Is God Still Waiting to Hear from You?

LIFE THROWS US PUNCHES

If you've ever been punched in the gut then you know what it's like to have the wind knocked out of you.  Usually, it's an unexpected blow that catches you off-guard.  I know it happened to me at least once when I was a kid but I don't remember who threw the punch or what I did to deserve it.  I just remember feeling sick for a while afterwards.

Life has a way of throwing punches at us.  Something unfortunate happens and it feels like being punched in the stomach.  Whatever the unexpected calamity may be, it usually catches us unprepared.  And while we're in the initial shock of the situation, hopefully, if prayer has been integrated into our lifestyle, we'll take it immediately to the Lord in prayer. 

EVERY CHRISTIAN SHOULD CULTIVATE A LIFESTYLE OF PRAYER
A prayer-filled lifestyle is one that speaks regularly and often to God.  We don't have to wait until bedtime, get on our knees, clasp our hands together in prayer-like fashion, and bow our heads.  While there is certainly nothing wrong with prayer taking that preparatory position, a lifestyle of prayer is so much more. 

A lifestyle of prayer is one that seeks God in the morning, noon, and night.  Being a person of prayer is speaking to God while driving, in a telephone conversation, working, reading, or even in the shower.  A prayerful person prays anywhere at anytime.  A believer with a lifestyle of prayer realizes that the line of communication with God is always open and that He hears every plea.  And a sign of spiritual maturity in  believers is when we go to God in prayer at the first sign of trouble.  If prayer has been an integral part of our lives, then we'll take it to Him right away, out of habit.

Some who have never been born-again will occasionally pray.  Many religious folk will pray daily.  But there's really only one prayer that the lost, whether religious or not, must utter; "God, if you're real, then show me".  God will answer that sinner's honest prayer.  Whether someone is religious, secular, or just plain seeking truth and meaning in life, God will answer every lost soul who genuinely seeks Him.

2 Peter 3:9  The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.

While God awaits the repentance of sinners, He is actively involved in hearing and answering the prayers of saints.  But unfortunately, many of us neglect God in prayer.  Perhaps we don't realize that our ability to communicate directly to God in prayer came at a great price.  It cost the life of the Son of God.  This flippant evasion of prayer reminds me of an observation about today's Christian youth by the president of Bob Jones University; 

"Many . . . have gone to church, have been reared in Christian homes and have known the benefits of Christian education for as long as they can remember. For many, that upbringing also included an early profession of faith in Christ. One pitfall for those who have enjoyed such blessings and for whom the Gospel has become so common, however, is a subtle complacency that comes about through familiarity. The gift of salvation can subconsciously become esteemed as almost commonplace and cheap" (Stephen Jones).

Some of today's Christian youth may view the gospel as "commonplace and cheap," but how many adult believers, far from reaching full spiritual maturity ourselves, view the familiar privilege of prayer as "commonplace and cheap"?  How many of us have become complacent with prayer?  With every finger we point at the above-mentioned ungrateful youth, there are two fingers pointing right back at us.

Matthew 7:3  And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother's eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye?

WE SHOULD CULTIVATE A LIFESTYLE OF PRAYER BECAUSE WE ARE WEAK
To cultivate something is to promote or improve it's growth. We cultivate a vegetable garden by providing water, nourishment, pulling weeds, and providing sufficient sunlight. It takes attention and labor. The prayer lives of today's Christians need attention and labor.

In 2 Chronicles 20, the king of Judah, Jehoshaphat, found out that his kingdom was about to be invaded by several enemies who had banded together against him.   At the first sign of his kingdom's impending doom, he proclaimed a fast and gathered all the people together for prayer to the Lord;

"For we have no might against this great company that cometh against us; neither know we what to do: but our eyes are upon thee" (2 Chronicles 20:12). 

This ancient king had enough humility to admit that he was weak and vulnerable before all his kingdom-dwellers.  Today, believers, just like anyone else in this world, will strategize, manipulate, or somehow try to figure out, in our own strength, how to get relief from the great forces against us.  This didn't work for Asa in 2 Chronicles 16:12-13, who sought a physician for his foot condition but never asked God for help, and neither will it work for us.  We are supposed to be a people of prayer.  We are supposed to go to God often in both good times and bad.  But sadly, we don't.  We're weak and need God's help but we don't even ask Him.

James 4:2  Ye lust, and have not: ye kill, and desire to have, and cannot obtain: ye fight and war, yet ye have not, because ye ask not. 
 
How many times do we have to engage the great forces of distress, misfortune, and hard times, before we realize, "hey, I should've asked God to help me".  How many times do we rely upon our own might, our own thoughts, our own strength, instead of asking God for help?  As the ol' hymn says; "Are you burdened with a load of care?  Take it to the Lord in prayer".  But don't just say a prayer.  Be a person of prayer.  Do you need to give prayer to God more attention in your life?