A prayer God will always hear and answer...

Are you completely unaware a King's table has been prepared for you; an honored place at the table awaits you; an open invitation to eat and drink and to be fully satisfied is always available?  Do you want that?  Many are completely unaware this table has a place reserved just for them.

Awaken to a table set up in mercy by getting real with God. 

Many carry unnecessary burden.  Unnecessary because God has already taken the burden away.  Yet many are completely unaware.  Their soul is starving; yet the bread is right there.  Their soul is dying of thirst while abundant water and Heavenly supply overflows within humble reach.  It does not have to be so.  

This week I saw a clear example of one "completely unaware" in the a prayer of a stranger.  Her prayer was carefully recorded in her own writing in an open guest book of a hospital chapel I visited.  Her prayer was somewhat desperate in tone.  She wanted to know that God was real, and that she was seen by Him.   Her main request wanted healing in a relationship with a boyfriend.  It reminded me of my prayers many years ago.   In those times, my prayers were quite desperate.  Yet it was mostly focused on what I wanted, who I wanted, and the way I wanted prayers answered.  Yes I wanted to know I was seen by God; but mostly I wanted what I wanted.  Those prayers didn't work out.

God's not a magic genie fulfilling desperate wishes.  He is holy and merciful; and will offer supernatural help; but first we must get real.  He answers the prayer of the humble who see Him as holy and who realize the desperate state of their own soul.  He is willing to answer that one in joyful abundance.  His tender mercy reaches down to the lowly and raises them up in new life.  He is willing to do it every single day until the end of forever, which by the way is never.  Do you want His mercy that never ends?

There is a prayer in the Bible by a man named Isaiah that reveals God's nature to reach down and heal the humble.  His prayer inspires this blog's prayer exercise.  Isaiah's words and his supernatural account are recorded in the 6th chapter of the book of Isaiah.  In it, Isaiah has a mind blowing encounter with God's holy presence.  It affects him in such a way that he is "laid out" before God.  He cries out, "Woe to me!  I am ruined!  For I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips..."

Ruined here means cut off from holy places, destined to be destroyed.  And unclean lips here means a foul mouth, corrupted speech, polluted talk, impure language.  We need not look very deep within ourselves or among the lips of others to see that uncleanness abounds.  Our human nature is not in line with God's holy nature; and Isaiah realized that in spades. 

How did God answer Isaiah?  Did He say, "That's right Isaiah you are completely unworthy, you should be ashamed of yourself, get out of my sight! I sentence you to death."  No.  No.  No.   That's not how God answered Isaiah's humble confession.

God immediately answered Isaiah's self-abasing hopelessness with His mercy and holy help. 

Upon Isaiah's humble confession, God immediately cleansed Isaiah's lips, took his guilt, and covered over all his sin.  God took his burden of soul and made him clean and gave him holy purpose.  Do you want that?

In mercy, God touched Isaiah's unclean lips.  In mercy God took Isaiah's iniquity away.  What is iniquity?  It means to be crooked, to have a bent or warped nature.  God took his bent and warped nature away!  He covered his sin!  God can do the same for all who cry out like Isaiah did.  God wants to take our warped nature and give us His divine and holy nature, 2 Peter 1:34.  But we need to get real with ourselves and ask for God's help. 

You are invited to the table of mercy.  A seat at the King's table has been waiting for you.  Do you want to dine at God's table?  Use Isaiah's prayer language as inspiration to dine with God. 

I used his words today for time with God.  I reflected on my former state as well as my daily need.  Don't judge :).  Maybe you will see yourself in my words.  Feel free to use them to help you find words for your "Isaiah 6" prayer to God.

"Woe to me, for I should be ruined.  For I am one of unclean lips God.  I am someone who has..

• covered my tracks, so I would not be found out
• judged others incorrectly
• been cold and uncaring
• been disrespectful to authority
• ignored the poor
• wallowed in self-pity many times
• cursed people in my thoughts
• wished ill intent on others
• fueled discord 
• prioritized myself to excuse myself from helping another
• justified myself when I knew I was wrong
• attacked with anger
• stolen people's joy because I was not happy
• thought of myself more highly than I've ought
• been impatient and mean and prideful
• demanded that God serve me and give me what I wanted

(Note-As you reflect on your own list, if you have never received Christ's holy mercy, ask Jesus to have mercy on you.  You can say something like, "God have mercy on me, touch my lips, take my guilt, forgive my crooked and rebellious ways."  He will quickly reply.  

Hear God's immediate answer to your humble confession...
​"By my holy Word and covenant you are made clean.  I've touched you and taken away your broken nature.  I've already paid the penalty for your sins.  I love you.  My anger has turned away from you my child.  You are forgiven and made new.  Trust in Me and do not be afraid.  I will heal; I provide for all your needs.  Keep coming to Me.  Get to know Me more.  Follow Me.  I alone offer you abundance of life that is truly life. Nothing else will satisfy. Never will I leave you or forsake you.  You are mine.  FOREVER."

Be blessed in this prayer exercise!  His mercies are new every morning!

Lamentations 3: The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases;
    his mercies never come to an end;
they are new every morning;
    great is your faithfulness.