I grew up hearing Jeremiah 33:11 preached. I can remember being a small boy and my pastor, Johnny Gibson, saying Jeremiah 33:11 was God’s telephone number. “Call to me and I will answer you…” I look back over my childhood and I am so thankful for a pastor who taught me that God listens when I pray. Do you have this confidence in your own life that God is listening when you call upon Him?
Perhaps you did not have this advantage of growing up in church or having these principles taught to you as a child, but nonetheless, the promise holds true even for you. Today, you can take hold of this great truth and make it yours. For all the promises of God are yes and Amen through Christ (2 Corinthians 1:20).
Call to Me
If we are to expect an answer from the Lord, should we not first do our part and call out to Him in prayer? If there is any lack of provision in our lives, perhaps it is due to a lack of asking. This is why scripture says, “… ye have not, because ye ask not” (James 4:2-3 KJV). Are you taking your requests to the Lord and asking specifically the things you need? Lately, I have been intrigued, even fascinated by the Lord’s invitation to simply ask and to ask with specific detail. God has been showing me how often I pray vague and blanket prayers, being far to general and not asking in great detail. In reality, God cares and He offers for us to cast all our anxieties upon Him. God invites me to pray in specifics concerning my needs. When I ponder why God would want to know the details of my life, the more I realize, because God cares for me and is interested in each situation. Think of this, the God of gods, the King of the universe, is interested in the smallest details of our life. When I ask my children how their day was at school, I am not looking for “Good”. No! I want to know specifics. I am interested in their lives and what is happening. As a father, I want to hear what went right and what went wrong; what made them happy as well as what made them sad or frustrated. Is your Heavenly Father not also interested in the details of your life? Are you sharing with the Lord your life? Are you accepting His invitation to simply ask?
God Almighty says when we pray, He will answer. Perhaps you feel at this moment that God is not listening, that He is far from you. My friend, take God’s Word by faith and realize that He is listening and He is faithful to respond. 1 Peter 3:12 gives us this great assurance, “For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous and his ears are attentive to their prayer.” As you pray daily, pray with that God is working.
Show You Hidden Things
Most Christians picture God’s will as something mysterious and hidden. In my youth, I thought God’s will was something you found if you were lucky. Scripture teaches we can understand God’s will (Ephesians 5:17). You may not always know what God’s will is ten years, five years or even one year down the road, however, you can know God’s will in this moment because His word is a lamp unto our feet and a light to our path (Psalm 119: 105). Satan wants you to waste energy worrying about the future, were as God may not want you to see that far down the road. He may simply want you to take the next few steps, illuminated through His word. This is why we walk by faith and not by sight (2 Corinthians 5:7).
One of the great truths about the Lord is that He is a God who loves to reveal Himself. The Bible is a book of revealed truth. God not only reveals His Names, His character, His nature, His attributes, but God but He also reveals His plan for us.
The promise of Jeremiah 33:11 is not just that God will answer our praying, but it is that He will reveal the things in life we are not certain of. Are you praying about whom to marry? Are you concerned about your children getting into college? Are you contemplating a career change, are you worried about retirement, or the economy or praying about moving to another state? My friend, take it to the Lord in prayer because He is willing and ready to show you the hidden things about your life.
How true are the words of the famous hymn… Oh, what peace we often forfeit, oh what needless pain we bear all because we do not carry everything to God in prayer? “What a Friend We Have in Jesus”