If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear. Psalm 66: 18, NKJV.
Heavenly Father, as we continue to look to You for wisdom in understanding prayer and answers to prayer, we thank You for not letting go of us even when it looks that way. May we always remember that You love us with an everlasting love! In the name of Jesus Christ we pray. Amen
This is our second devotional considering some of the possible reasons our prayers are not answered. At this time I would like to make a disclamer. I believe everytime we make a statement about what the Lord does or does not do, a disclaimer is in order. For who can really understand the Lord’s dealings with His creatures? He is “Love” (1John 4: 8). And He is “Truth (John 14:6). And He is Life (Ibid). How can finite creatures interpret the thoughts of the Infinite One? Nevertheless, let us just take the word as it reads.
The word says that if we regard iniquity in our hearts, God will not hear. First of all, What is iniquity? I once heard iniquity defined from a theological viewpoint as “willfull sinning. That is you realize that what you are about to do is wrong, but you do it anyway. It is not as if you fell in a moment of weakness. It is not that you “missed the mark.” Rather it is something that you actually planned and executed. Even human courts punish that kind of crime (premeditated) in a more rigorous manner than it would a crime that was not planned.
I would like to cite two verses from 1 John 3 that I believe will shed light on what I am seeking to explain:
“Little children, let no one deceive you. He who practices righteousness is righteous, just as He is righteous” (7, emphasis provided.).
“In this the children of God and the children of the devil are manifest: Whoever does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor is he who does not love his brother” (10, emphasis provided.).
What do these two verses have in common? The word practice. One group practice righteousness. The other group does not.
A common definition of practice would be something one “performs customarily or habitually.” It could be considered a way of life.
Now for a look at the word regard. The definition that caught my attention was: “Basis for action; motive.” If we were to combine the two thoughts: If “willfull” sin becomes my “basis for action” it will eventually become my way of life.
If we willfully sin against God and our fellow-human-beings, it is not hard for me to understand why God would not hear our prayer. Perhaps you have heard the saying: “God will keep us from sin or sin will keep us from God.” It is our choice. Our God delights in mercy. “Who is a God like You, pardoning iniquity and passing over the transgression of the remnant of His heritage? He does not retain His anger forever, because He delights in mercy” (Micah 7: 18).
Is it the case that “God will not hear us”, or is it our “willfull sinning” that keeps us from going to God to receive His pardon?
We will continue with the topic.
NOTE: BECAUSE OF TECHNICALITIES WITH THE WEB HOST, MY WEBSITE WAS OFF FOR A COUPLE OF DAYS. A VERY SPECIAL THANKS TO MATT OF ACE NET FOR HIS KIND HELP! I HOPE TO BE CAUGHT UP WITH THE DEVOTIONALS IN A FEW DAYS.
Blessings,
Pastor Mabel