“It shall come to pass that before they call, I will answer; and while they are still speaking, I will hear. . .” Isaiah 65:24, NKJV.
Father in heaven, it is very soothing to know that You are only a prayer away. Please help us to take advantage of the privilege of spending time in Your Holy Presence in prayer. We ask this in the name of Jesus Christ our Savior. Amen.
The song writer Joseph M. Scriven has penned these words: “What a privilege to carry everything to God in prayer.” I wonder how many of us recognize in prayer a privilege, indeed! As we think of the act of praying and the many prayers recorded in the Word of God with such amazing results, we find ourselves asking the question: Why aren’t we praying more?
Jesus made the following statement and followed it up with a parable: “[human beings] always ought to pray and not lose heart” (Luke 18:1b). Our text for today adds a powerful dimension to the act of prayer (which I have defined in its broadest sense as “talking to God”). This wonderful promise is taken from the writings of the prophet Isaiah as he described the way things would have been if the people of God had repented and turned to Him for forgiveness and salvation. Then He would have fully restored and established them in Jerusalem – the “City of Peace.” At that time there would have been nothing to hinder the communication between them and YHWH.
This is one of those prophecies with a dual fulfillment. As I said prior, part of this prophecy was to have found its fulfillment in the time of ancient Israel. It will finally be fulfilled in its entirety, at the second coming of Jesus.
The promise was that even before God’s people had time to “call” on Him, the answer to their need would be on its way! I know many of us wish that was always the case, even now. And while they were still speaking (praying), God would have already “hear[d]” (know what the “issue” was all about). You will notice that I inserted the word “always” in my wish. The reason for that is because there have been instances when this phenomenon has taken place. I am sure that many of us can bear testimony to this fact! The truth is that God is always ahead of us!
In her book The Will to Survive, Hilda Fletcher, shares incidences of answered prayer where it is clear that before she had formulated her prayers God had already made provision to answer those prayers. Because of her great faith she would do her part, and then “wait on the Lord.” He always showed up; and right on time! Meaning that He was always a step, or two, or much more, ahead of her, and by extension, of us.
The story of Peter’s liberation from prison the night before his execution is a wonderful example of this happening. The church was still in prayer when Peter showed up at the door (Acts 12:11, 12)! They almost left poor Peter outside in the cold because thay could not believe that their prayers had already been answered (13-16)!
“O what peace we often forfeit, O what needless pain we bear, All becacause we do not carry everything to God in prayer” (Seventh-day Adventist Hymnal, p. 499).
Dear friends, the Word of God reminds us that, “the LORD’s hand is not shortened that it cannot save; nor His ear heavy that it cannot hear (Isaiah 59: 1,2). So the next time you are facing a problem, do not become fearful! Do not become discouraged! Do not give up! “Take it to the Lord in prayer.”
On another occasion we will look at some reasons for unanswered prayer.