, we must believe He exists to know us and love us. God is self-sustaining and eternal. He would exist with or without creation. But He created to know and love. He created to shed His grace on all those who come to trust in Him. It is amazing to me how much the people of God forget the true nature of our relationship with God. He is a loving Father who made us so that we might walk together. He hears and sees. He cares for us. He corrects us and teaches us when we falter. His mercy is everlasting. He is open to our cries and hurts when we hurt. Like a loving temporal father, he must allow short-term hardship in order that long-term blessings may come. Like an earthly father, that is difficult. Being a God who can do all things, He could make it all go away. But He doesn’t. We would never grow into Christlikeness. The encouraging truth this morning is, no matter what we are at the moment, if we are saved, the eyes and ears of God are open to our cries. This will never change.
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