On Bended Ear: When You Wonder if God Hears You

One of the most loving things you can do for someone is listen to them.

When we are snubbed, shunned, slighted or ignored, we are also being rejected, and the message being sent is that we’re not only unimportant, but also unwanted and unloved. We are no longer valued by that individual. That is one of the most painful things anyone can experience.

We all go through days when our direct line to God may seem more distant — and we question if He hears us, or wonder if He even bothers to listen. However, feelings are not accurate indicators of truth; nor are they accurate indicators of falsehood. Truth is only found in God’s Word.

In my distress I called upon the LORD, and cried unto my God: he heard my voice out of his temple, and my cry came before Him, even into his ears, (Psalm 18:6, KJV).

As a parent, God is ever attentive to the cries of His children. He promises not only to hear — but to listen. And furthermore, He responds, albeit in His own time. As we grow in Christ He is the kind of parent who shoots out of bed when your baby monitor goes off. He is the kind of parent who is constantly calling and leaving voice mails because He hasn’t heard from you. He’s the kind of parent, who on bended knee, gets down, looks you in the eye, and patiently waits for you to finish your poorly formulated two-year old sentence just so He can understand your two-year old heart and mind from His omniscient and eternal perspective. He’s the kind of parent who eagerly listens to you grow. Your cries, coos, babbles, whines, blubbering, screams, moments of silence, teenage tantrums, instant messages, phone calls, long-winded emails, and your most intimate conversations — all beckon to an already bended ear that is prompted by a heart eager to listen. From your spiritual infancy to your spiritual adulthood, God is the Father who is ever-listening.

He’s not looking for articulate messages. He’s looking for your heart.

It’s normal for children to cry when they can’t properly articulate their physical or emotional needs to their parents. They get frustrated. And they worry that their parents will not understand them, and that they will not have their needs met. That innate fear and insecurity is no different for us with our Father God. We all encounter times when we can’t speak what we really mean; what we want to say; or need to convey. It’s far too complex and complicated — and in our own human limitations, we easily become overwhelmed by our own needs that we cannot meet ourselves. Thus our human dependency and frailty is exposed.

Time is not always on our side either. And unfortunately we’re trapped in a physical body that is often far removed from anything that would cater to our spiritual needs. That is precisely why God dwells within us by His Holy Spirit. Regardless of where you are or what you’re doing, you have Him with you and in you. You have a Helper, a Comforter, and a Guide — the very Spirit of Truth who raised Christ from the dead — resident within the core of your very being.

Your personal prayer time may not always be articulate or well-packaged. You may not be prostrate or on bended knee. You may not be at the altar or your bedside, or even in your favorite chair. You may be in your car, in the employee bathroom, or in the elevator. You may not have the words. You may not even know what you’re trying to say in that moment. All you can do is beg Him to hear those inarticulate cries that your heart utters.

The LORD is nigh unto all them that call upon him, to all that call upon him in truth, (Psalm 145:18, KJV).

What He wants you to know is that you can reach Him anytime, and He is eagerly listening for your voice. Those prayers that seem so poorly formed, irreverently casual, and even inconvenient — although raw — are often the most honest. God transcends all of those obstacles we face. He sees right through them. He can wade through our muck and mire and find the pearl. Despite their impropriety (or even their apparent irreverence), these are the prayers that grab Him.

God not only hears, but He listens and understands. We’re distracted with obligations. We’re pressed by people, responsibilities, itineraries and schedules. We’ve got people to see, places to go, and things to do. We’re in the grocery store with screaming kids, stuck in gridlock traffic, in the bleachers, at the bank, behind the desk, mowing the yard, in the shower, and on the toilet. We have many voices vying for our ear as well, and our attention can be very divided and even inconsistent.

We go through stages and seasons. Some better. Some worse. Every single day is different.

But in the midst of all that — God is able to give you His undivided and consistent attention, although He is the Father of many who are beckoning Him all at once. When you cry, babble, utter a poorly articulated sentence, scream, or instant message Him, you’ll find Him on bended ear and knee every time, looking you in the eye patiently with undivided attention. He responds intimately to your voice. He distinguishes it from all others. And although your message may be  poorly packaged or delivered — He gets it. He sees your heart. His Almighty ear bends instantly to the voice of His child. He not only hears you, but He listens. What’s more is that He understands.

Maturity is relative. With respect to Almighty God, we are all children. We are vulnerable and dependent upon Him at all times.

Take comfort in His Almighty ear and heart, which respond so readily — from the very throne of Heaven — with every power at His eternal command.

For whosoever shall call upon the name of the LORD shall be saved, (Romans 10:13, KJV).

Next time you wonder if He hears you, you can rest assured that He’s on bended ear. All because He loves you.

HAPPY FATHER’S DAY!

Cheers & Shalom,

Image Credit: Graehawk | Pixabay

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