“Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded.”
– James 4:8
If we’ve been a Christian for a bit, we know that God’s in control; and He’s the boss. But we don’t really ask Him into our daily lives. Why? We often think that He won’t even hear us or maybe respond in a timely manner. But honestly, we don’t think He’ll give us the answer we want. We don’t trust Him.
Yes, He is Lord. Yes, He is Master. Yes, He is King of Kings. But if we draw near to Him, He will draw near to us (James 4:8). He wants us to do more than acknowledge His authority and power. In other words, He wants us to be His children and ask for help and guidance. If He is the loving father that the Bible describes, then as soon as we bend our knees to Him in obedience, He’s there with good gifts, including good advice.
“If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him?”
– Matthew 7:11
So think about the Bible. Was there ever a time that God did not respond when someone asked? Among many, King Saul is a great example. After several times of disobeying God, Samuel – in obedience to God – gave King Saul a chance to repent, change, redeem himself (1 Samuel 15:17-19). But King Saul simply doubled down. He lied, blamed other people, and refused to admit that he had been disobedient (1 Samuel 15:20-21). This is when Samuel delivers the famous obedience is better that sacrifice rebuke and never talks to King Saul until after his death (1 Samuel 15:22-23).
Later in 1 Samuel chapter 28, King Saul needs God’s advice. Apparently, his heart had not changed. He seems to still be living the king’s life and only running to God in times of emergency. At this point, Samuel had died; and the Bible describes a desperate and scared king. God is not answering King Saul in dreams, through priests, or through prophets which leads him into more desperation and more sinful behavior instead of repentance and a change of heart and action. The rest of chapter 28 describes the sad end to King Saul’s life.
“Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up.”
– James 4:10
Why would God not respond to me? Just like King Saul, if we do not respond to correction or hold on to unforgiveness and rebellion, God will give us what we want. He’ll turn His back on us and not respond to our prayers. We’re likely only wanting Him to confirm what we already think anyway. We’re not really asking for guidance. So, the first step to prayer is having a heart that is open to correction and truth. Once you have a humble heart that is willing to listen to correction, ask. Ask God for advice, for guidance, for insight. He does not want to withhold good gifts from us, and His advice is good.
“Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts.”
– James 4:3
Think about another man in the bible, Job. He asked, and his heart didn’t seem humble at first. During his friends’ accusations, he kept asking for an audience with God so he could plead His case. He thought that if God could hear his side, then He’d feel pity for him (Job 30:21-26). Later in chapter 38, God does answer Job, and basically says, “Man up. I’ve come to give the audience you wanted,” and He begins to ask questions that Job is unable to answer (Job 38:3). Then, unlike King Saul, Job responded in humility. He came to a position where he could hear the feedback God was giving, and basically says, “You’re right. I asked questions that I didn’t know enough to even ask. I am so sorry.” Then, he asked for forgiveness (Job 42:1-6). Even though Job didn’t seem to start out with a humble heart, when tested, the truth was revealed.
To ensure God responds to us, we must bend our knees and acknowledge Him as King of Kings, then He brings us in as His children. Once we’re His child, He requires obedience and provides us with love and guidance as long as we’re humble and honest. In King Saul’s story – and many others in the Bible – God gave him multiple opportunities to fix his behavior. And each time, King Saul just dug in his heels a little more. He became more and more stubborn and rebellious with each opportunity. Job also had several opportunities to act differently, and when God did intervene, he quickly changed. God didn’t immediately punish him. So, don’t worry. Just like a loving father, He’ll give multiple opportunities. If you need an answer, He’s going to make sure you get the message, no matter how many times it takes. And yes, He seems to be slow to answer, but His timing is perfect.
– Written by Kati
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