I imagine
everyone who has ever said a prayer has wondered at some time if that prayer
got past the ceiling. The image of a prayer not reaching God but instead being
blocked is a sentiment I have heard quite a few folks describe.
Many believe even if the prayer does
get through they still have to do something special in order for God to answer their
prayers.
The truth is we don’t need to get
permission from another person, wear a special garment, light a candle, use a
special rug, first take a bath or take a specific posture or position before we
pray. Some of these can be useful or helpful to do depending on where you are
going to pray or what kind of ambiance you are trying to create; but they are
not requirements for God to hear your prayer.
The Bible reveals God as omnipresent, meaning
he is everywhere at the same time. Therefore, it is impossible for anything
physical to prevent your prayer from reaching God. But even more important is
the “location” of God’s heart towards us.
The 139th
Psalm addresses this quite well, particularly verses 1-3:
“You have searched me, Lord, and you know me. You know when I sit
and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar. You discern my going out
and my lying down; you are familiar with all my ways.” (Psalm 139:1-3,
NIV)
Or as King
David told Solomon:
“The Lord searches every heart and understands every desire and every
thought.” (1 Chronicles
28:9, NIV)
When we
consider God’s omnipresence and his compassionate heart, it is most certainly
foolish to think we have any secrets from him or that any of our prayers have
not gotten past the ceiling. God interacts with every prayer and knows what is
best for every person in the scheme of all eternity.
I’m Joseph
Tkach, Speaking of LIFE.