Scoring Points with God

7.22.2010

Isaiah 37.21 Because you have prayed... ESV

Many people feel the need to try to score points with God – the sum total of their belief is this: if I act good enough, do good enough, and go to church often enough, I’ll gain God’s approval and He will take care of me. There is no such thing. We cannot live long enough, or do good enough ever to gain God’s approval because God doesn’t relate to us on the basis of merit; God only relates to us on the basis of love.

That being said, if there was such a thing as gaining point with God, I think it would be based upon this: because you have prayed. In Isaiah’s account of Hezekiah’s issues with the Assyrian invasion God respond to the praying king by saying, “Because you have prayed…” Hezekiah could’ve formed an action committee; he could passed a resolution. If he was around today, he would’ve got the U.N. involved. But he chose to pray to God for salvation and God responded because he did.

Prayer is often not our first response – it ought to be. Prayer is hard work – especially in difficult circumstances. Prayer requires faith in a God who responds to the prayers of His people. Prayer pleases God because it invites Him into the conversation. I am going to bet that life will be different or I will be different because of prayer and one day in Heaven I will hear the Father say, “Because you prayed…”

Father in Heaven,

You are not impressed by my resume or my experiences – but the truth is You are pleased when I pray. Hezekiah was a good leader because he prayed and prayer is a vital part of my relationship with You. Here’s my prayer today, help me. Here’s my prayer today: I put my trust in You to respond and to lead me to where I’m supposed to be. You are God and You answer the prayers of Your people – Thank You! Amen.