Psalm 66:18–19 (ESV): “18 If I had cherished iniquity in my heart, the Lord would not have listened. 19 But truly God has listened; he has attended to the voice of my prayer.”
Prayer is a gift of grace, not something we are entitled to. God, in His sovereignty, chooses to hear our prayers, not because He owes us anything, but because of His mercy and love. We should never approach prayer as though God is obligated to respond. Instead, we come humbly, recognizing that access to Him is through Jesus Christ alone.
David understood a profound truth: sin separates us from God. It disrupts our fellowship with Him and hinders our prayers. In Psalm 66:18, David wrote, “If I had cherished iniquity in my heart, the Lord would not have listened.” If we hold on to sin and refuse to repent, it creates a barrier between us and God. Yet David also knew that God delights in hearing the prayers of the humble and contrite. He promises to draw near to those who turn to Him in repentance (Psalm 34:18).
Do you approach God in prayer while clinging to unrepentant sin? If we’re honest, we all do at times. When we feel distant from God or unheard in our prayers, the first step is to examine our hearts. Are we allowing sin to take priority over our relationship with Him? God calls us to love Him above all else and to repent of anything that takes His rightful place in our lives. Ask Him to reveal what may be hindering your prayers and respond with a heart of surrender and humility.
Father, we confess our sins before You and ask for Your forgiveness. Cleanse our hearts and restore our fellowship with You so that our prayers may align with Your will. Thank You for Your grace and mercy. Take Your rightful place in our hearts today. We pray this in Jesus’ name, amen.
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