By Mike Harvey, Kids Pastor
How do we really know if God hears our prayers? This is an important question that I have heard asked many times. To understand, we need to look no place else than to scripture. Here are three reasons and the scriptures to help us understand why we can trust God hears our prayers. I refer to them as the Omnis. They are important attributes of God’s character.
1. The Bible tells us that God is all-knowing, or OMNISCIENT, so we can be certain that He hears all our prayers:
Great is our Lord, and abundant in power; his understanding is beyond measure. (Psalm 147:5)
Have you not known? Have you not heard? The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He does not faint or grow weary; His understanding is unsearchable. (Isaiah 40:28)
For whenever our heart condemns us, God is greater than our heart, and He knows everything. (1 John 3:20)
2. The Bible tells us that God is all-powerful, or OMNIPOTENT, so we can be certain God can help us according to His will:
Is anything too hard for the Lord? At the appointed time I will return to you, about this time next year, and Sarah shall have a son. (Genesis 18:14)
Jesus looked at them and said, “With man it is impossible, but not with God. For all things are possible with God. (Mark 10:27)
All things were made through Him, and without Him was not any thing made that was made. (John 1:3)
He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of His nature, and He upholds the universe by the word of His power. After making purification for sins, He sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high. (Hebrews 1:3)
3. The Bible tells us that God is all-present, or OMNIPRESENT, so we can be certain God is always near to us.
For He looks to the ends of the earth and sees everything under the heavens. (Job 28:24)
Where shall I go from your Spirit? Or where shall I flee from your presence? If I ascend to heaven, you are there! If I make my bed in Sheol, you are there! If I take the wings of the morning and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea, even there your hand shall lead me, and your right hand shall hold me. (Psalm 139:7-10)
The eyes of the Lord are in every place, keeping watch on the evil and the good. (Proverbs 15:3)
God knows far better what is best in all situations than we could ever know. Because God is omniscient, omnipotent, and omnipresent, we can trust that he is fully aware of all our needs and circumstances. God has good and perfect reasons for allowing what He allows, even when things might not make sense to us. Adam and Eve thought they knew better than God in the garden of Eden. The sad result of their rebellion is humanity’s sinful state before a holy God and a world filled with misery. Yet, God didn’t leave people in their fallen condition but instead, in his unfathomable love, sent his own Son to save all who call on his name (as mentioned in Romans 10:13).
When we don’t get the answers to our prayers for which we were hoping, we may be tempted to conclude that God is insensitive, mean, unable to help, or unaware of what is going on. Yet, God knows far better what is best in all situations than we finite creatures could ever know, and we must accept His will in everything he permits.
Thankfully, God loves us too much to give us all the things for which we ask with our limited knowledge. When we recognize and trust that God knows and sovereignly rules all His creation and creatures, we can trust Him in all circumstances.
If you love Me, you will keep my commandments. And I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper, to be with you forever, even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him. You know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you. (John 14:15-17)
