Therefore the Lord said: “Inasmuch as these people draw near with their mouths And honor Me with their lips, But have removed their hearts far from Me, And their fear toward Me is taught by the commandment of men, -Isaiah 29:13 (NASB)
“The LORD detests lying lips, but he delights in those who tell the truth.”
- Proverbs 12:22 (NLT)
When you’ve hit rock bottom, and you have nothing but desperate cries and whimpers to God for comfort and strength and help, those cries are so genuine. They’re the cries of a soul that can no longer try to hold things together in its own strength. The cries of a soul that is open and receptive to complete surrender. The cries of a soul that is finally ready to get out of the way and let God work.
That’s a stark contrast to the prayers of those whose hearts are far from God, who pray to be seen and praised, and who live for themselves. These are the prayers of those who are not vehicles of God’s glory, but insincere facades of real Christ followers. These are the prayers of those who are Christians in name only.
Rest assured that God knows the difference, and that He detests lip service. He is ready and listening to heartfelt cries and prayers. Such prayers are musical notes coming from hearts ready to praise Him and properly live in dependence on His provision. Let your heart cry out to the Lord, and He will hear you.
Today’s soundtrack
Amy Grant’s “Better Than A Hallelujah” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rm5kx3xqmg0 tells us that God hears our sincere cries to Him as music to His ears.
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