Pray with Great Expectations
“I call on you, my God, for you will answer me; turn your ear to me and hear my prayer.” Psalm 17:6
The Bible is replete with declarations of confidence that when we pray, we’re not just talking to the air, but rather we’re opening a direct line of communication to the creator of the universe and the author of life. Do you pray with that confidence? The Psalms are filled with high expectations that the Lord hears our prayers and will respond to our needs as we seek His help and guidance.
“Answer me when I call to you, my righteous God. Give me relief from my distress; have mercy on me and hear my prayer…the Lord hears when I call to him.” (Psalm 4:1,3b)
“In my distress I called to the Lord; I cried to my God for help. From his temple he heard my voice; my cry came before him, into his ears.” (Psalm 18:6)
“Praise be to the Lord, for he has heard my cry for mercy. The Lord is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in him, and he helps me. My heart leaps for joy, and with my song I praise him.” (Psalm 28:6-7)
“Out of the depths I cry to you, Lord; Lord, hear my voice. Let your ears be attentive to my cry for mercy.” (Psalm 130:1-2)
“Lord, hear my prayer, listen to my cry for mercy; in your faithfulness and righteousness come to my relief.” (Psalm 143:1)
And consider these reassuring words from John the apostle: “This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. And if we know that he hears us—whatever we ask—we know that we have what we asked of him.” (1 John 5:14-15)
Pray every day expecting God to hear and answer.
Having begun as a guest speaker in 2005, Dan was appointed Interim Pastor in 2008 and has been serving Maple Root Baptist ever since. As a small group leader and Chaplin for the Connecticut Tigers, Dan has a heart for the lost and the God that saves them.