“For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous and his ears are attentive to their prayer…” (1 Peter 3:12, NIV).

I called to tell him his cancer had continued to improve with immune therapy. He was certainly happy about that, and then he said, “You know, I asked God to put something on me to make me turnaround from the way I was living and set me right. Looks like He’s done that with this cancer. You gotta’ be careful what you pray for.”

Are we careful what we pray for?

Do we know who we are and to whom we pray?

Do we know that the King of the Universe is bending His ear our way and listening intently with a heart of love, with the power to change the world and the willingness to answer our prayers?

If we really believed that, would we be careful with what we prayed?

Would we be thankful for His past blessings before we asked for another?

Would we pray for this day’s bread and trust Him for tomorrow’s?

Would we lay out our sin and plea for mercy and redemption?

Would we connect our plea for forgiveness with the forgiveness we offer to others?

Would we look at our debt to Him, the deeds that we have failed to do, and realize the grace that overwhelms our unmet obligations?

Might that same grace drive us to complete the tasks to which He has called us?

Might this prayer be the connection that protects those we love from the evil one?

Might we surrender our kingdoms to serve in His, surrender our wills to let Him lead, surrender our happiness so that the world might one day overflow with His joy?

Would we know, as my patient discovered, that God’s plan is more about setting hearts right than about any worldly gift for which we might beg?

Are we careful with our prayers?

Our King is listening and ready.

Dear Father,
Who am I that You should even listen, and yet You do.
Amen