Practical and Effectual

"In the day of my trouble I will call to You, for You will answer me." (Psalm 86:7, NIV)

The Message translates the above verse, by saying: "Pay attention, God, to my prayer; bend down and listen to my cry for help. Every time I'm in trouble I call on You, confident that You'll answer."

Alright, so here's the thing .... Are you ready? This is very intense, extremely deep ...

When we pray, He listens.

All sarcasm aside, it truly takes some a lifetime to come to this realization - even Bible-believing Christians. Like, I need reminded of this very truth ... OFTEN.

I read the following commentary on the above verse, and I must say, I am totally in love with this thought:

"It is useless to cry to those who cannot or will not hear. Our experience confirms us in the belief that Jehovah the Living God really does aid those who call upon Him, and therefore we pray because we really find it to be a practical and effectual means of obtaining help from God in the hour of need. There can be no reason for praying if there be no expectation of the Lord's answering" (Spurgeon, Psalms, Vol. II).

Yes, that's it! Our Jehovah, our Living God - He really does answer those who call upon Him. Why pray if we don't expect Him to answer? We pray, ladies, because "we really find it to be a practical and effectual means of obtaining help from God"!

I challenge us, myself included, to pray differently this week. To pray with the intentional mindset that our communication with the Living God, really is a "practical and effectual means of obtaining help" from Him.

Let me know how it changes things. And remember the simple, yet life-changing truth ... When we pray, He listens.