Text: Psalm 145:18, Matthew 7:7-11, 1 John 1:7-9, 1 John 5:14-15, James 1:5-8
There’s a constant deluge of calls in my life. Literal phone calls, voicemails, emails, texts, tweets, messages—not a day goes by that I don’t feel the pressure to respond to someone in some way about something.
I remember things being simpler when I was small. The way to reach someone at my house was to call the landline or, as was more common in our neighborhood, just come on over and knock on the front door. The point of contact was just that: to come into contact, to touch, to be near one another.
Sometimes it seems we’re further away than ever from family and friends. I can’t remember the last time I hugged someone just for the sake of hugging them. These days we call because we need an answer, words of comfort, information—rarely just because we need nearness.
Psalm 73:28 says, “The nearness of God is my good,” and these days, I need to remind myself of these words often. This week alone, our little family has a hundred different prayers that necessitate a hundred answers:
Will my husband get the job? Will we move? Will we lose money on our house here? What if they knock down our cozy 1800s farmhouse to build a high rise? What if we have to leave another church and our friends? Will we find a new church? Will we have friends? Will we stay here? For how long?
My counselor recently asked me how God and I were doing these days. I abashedly told her that sometimes it feels like God and I aren’t on speaking terms: I’m speaking to Him, He’s not answering, so I’m shrugging and moving on. “Do you feel far from him?” she asked. My answer was truthful when I said no, that I know He is near. “That isn’t what I asked,” she said. “I asked if you feel far from Him?” And sometimes, I do.
I read in Psalm 145:18, “The Lord is near to all who call out to Him, all who call out to Him with integrity.” With integrity. I don’t know what integrity looks like in this season. I know I wear the robes of righteousness gifted to me from Christ, so I couldn’t be more righteous if I tried (Isaiah 61:10). But integrity? Do I come to the Lord with my palms empty, my heart open, my eyes set on Him, and the integral understanding that God is good, right, true, and faithful?
Do I come with integrity when I call on Him?
Integrity means “authentic, whole, and undivided”—and if there’s one thing I know to be true of me, it’s that my heart is utterly divided. I don’t come to Christ just to be near Him or to know His nearness. I come to Him because I want information. I want direction. I want answers. I want resolution.
But prayer is not just the act of asking and receiving; it is the act of being. It is the act of knowing. It is the act of coming near to God with integrity—with a heart that is whole and undivided in its attentiveness to Him. It is knowing and believing that He is near and He hears us, that He is always faithful in His love for us, even when we don’t feel it (Psalm 25:6).
Prayer is less about the words we say and more about the availability of our Creator and King, and the opportunity each of us has to call on Him.
Do I feel near to God? No, not always. But I know He is near to me.
Lore Wilbert is the Director of Community and Formation at Park Church, Denver, and writer at Sayable.net. Find her on twitter @lorewilbert.
This is such a great topic to reflect on. Sometimes I do not feel as though God is listening to me, or answering my prayers- it often leaves me wondering, why? Today’s text makes it clear that there is a distinct difference between just praying to God, and really BEING with God and believing that he will deliver us from our trials. I will definitely be thinking more about praying more mindfully, and about truly believing that God hears my prayers :)
I needed to hear this, great reminder tonight and every night! Prayer doesn’t need an agenda
He is an all-knowing God, our greatest need and at the same time our ultimate provider. How amazing that sometimes we can just come to Him simply to be with Him and to know that He hears us. That we can just “be still and know that He is God.” Thank you Father, for the blessing and opportunity that we have to come to you and be with you. Amen!!
Palms empty, heart open, eyes fixed, mind resting.
Today is day five after my mothers accident and broken hip. It also marks another day with a surgery but not for her hip but for her small intestine. We were hoping for answers more than it is inflamed. However before she went into the operating room her surgeon who is new to this small Montana Town came in and talked to her then he asked if he could pray with her. I thought it was going to be a quick little genie prayer but it wasn’t. It was from the heart asking for guidance, wisdom, healing and gratefulness for being our creator and knowing us and our needs and for loving us. I sat there and almost cried because there is so much talk about faith and a “higher being” from my mother’s in laws but this was refreshing and genuine and a breath of fresh air. I felt relieved to send her off to the operating room in the hands of a surgeon who loves God and knew no matter what God hears and He has her.
The Lord is so good. I pray for quick healing for your mom.
Thank you for your encouragement in the midst of your own journey, which, bears resemblance to my own these days and months. I’m leaning into these verses as we prepare the process of moving across the country to Texas, leaving my college freshman here in Virginia. Bless you, sisters, on your own uncertain journeys, all the while knowing there is nothing uncertain for our great God.
Thank you, Michele. ‘There is nothing uncertain for our great God.’ I needed this reminder today, in the midst of my own fear and uncertainty. That truth brings peace to my tired heart.
Lore! That’s a lot!! And here you are writing to us, encouraging, supporting, guiding us. Thank you.
Each of the scripture verses that you supplied today was either the basis for a worship song we sang yesterday or a match for the very thing I’m praying or experiencing today. Two of them I tried to copy and paste into my “Promises and prayers” document but my battery is low or something . . .
Anyway. May God bless you and give you the very best of directions possible for you, for your husband, for your children, for both the church you may leave and the one you will find. SO many possibilities of change on your horizon! May you trust in Him beyond all reason and understanding that He is taking you to a good place. May this be a time in your family where you pull together and know His guiding hand and love upon each of you. And may your farmhouse survive the changes too. (We are facing the historic train tracks next to our house being replaced with snowmobile trails – so I can relate on that level too). May you have life and have it in abundance!
My goodness, I desperately needed this today. As I read the part about questions of job, church, home, etc. it was comforting to know I’m not the only one wondering what will be. Thank you for reminding me that my Savior is near and wants to simply enjoy friendship with me. It seems I’m always asking for answers instead of just resting in His presence. I’m so thankful for shereadstruth, the transparency of each writer, and being able to share our hearts.