Psalm 66:20 – “Blessed be God, Who has not turned away my prayer, Nor His mercy from me!”  NKJV

What a powerful declaration and truth!  Someone asked me, “Do you always get your prayers answered?”  I said, “Yes!  But sometimes not the way I wanted.”  Sometimes, the LORD has answered my prayers by not answering my prayers and in not answering He answered in a way even more powerful than had He granted my petition.  I had a senior minister tell me that God answers prayers three ways, “Yes, No, and Wait.” 

I know that we are taught in 1 John 5 that if we ask anything according to His will He hears us and if He hears us we have the petition we asked.  I would advance the thought that sometimes we do not seek His will before seeking an answer and thus the No, Wait or Silence comes into play.  God does not limit what we can ask but we are told that if we ask to consume the answer on our own lusts (flesh) it is problematic and will not obtain the desired response.

We have all heard the advice, “Be careful what you ask for you just might get it.”  I have cautioned young men and women seeking particular relationships with that type of counsel.  Just because something is pleasing to the eye or ignites the passion does not mean it is the best for you or even what you will be happy with long term.  All that glitters is not gold and have the latest and greatest is not always what will produce long term contentment.  My mother and grandmother always told me, “Beauty is skin deep”.  I have modified that to “Beauty can be only skin deep.”  There can be fleshly beauty that is also backed up by an inner beauty that makes the outward beauty even more beautiful.  I know some people who, in the flesh, might not be deemed beautiful but because of their heart, character and spirit are ravishing and drawing it is amazing.

But back to the truth presented by the Psalmist.  God has not turned away my prayer.  He may not grant exactly what I want, when I want it or the way I want it but He has not and will not ignore my prayer.  If I come to Him with a sincere heart He will entertain my request and then respond according to His divine purposes and my best good.  Likewise the Psalmist declares that God has not turned His mercy from us!  Hallelujah!  His mercy endures from everlasting to everlasting.  Recently I was discussing some political issues with several people and one of them said, “I want justice!”  I could not resist and used that statement as a springboard to talk about Mercy!   You see, I do not want justice for if I got what I deserved spiritually I would not like it.  I want the Mercy of God for only His Mercy will lead me to the portals of salvation and guide me through the door.

Our God is a loving God.  He is righteous and will not wink at sin but He is longsuffering and incredibly merciful.  He never leaves nor forsakes us and is always attentive to our cries.  Thank you LORD for being my God!

            God bless you as you go through this day!