"Found this gem today:" If one turns away his ear from hearing the law, even his prayer is an abomination.
Proverbs 28:9
What do you suppose this proverb means?
I'd like you to take a moment and read the words and pray and think to yourself exactly what this may mean. Challenge yourself to find the answer, and once you've thought it through in your head, read on...
When I was young, I thought this verse meant that if we don't study the bible, God won't grant our wishes. Now I know better (sorta).
First, when it says "the law," that's really "the Torah." We know the Torah sometimes as the first five books of the bible, sometimes as the law of Moses, or sometimes the Old Testament. So if we take this seriously, we have to study the O.T. in order to get God to hear our prayers? If that's true, then it's no wonder many of your prayers go unanswered, right? How many of you have studied the OT as diligently even as, say, English, fashion or even math?
But then again ... this proverb also is in the OT - and written to/for Israel about 3,000 years ago. So maybe it's just true for them, and not for us???
I ask these questions, because I want you to learn to ask questions like that when you're studying the Proverbs. Seeking wisdom in the proverbs takes some practice, some work and some thought. And speaking of that, there's one other thing you want to do when studying Proverbs: compare different versions. Proverbs is very hard to translate, so check each translation and see how they differ.
Now the Real Issue - Is God even listening to you?
Does God hear ALL prayers, from ALL people, ALL the time?
Obviously not.
This isn't the only passage in the bible that speaks of a time when God isn't listening ...
Behold, Yahweh’s hand is not so short that it can’t save; nor is His ear so dull that it can’t hear. But your iniquities have made a separation between you and your God, and your sins have hidden His face from you so that He doesn't hear.Isaiah 59:1-2
Now let's focus on our proverb.
If God wouldn't listen to the prayers of ancient Israel unless they listened to the Torah, what must we do to make sure our prayers aren't also ignored by God?
Answer: If you don't care enough to listen to God, He is indifferent to your cries for help when you have gotten what you deserve.
Notice again that in the proverb it says the person has turned his/her ear away from "hearing" the law. In other words, we listen to God (or not) and then He listens to us (or not).
What happens when we refuse to listen to God? We behave foolishly.
What are the consequences of folly and sinfulness? Pain, hurt, suffering.
Have you ever warned someone not to do something, then they did it, and then cried to you for rescue? Sometimes we need to live with the consequences of our bad behavior for the lesson to soak-in. God knows this.
God is never surprised, because He knows the future. But even if He didn't, it is easy to see that one who wastes money is going to be broke. One who drinks too much too often is going to have trouble. One who behaves immorally will suffer consequences. And one who is lazy in seeking God or bearing fruit will also "reap what he has sown."
Don’t be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, this he will also reap. For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life. Let us not lose heart in doing good, for in due time we will reap if we do not grow weary.Galatians 6:7-9
Listen to (study) God's word like your soul depends upon it, because it does. And not only your soul, but the souls of everyone around you is affected by your actions.
Will you seek God's will by finding it in God's word? Or - will you listen to other sources, including your own stupid self ... and then have the nerve to call out to God when things go awry?
Abraham tried to warn Sodom & Gomorrah, Noah warned his generation, the prophets tried, and so did Jesus. If you listen to the ten spies along with the majority, and refuse the word of God from the two spies ... don't be surprised if you die in the desert.
After all, it 's not really God who isn't listening - it's you.
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