Our God who sees and hears us

Our God who sees and hears us

SCRIPTURE:

Then I said: “Lord, the God of heaven, the great and awesome God, who keeps his covenant of love with those who love him and keep his commandments, let your ear be attentive and your eyes open to hear the prayer your servant is praying before you day and night for your servants, the people of Israel. I confess the sins we Israelites, including myself and my father’s family, have committed against you. We have acted very wickedly toward you. We have not obeyed the commands, decrees and laws you gave your servant Moses. Nehemiah 1:5-7

OBSERVATION:

Studying the prayer of Nehemiah here, we get a good glimpse into the characteristics of the great God we pray to. Firstly, we are reminded that God is the God of Heaven, that He made the Heavens high above us, and He is the Great and Awesome King there. Later, in the New Testament, we as Christians are exhorted to set our minds on things above in Heaven, where rust and moth cannot destroy rather than on earthly things here that pass away.

Secondly, we are reminded that God is a loving and faithful God, who keeps his covenant with those who love Him and keep His commandments. Our part is to love God and obey Him. We can rest assured that He will never leave us nor forsake us who love Him and obey Him.

Thirdly, God has ears that hear and eyes that see those who pray to Him, especially those who pray to Him day and night. Nehemiah’s stance in prayer is serious, and he puts his whole heart into it, praying day and night before the Lord. God is pleased with this kind of genuine prayer, and listens to and sees the man who prays fervently like that!

Besides that, we also see the importance of repentance in Nehemiah’s prayer, not just for his own sins, but that of his father’s family and his whole people. He acknowledged before God all their wrongdoings, asking God for forgiveness. Repentance is such a critical part of prayer that we must certainly not ignore it. Our God is a forgiving God, who does not deal with us as our sins deserve but delights in forgiving those who earnestly turn to Him.

APPLICATION:

Praise God as the God of Heaven, High above, Great and Awesome, Loving and Forgiving. Praise God that He has ears that listen and eyes that see and is pleased with those who believe in Him and pray to Him. Learn to repent before Him and ask His forgiveness, not only for our own selves, but that of our family, our company, our cell group, our church. Wherever, we find ourselves part of a community, we can and should repent on their behalf.

PRAYER:

We praise You and worship You, Abba Heavenly Father, Precious Lord Jesus! How great and deep is Your love for us! You are seated high in the Heavens, perfect in all Your ways, great in all Your deeds! We thank You and praise You, that You are a God who hears us and sees us, and delights in having that relationship with us whom You created from the dust. Forgive us we pray for our many sins. Even for the stubbornness of our hearts and that of our family, our church, our workplace, we ask Your forgiveness. Melt our hardened hearts we pray O Lord. Let our ears be open to Your Spirit and receive Your correction. We praise You and bless You and worship You Lord.  In Jesus name, Amen.