Herald of the Hills

November 12th, 2006                                Leakey church of Christ                                         Weekly Bulletin

“Why Should God Listen to our Prayers?”

    It is difficult to imagine anyone making light of the terrible tragedy of September 11, 2001. Since that date, any number of political leaders have spoken with regard to prayer and attended special prayer services. Leaders from a number of different religious bodies have come together to show unity in their prayers. However, it might help to also reflect on several other aspects of our nation that are worthy of consideration at this time.
    Our nation has made it unlawful for prayers to be offered to God in such places as our schools. Every effort seems to be made to eliminate God from every public building and activity. In general, our founding fathers had a strong belief in God, which they openly acknowledged. Only the fertile minds of some of the judges of our nation have found a basis in our constitution for removing references to God from various aspects of our lives. For what reason should God listen to our prayers at this time?
    For a number of years abortions in general have been legal. Regardless of how one might rationalize, the end result is that countless lives have been taken by abortion. The infants had done no wrong, but they had no rights and no value was given to their lives. In checking the reported figures on abortions in this country some might be startled at the results. More infants are killed each year in this country by abortions than we have lost in battle deaths in our various wars and military conflicts from the time of the American Revolution until this date. Our recent loss in excess of 3,000 innocent lives is tragic, but the number pales in comparison to the lives taken by abortions. Why is there no national cry for justice for these lives, and why would anyone expect it to be ignored by God? Under the circumstances, why should God listen to our prayers at this time?
    Our movies and TV programs have been turned into a cesspool of language and immorality that is fed to young and old alike as an acceptable way of life. For what reason should God listen to our prayers at this time?
    There was a time in this country when our society had a basic concept of what was moral and what was immoral and of what was good and bad in general. Much of that has changed. Marriages were considered sacred, and divorces were to be avoided. Homes with two parents, who had never been divorced were accepted as normal. Fornication, adultery and homosexuality clearly constituted immoral conduct. Unmarried men and women living together and single women bearing children were unacceptable. The foundation for these beliefs is found in the Bible. Today, many in our society find that which was considered inappropriate or immoral conduct to be acceptable and ridicule those who teach and practice a higher standard of morals. To make it even worse, some religious groups, while claiming to worship God, openly treat such immoral conduct as being acceptable to God. For what reason should God listen to our prayers at this time?
    The many religious groups that are praying might be commended for their prayers, but their only unity is that they are all praying. Jesus prayed that His followers might be one even as He and the Father are one (John 17:20-22). The apostle Paul strongly urged the Christians in Corinth that there be no division and that they be perfectly joined together in the same mind and judgment (1 Corinthians 1:10). He thereafter condemned them for calling themselves after different men (1 Corinthians 1:11-15). Later, he explained that the reason they had divisions was because they were not spiritual, but like the world (1 Corinthians 3:1-4). Today, one can virtually decide what he wants to believe and can very likely find a group that teaches it. Nothing within the Bible approves of the religious division that exists. For what reason should God listen to our prayers at this time?
    There are a number of passages in the Bible that tell us what is acceptable and what is not acceptable in our prayers to God. We might even take note of the time of Jeremiah when God told him not to pray for the people for He would not listen (Jeremiah 14:10-16). The reason God would not listen was because they were a disobedient people. For what reason should God listen to our prayers at this time?
    Jesus put the thought briefly but clearly in Matthew 7:21, when He said, "Not every one that saith unto me, ‘Lord, Lord,' shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven," James pointed out that, "The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much" (James 5:16). If that is true, then of what value are the prayers of those who are unrighteous? For what reason should God listen to our prayers at this time?
    If this nation is to benefit from the disaster of September 11, 2001, more must occur than people praying to God. That is a good beginning, but it is far from enough. Why should God listen, when we ignore His Word (Bible), seek to eliminate Him from public life, and by our conduct make bad good and good bad? We need to return to a sincere study of the Bible to learn what the Lord commands and then do our best to obey. Our society has been headed in the opposite direction, and it is time that we made a great change. If there is no change, why should God listen to our prayers?
Kenneth E. Ratcliff