God Answers Prayer

The Lord’s Prayer can be quoted by most followers of Christ. It came about when the disciples heard Jesus praying. One can only imagine the impact of listening to Christ pray and the effect it must have had on their hearts, minds, and very beings.

Their response was simply, “Lord, teach us to pray!”

In His graciousness, Jesus gave them an outline to follow as they approached their Heavenly Father. But that is only half the story. Jesus did not stop with teaching them how to pray. He went on to reveal the heart of the Father toward those who come to Him in prayer.

God invites us to ask!

He wants us to bring our needs, our desires, our concerns, and even our deepest longings before Him. Jesus reminds us that if earthly fathers know how to give good gifts to their children, how much more will our Heavenly Father give good things to those who ask Him! (Matthew 7:11).

Of course, a good father does not give his children everything they request. Sometimes, love says no. As children, we may have struggled to understand why our parents refused to give us something we wanted. But as adults, we can look back and recognize that some of those refusals were expressions of love. What we wanted was not always what was best for us.

Our Heavenly Father knows us even better than we know ourselves. He sees what we cannot see, understands what we cannot understand, and knows what will ultimately be for our good. His answers are never separated from His wisdom, goodness, and perfect love.

Prayer is not about convincing God to give us what we want. It is about trusting the Father who knows what we need.

When we pray, we can approach Him with confidence, knowing that He hears us and that His heart desires to bless His children. Sometimes He answers yes. Sometimes He says no. Sometimes He asks us to wait. But we never have to doubt His love simply because His answer differs from our request.

So, keep asking! Keep seeking! Keep knocking! Jesus assures us that our Father welcomes those who come to Him (Matthew 7:7–11).

Go talk with your Father today. Bring Him your concerns, your needs, and the desires of your heart. You are not approaching a reluctant God who must be persuaded to listen. You are coming to a loving Father whose resources are beyond measure and whose wisdom exceeds your understanding.

Your Father invites you to ask. Trust Him with the answer!

With Gratitude, Pastor Jesse