Sunday, 2 January 2022
“I love the Lord, because he has heard my voice and my pleas for mercy. Because he inclined his ear to me, therefore I will call on him as long as I live.”
New Year's Resolution #1: I will grow my prayer life!
The psalmist doesn't say, "Because I know I should pray, I shall call upon him." He says three things before saying he will call upon God as long as he lives. All of them lead to his desire to pray.
First, he says, “I love the Lord.” His prayer life is driven by love. Then he says, “He has heard my voice and my please for mercy”. He prays because he knows that he is not just hoping out loud. Nor is his prayer simply a religious activity. No, God is reminding you that when you pray, he is there and he's listening. Third, he says, "He inclined his ear to me." God is paying attention. He cares about the issues you bring to him.
As you begin this New Year, try to speak to God from your heart. Let your prayers be the expression of your love for him. Get a little notebook from the newsagents and start noting what you are praying about. Every couple of weeks go back and look at what you prayed about and see what God has done. You will soon have the conviction that God responds to your prayers!
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