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Enjoy the Gift of Having God's Ear · Reformed Thinking

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Welcome, seeker of insight to Reformed Thinking.
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I'm host speaker, and I'm really glad you're joining us today.
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And I'm expert speaker. We're here to take a close look
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at some key sources, pull out the core truths, and maybe open
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up some perspectives that make you think That's right.
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Our vision today is to get a handle on the amazing scope of
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God's grace and how it invites us into prayer.
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Yeah, this deep dive is all about what it means to have
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God's ear, which is, well, an incredible gift right at the
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center of our relationship with our Creator.
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We'll be looking at biblical teachings, theological writings,
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trying to understand what prayer is, why it's even possible for
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us. And you know what it's real
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point is? Hopefully you'll have some aha
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moments that might just reshape how you think about talking to
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God. OK, so to really get this
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privilege of prayer, we have to start with God Himself, who He
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is. Right, his character.
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Our sources kick things off by presenting God as the God of all
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grace. That's from first Peter 5 point
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team. And it's not just one
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characteristic among others. No, it's more like it describes
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his whole disposition towards us.
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His default setting you could say.
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Exactly. Grace isn't something he just
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does sometimes. It defines him.
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It shapes every interaction he has with us.
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When you think of God, you should think grace.
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And this grace, according to these sources, it's the very
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ground we stand on, the foundation for everything.
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Yeah, think. About it His decision to choose
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us before the world even began. Before time.
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That wasn't based on anything in us.
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It was pure grace. Then giving his Son for our
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salvation, rescuing rebels. The ultimate act of grace,
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really. Totally.
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And then causing us to be born again, giving a spiritual life
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when we were, well, dead. All grace, unearned, unmerited
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and it. Doesn't stop there.
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The same grace we learned it actively supports our whole
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Christian life from. Day one to that day.
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Right from the moment you believe until you see him face
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to face, it's this constant supply, his favor start to
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finish. And it's not just abstract, is
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it? It takes real shape in our
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lives. No, it's very tangible.
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The sources talk about God covering our lives with
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unexpected kindness and unforeseen favor.
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I like those phrases. Unexpected kindness, Me.
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Too, It speaks to things popping up when we least expect them,
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things we didn't earn or even think to ask for.
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And they give examples, right? Oh yeah, specific ones like
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grace coming through people and circumstances.
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Maybe someone says just the right word or a plan changes and
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saves you trouble. I've seen that happen.
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And it's there in good times and bad, easy to see when things are
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good, maybe. But even in hard times, there
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can be this surprising peace, his closeness.
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Right. Or in sickness and health.
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Strength to face illness, maybe. Wisdom for doctors, the comfort
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of friends. Yeah, and even in life and in
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death, his hand is over our whole existence, even through
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that final transition, giving hope beyond this life.
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It really paints a picture of Grace touching, well, every
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single part of our lives, often in ways we don't even notice at
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the time. OK, now pause and consider this
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the sheer wonder that God invites us to interact with Him
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despite the massive difference between us.
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Yeah, that gap is huge. We have to remember that he's
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the creator. We're creatures.
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He spoke everything into being. We depend on him for our next
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breath. He's the great Lord Sovereign
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over all, where his happy servants call to honor him.
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It's. Not like we're peers.
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It's an infinite chasm, really. We don't approach him casually
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as equals. Definitely not.
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But Despite that immense difference, his amazing love and
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extravagant grace make the first move.
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He invites us in. It's not a pure chat, it's him
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drawing us into relationship, lowering himself to meet us.
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It's pure kindness. And that divine outreach, that
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initiative that brings us right to the heart of prayer, doesn't
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it? It does.
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Our sources link God's listening His ear directly to our
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listening to His Word, His voice.
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OK, so it's a two way street but he starts it.
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Exactly. Prayer isn't a shouting into the
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void, it's part of a dialogue. God always initiates.
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His voice breaks the silence first.
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How does his voice sound first? Through his word, that's how he
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reveals himself, his character, his goodness.
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He expresses his heart through what he said.
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And his word points to Jesus. Absolutely.
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It unveils his Son Jesus as the clearest, fullest expression of
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who God is, the climax of his speaking.
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And his word has creative ability.
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Yes, Genesis 1.3 let there be light, and there was light.
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He spoke the physical world into being.
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And he does the same spiritually.
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Kind of, yeah. Yeah.
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His word recreates individuals, gives new spiritual life forms
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the church like Second Corinthians 4 talks about.
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So before we even think about praying, he's already spoken,
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already acted, already shown us who he is.
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He starts the conversation. He doesn't wait for us.
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Which leads to what the source is called a wonder of wonders.
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That this speaking God not only has spoken, but he also listens.
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I'm not just passively listens. No, it's active.
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The imagery is striking. He stops.
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He Stoops like he bends down, paying close attention.
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He wants to hear from you. Wow, he stands ready to hear
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your voice. Think about that.
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The creator of everything, pausing, leaning in, wanting to
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listen to us, his creatures. That shows such attentiveness, a
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real desire for interaction. That's what it means to have the
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ear of God, a direct personal connection to the One who made
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you and cares for you. OK, so putting this together,
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Christian prayer isn't something we start.
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Right, we're not breaking the silence out of nowhere with our
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needs. We're responding to the one who
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has initiated toward us. Yes, His voice through His word
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comes first, and then we speak to the God who has spoken.
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That's a really important distinction.
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So our asking doesn't come from our emptiness.
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No, it originates from His fullness.
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Prayer doesn't begin with our lack, but with His bounty.
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So it starts with adoration, seeing who he is first.
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Ideally, yes, recognizing His glory, His goodness, than moving
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to our needs. It's like a reflex to the grace
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He gives to the sinners He saves.
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Like the bride responding to the groom's initiative.
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That's the analogy used. Yeah, a glad response.
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And it really is, as Psalm 6.9 says, stunning grace.
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The Lord accepts my prayer. And that applies to every
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Christian. Every single one.
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It's solid assurance our prayers get a hearing.
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Not because we're good, but because he is gracious.
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That point about God's grace initiating it really turns our
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human instincts upside down, doesn't it?
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Trying to earn His favor. It does.
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It's all about his prior move. OK, so let's talk about the
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solid ground for prayer. God's desire for relationship,
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His invitation. That's huge.
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But how is it actually possible? How can we, as finite creatures,
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truly have access to a holy God's ear?
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That's the crucial question, and the answer rests entirely on the
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person and work of God's Son. So if you're wondering how can
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someone like me get access to the Creator, the answer is
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Jesus. He's the bridge, the mediator.
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Without him, there's no access, period.
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Our sources get specific about what Jesus did First, his
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sacrificial death for our sins. 1st Corinthians 15.3 the core of
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the Gospel. And this wasn't just some
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historical event, it showed God's immense love.
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Romans 5.8. It was the payment, the only
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payment sufficient for our rebellion against our perfect
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God. It closed the gap sin created.
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But it didn't stop at the cross. No, He rose from the grave,
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conquered. Death proved his victory.
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Then he ascended to heaven, and Hebrews 6 says he went as a
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forerunner on our behalf. Like a pioneer, clearing the
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path, securing our entrance, making a way for us to follow.
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And where is he now? Hebrews 9.24 says he's appearing
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in the very presence of the Father, actively representing us
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right now. Wow.
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Having paid the price once for all.
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So that sequence, death, resurrection, ascension, prison,
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intercession, that's the rock solid basis for our confidence
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in prayer. And his work isn't just past
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tense, it's ongoing. That's right, Romans 8.34 says
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he is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for
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us. Interceding actively, pleading
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our case moment by moment. Continuously, like a perfect
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advocate, always speaking for you in the highest court, not
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just when you remember to ask, but always.
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Hebrews 7.25 connects this to salvation.
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Yeah, because he always lives to make intercession for them.
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He is able to save to the uttermost those who draw near to
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God through him. It's his constant ministry,
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making sure our prayers are heard through him.
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Accepted because of him. So the conclusion is pretty
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clear. Our having God's ear is as sure
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as our having God's Son. That gives such confidence,
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doesn't it? Our access is guaranteed by the
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Son himself. It really does, and that helps
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make sense of praying in Jesus name.
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Exactly. It's not some magic formula we
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tack on the end. No, it's a declaration, a
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recognition that all our access, all are accepted.
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It's totally because of his mediation, his presence with the
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father. So when we pray in Jesus name,
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we're saying I come based on his merit, not mine.
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Precisely. We're heard because of Christ's
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perfect righteousness credited to us and His constant
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intercession for us. He secures our right to be
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there. OK, this brings up that common
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question though. If God already knows what we
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need before we ask, like Matthew 6.8 says, why pray?
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Yeah, why bother asking? Well, the sources describe God
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as an extraordinarily attentive divine Father, and Matthew 7.1
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and says he's eager to give good things to those who ask him.
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So he knows, but he still wants us to ask.
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Yes, it seems paradoxical, but the sources say he wants you to
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ask, he wants to hear, he wants to interact.
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So prayer isn't about giving God information he lacks.
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Not at all, it's entirely about the relationship.
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He desires actual interaction, real conversation, not just
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knowing your thoughts passively. Like a parent wanting to hear
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from their child even if they already know the child's needs.
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That's a good analogy. He wants us to come express
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dependence, share our hearts, engage with Him personally.
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And this leads to a really comforting point about his
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readiness. Yeah, the sources state, he is
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even more ready to hear us than we are to pray.
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More ready to hear than we are to pray.
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Wow. It shows his loving attitude,
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his eagerness for communion. He's not reluctant.
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He's leaning in, wanting to listen.
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His ear is open, his heart is inclined.
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It assures us that when we pray, we're coming to a God who
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genuinely desires this interaction.
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Our prayer reflects his prior initiative, his prior love.
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Building on that incredible grace and Jesus's work for us,
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how does God regularly deliver this goodness into our lives?
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This is where the concept of means of grace comes in.
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Our sources call them God's regular channels or well worn
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pathways. OK, so not random spiritual
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activities, but God's chosen methods, right?
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Divinely set up roots through which He has chosen to pass, and
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pour out His goodness on those waiting expectantly.
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Like spiritual pipelines, he established.
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You can think of it that way. There's a haulless provisions
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for us to meet him and receive from him, not by earning but by
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trusting his design. And the sources identify three
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main ones. Yes, 3 Chief thoroughfares.
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First, His word, His voice to us.
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We've talked about how crucial that is.
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Second, His church, His body, the community believers, where
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we find fellowship, teaching, support and 3rd prayer, His ear
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our direct access to Him. And these aren't separate
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things. No, they're interconnected.
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They work together as avenues of His grace, giving a full picture
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of how God interacts with His people.
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They're meant to function In Sync.
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So focusing on prayer now is one of these key pathways.
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It's not optional. It's a vital channel for
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receiving God's matchless grace and that unexpected kindness we
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talked about. It's a way God designed for
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connection and provision. Yes, when we pray, we're using a
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system God Himself set up for our benefit, a place He delights
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to meet us. And through these channels,
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Word, church, prayer, he keeps pouring out his favor.
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That's what the sources reiterate, covering our lives
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with goodness through people and circumstances, in good times and
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bad, in sickness and health, in life and death.
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So these means help ensure that flow of goodness is constant.
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Right. They make His presence and
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provision tangible, sustaining us all the time.
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It's interesting how they connect the synergy of voice,
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body and ear. Yeah, are listening to God in
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his Word directly relates to his listening to us in prayer.
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Two sides of the same conversation.
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Exactly. The more we hear from Him in the
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Word, the better we understand how to talk to Him in prayer.
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The Church provides the setting for both.
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Right, the community where we hear the word together, pray
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together, encourage each other, it nurtures our faith
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collectively. So God's voice, his body, his
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ear, they form a complete picture, a whole system of
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grace. Definitely, when we engage with
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His Word, we're fueled for prayer.
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When we pray, we seek His guidance, often found in the
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Word, and we do this within the church community.
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And how God consistently gives His grace and kindness.
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Their regular channels not sporadic.
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It suggests A continuous, reliable flow of God's goodness.
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So engaging with Word, church and prayer isn't just a duty.
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It's an invitation to step onto these pathways where God has
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promised to meet us and bless us.
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An invitation to receive. And through these, he's actively
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supporting our entire Christian lives, start to finish.
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Continuously nurturing us, covering us with His favor.
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OK, let's shift gear slightly and challenge a common idea
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about prayer, maybe one we fall into without realizing it.
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The idea that it's mainly about getting things.
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Yeah, like a divine shopping list asking for a job healing
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protection guidance. Which isn't wrong in itself.
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No, the Bible is full of people asking for things.
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Most prayers are petitions, right?
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But our sources point to something deeper, a bigger goal.
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They state it quite clearly. The great purpose of prayer is
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not finally about getting things from God, but getting God.
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That really changes the focus doesn't.
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It it does, it's not just about the blessings or the answers.
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It's about getting closer to the giver himself.
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Every gift should point us back to Him.
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John Piper's perspective is helpful here.
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Yeah, the sources quote him saying something like it is not
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wrong to want God's gifts and ask for them.
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But ultimately, when it comes down to it, every gift should be
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desired because it shows us and brings us more of Him.
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That's the key part. So we're not denying our needs,
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but we're re aiming our desires. So the highest goal is that in
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and through all His gifts, God would be our joy.
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Meaning, even if earthly things fail, even if circumstances are
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tough, God himself remains our deepest satisfaction.
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He's the treasure that nothing can diminish.
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Prayer becomes a way to pursue and experience that joy in Him,
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whatever happens. CS Lewis has that great analogy
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too. About the parts of prayer.
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Yeah, he said. Something like prayer in the
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sense of petition. Asking for things is a small
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part of it. Confession and penitence are
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it's threshold, adoration it's sanctuary.
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The presence and vision and enjoyment of God.
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It's bread and wine. Let's unpack that.
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Asking is just a small part. Right before asking, there's the
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threshold confession admitting our need for mercy.
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But the main room, the sanctuary, is adoration.
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Yeah, worshipping Him for who he is.
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His Holiness, His greatness, His goodness.
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And what sustains us there? The Bren one.
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Is the presence and vision and enjoyment of God the real
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satisfaction is just being with Him, seeing Him, delighting in
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Him? It's just the focus from what we
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get to who he is he. Does and pulling these thoughts
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together, the main goal of prayer is really to come humbly,
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expectantly, and because of Jesus, boldly into the conscious
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presence of God. To relate to Him, talk with Him
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and find our highest delight in Him is our great treasure.
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It moves prayer from being transactional God as a means to
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an end to being relational God himself is the end goal.
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Seeking his face, not just his hand.
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Exactly wanting the giver more than the guest because in him we
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truly have everything we need, Our deepest desires find their
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home and God himself. And this connects back to what
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you said earlier about prayer, starting with adoration.
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Yes, it reinforces that Prayer's origin is first in adoration and
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only later in asking. Because it flows from his
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fullness, not our emptiness. Right.
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We start by responding to His goodness, His Holiness, His
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mercy. Is that joyful reflex the bride
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responding to her groom? The relationship itself is the
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main joy. Adoration sets the right tone.
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It acknowledges His place and ours, and it shapes our requests
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so they align with His will and His glory.
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Even our asking becomes part of seeking more of Him.
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So this relational seeking of God Himself, rather than just
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His gifts, aligns our prayer life with His design for us.
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OK, thinking about the nature of prayer now, beyond just its
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goal, our sources make a point that having God's ear isn't
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primarily about our particular practices and postures, the
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specific habits we develop. Interesting.
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So it's not first about the habits.
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No, it's first the principle of continually relating to him
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privately and with others. It's presented as first and
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foremost an orientation of life. An orientation of life, like a
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constant mindset or disposition. Yeah, an ongoing relationship, a
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steady awareness of His presence and our access to Him.
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It's less about specific actions and more about a continuous
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state of relating to God. Being aware of being in his
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presence all the time, part of that intimate connection.
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But the New Testament really backs this up.
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Think about the early church in Acts 1.14 devoting themselves to
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prayer. Not just a weekly meeting, but a
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real devotion. Or Paul's instructions.
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They focus on constancy, not specific routines.
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Be constant in prayer. Romans 12.12.
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Continues steadfastly in prayer. Colossians 4.2.
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Pray without ceasing First Thessalonians 5.1 scene.
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Praying at all times in the Spirit with all prayer and
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supplication. Ephesians 6.18.
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Those are strong commands, and they don't sound like calls for
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rigid discipline alone. They seem to flow from an
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intimate relationship with that extraordinarily attentive Divine
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Father we talked about. Who knows what we need but wants
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us to ask, wants to interact. So it's describing a living,
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dynamic relationship. OK.
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If prayer is this orientation, this ongoing relationship, how
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do we engage with it practically in a healthy way?
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Well, the sources suggest a simple framework, the mnemonic
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A/C TS. A/C TS OK.
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Helps approach God in a balanced, God centered way.
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A is for adoration. Worshipping God because He is
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holy, starting by acknowledging His worth, His Majesty, His
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goodness, just because of who He is.
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Right, then, C is for confession.
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Repenting because He is merciful, humbly admitting our
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failures, our sins, trusting His forgiveness.
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Then T is for Thanksgiving. Expressing appreciation because
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he is gracious. Pausing to thank him for his
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goodness, his favor, his blessings, big and small.
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And finally S is for supplication.
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Petitioning him for ourselves, family, friends, the world
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because he is loving and caring. Bringing our specific request to
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him. Using a structure like ACTS
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helps ensure our prayers reflect the whole relationship, not just
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our list of needs. That makes sense.
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It's practical. Now, while prayer is an
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orientation first, we do need habits, right?
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Absolutely. We developed what the source is
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called Habits of Grace. We turn general intentions into
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more specific pathways and then into even more specific plans.
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So the Spirit is continuous, but we need practical ways to
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nurture. It we create rhythms and
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structures that help us connect. Not legalism, but intentional
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time and effort like any valued relationship.
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And it seems prayer is flexible. It can be scheduled and
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spontaneous. Yes, it should really be both.
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Find a regular time and place. Maybe praying by yourself in the
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closet. Focused time.
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Also praying with others, communal prayer.
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Definitely. That could be so enriching,
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lifting voices together. And then praying throughout the
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day. Yes, the car at the table in
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between appointments and beside the bed.
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Prayer isn't stuck in one time slot.
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It's a constant opportunity weaving through your day.
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Being aware of his presence everywhere.
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One really effective way to do this is praying through
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scripture. OK, how does that work?
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As you read God's Word, you just respond to it directly in
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prayer. You see His attributes, adore
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him, see a command, confess where you fall short, Ask for
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health. Rita, promise, give thanks, ask
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for its fulfillment for yourself or others.
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Exactly. It connects his voice directly
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to our ear. Our prayers become a spirit LED
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response to what He's already said.
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It helps align our prayers with His heart.
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And the sources remind us, we learn to pray by praying.
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It's a practice we grow into, and Donald Whitney's point is
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good too. Praying regularly with others
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can be one of the most enriching adventures of your Christian
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life. So the bottom line is we have
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the ear of God. Let's make the most of this
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amazing gift. Amen to that.
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So as we wrap up this deep dive, we've really seen prayer in a
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different light, haven't we? Not just a duty, not just asking
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for stuff. No, it's this incredible
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invitation from the God of all grace.
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A responsive, relational conversation.
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He starts it. Jesus makes it possible.
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And it's meant to draw us into this joyful communion where God
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himself is the greatest treasure.
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Yeah, that changes things from a transactional view to just
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engaging with this extraordinarily attentive divine
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Father who actually wants to hear from us.
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It reminds us His grace is under every word we pray, every
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thought we lift up His ear is as sure for us as His Son is.
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That's definitely something worth thinking more about,
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wouldn't you say? For sure?
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Maybe you reflect on how this view changes your own approach
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to prayer. What happens if you start
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viewing prayer more as getting God rather than just getting
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things from God? How might that reshape your
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desires, your daily talks with him?