One of the resources I highly recommend is the blog by my dear friend Seth Lewis. He and his wife Jessica and their children are missionaries in Ireland. He is the author of the book “Dream Small: The Secret Power of the Ordinary Christian Life.” Check the show notes of this podcast for info on his blog and this book.
One of his recent blog posts really resonated with me. With his permission, I want to share with you that post, in his own words, because his words are so descriptive and helpful. Here is an excerpt:
“Have you ever considered all the things you hear in the course of one day? [Ponder that for a moment. Now…]
“Have you ever considered all the things that God hears? The creator of sound waves hears the unceasing worship of angels before his throne. He hears the swirling wind of Jupiter and the ice that melts on Mars. He hears beyond what is audible to us—the ultrasonic songs of katydids and the footsteps of [tiny] aphids. He hears beyond the limits of location—every rain drop, every lightning bolt, every asteroid, every pinging dolphin and rumbling tectonic shift -- everywhere, all the time.
“God hears everything. But Psalm 34 tells us that there is one thing in particular that his everlasting ears are listening for:
Psalms 34:15, 17 NIV The eyes of the LORD are on the righteous, and his ears are attentive to their cry; (17) The righteous cry out, and the LORD hears them; he delivers them from all their troubles.
“Out of all the innumerable sounds in heaven and earth, God pays special attention to the voice of his people. Psalm 34 is not simply a theological statement of this fact—it is the personal testimony of David, when he was a fugitive running for his life. He celebrates his own experience of God hearing his cry for help:
Psalms 34:6 NIV This poor man called, and the LORD heard him; he saved him out of all his troubles.
“What does the God of the universe listen for? The cry of a poor man in desperate need. David was not making an eloquent prayer to God in a beautiful temple, highlighting his successes and accomplishments in God’s service. He was simply crying out for help to the only one who could save him. And he was heard. Because out of all the sounds in creation, the ears of our Father are attentive to the cries of his children.”
O, what rich and descriptive words by Seth about how God listens to the cries of His people! And this idea of God hearing our cries is throughout the Scriptures. Here are just a few of the many other passages that confirm this truth:
Psalms 145:18-19 AMP The Lord is near to all who call upon Him, to all who call upon Him sincerely and in truth. (19) He will fulfill the desires of those who reverently and worshipfully fear Him; He also will hear their cry and will save them.
Isaiah 65:24 NIV Before they call I will answer; while they are still speaking I will hear.
1 Peter 3:12a NIV For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous and his ears are attentive to their prayer.
Proverbs 15:29b NIV The LORD… hears the prayer of the righteous.
Will you join me today in taking comfort in the amazing truth that God is actively listening for, and hears, our cries for help, and the cries of all followers of Jesus? Will you join me in marveling in this all-powerful and all-loving characteristic of our heavenly Father?
Today, I encourage you to “Reflect on This.”
(Portions of this episode are excerpted from the blog post entitled “What Does God Listen For?” by Seth Lewis. His blog can be found at:
https://sethlewis.ie/2024/09/11/what-does-god-listen-for/ )