As an Aside: A Prayer for Hearing

Blessed is the Lord who speaks. Blessed is the Lord who has spoken to us through creation, making evident his divine nature and his divine power through all the things that have been made. Blessed is the Lord who has spoken to us through the Law and the Prophets—that which is trustworthy, true, right, pure, making wise the simple, giving light to the eyes, and refreshing the soul. Blessed is the Lord who has spoken his love to us in these last days through his son, Jesus. Blessed is the Lord.

Blessed is the Lord God who has given us the secrets of the kingdom of heaven. But we entreat you and lift up to you those to whom these things have not been given, principally because you do not delight in the death of the wicked, but you desire instead that all might turn and be healed.

We give you thanks for giving so much of yourself and all of yourself on Golgotha. We give you thanks for remembering us to your Father, and now our Father, and for blessing us with life everlasting. But we also remember those who have not heard, who have nothing but stubbornness and impenitence. We cry out to you for them, we pray for them, that this will not happen: even what they have will be taken away. Instead, may you draw them and woo them in the desert places of their lives, and may they turn to you and be healed.

May they see you, and hear you, and understand because by this you are known: The LORD is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in love. You will not always accuse, nor will you harbor your anger forever. Lord, you are good, You do not treat us as our sins deserve or repay us according to our iniquities. Be merciful and compassionate to them who are at enmity in their hearts and minds with you—as we once were.

Let us hear and always understand. Let us indeed see and always perceive. May our hearts and their hearts not grow dull, and may our ears, and theirs, fully hear. May our eyes see and our ears hear and our hearts understand—us who are near you and those who are far away from your kingdom. Brood over their hearts, as you brooded over the deep and chaotic waters on the first day of creation, and as you must have done over us before we first knew you as Lord and Savior. Just say the word, and we shall be saved. And we would turn and be healed.

You have blessed our eyes, for we see you; and you have blessed our ears, for we hear your word. We see Jesus, and therefore have seen the Father. We have heard Jesus, and our hearts rejoice. The Spirit of Lord cries out within us, Abba, Father. And we are grateful to you for you have loved us and died for us while we were yet sinners.

And you came into the word to save sinners, and you came to seek and save the lost. So we lift these lost souls up, Lord, that, consistent with your grace and truth in Christ Jesus, they may turn and be healed and stand with us in your kingdom when you come in glory. And it is for your glory that we pray for them, and for us.

Remember when you heard Moses. Moses entreated you, saying, “O LORD, why does Your anger burn against Your people, whom You brought out of the land of Egypt with great power and a mighty hand? Why should the Egyptians declare, ‘He brought them out with evil intent, to kill them in the mountains and wipe them from the face of the earth’? Turn from Your fierce anger and relent from doing harm to Your people. Remember Your servants Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, to whom You swore by Your very self when You declared, ‘I will make your descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky, and I will give your descendants all this land that I have promised, and it shall be their inheritance forever.’”

So hear us too, Lord. Remember your son, Jesus, and his shed blood. May your lovingkindness cover all with grace, peace, and mercy from God our savior, God our hope.

For redemption, not abandonment or rejection, Amen. For rescue, not loss or despair, Amen. For reconciliation, not divorce and death, Amen. For salvation, not condemnation and judgment, Amen. For rejoicing and praise to your great name forevermore. You save. Amen and amen.