Divine Response To Personal Need

by NEELY, G. | Category: Old Testament Insights Into Prayer | Apr 2003

'The Lord is near. Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, shall guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus' (Phil.4:5-7). Compare that scripture with Ephesians 6:18 which says, 'With all prayer and petition pray at all times in the Spirit ...' In everything, at all times we are to pray! There is nothing too big for God, nothing too small! In light of what He gave up, how could anything be too big or too small?

These pointed summary lessons from the New Testament are illustrated by example in the Old Testament, both by some with devout spiritual understanding and others with limited spiritual background. God hears the cries of those who seek Him and, according to His perfect will, He answers in the proper way at the right time, every time without exception! In the words of Jeremiah 29:11: 'For I know the plans that I have for you,' declares the LORD, 'plans for welfare and not for calamity to give you a future and a hope.' His ways and thoughts are not ours, but His are perfect and we can count on Him in everything, at all times.

Hagar

Hagar was an Egyptian maid of Sarai, perhaps given to Abram when Sarai was in Pharaoh's house under the guise of being his sister (Gen.12:16). When she conceived by Abram, given to him by Sarai in light of her inability to bear children, Sarai treated her harshly and Hagar fled. 'Now the angel of the LORD found her by a spring of water in the wilderness, by the spring on the way to Shur' (16:7). The Lord found her, for He is ever watchful and ever listening to the cries of those with even a limited understanding of Him. '"You shall call his name Ishmael' [this child whom she bore], 'because the LORD has given heed to your affliction"' (16:11).

The Lord not only heard her affliction, but Hagar was very conscious that He was the Lord who saw (El Roi) who had brought her the answer to her need (16:13). Jeremiah 23:24 asks a rhetorical question of captive Judah in a different context, but with the same answer that Hagar discovered, and we can too: '"Can a man hide himself in hiding places, so I do not see him?"' The clear answer is he cannot!

But what did Hagar know of God? She was an Egyptian and had not grown up under the instruction that obviously had been Abram's. Yet the implication is that she cried out and God heard her. Perhaps she had heard of the plagues in Pharaoh's household over the matter of Sarai. No doubt she was conscious of Abram's dedication to and faith in his God, clearly seen at Bethel (13:4), where he called on the name of the LORD. She likely heard of God's promise to him in Genesis 13:14-17 and witnessed the altar he built to the LORD. She would see the results of his victory at Hobah (14:15). She would have been familiar with the fact of the covenant between God and Abram in Genesis 15. And she recognized after the angel of the LORD found her, that she had seen God and was still alive (16:13). She recognized Him undoubtedly because she had some inkling of His nature.

And whether for her sake, or for Ishmael's, or for Abram's, God had a plan and her cries over her affliction did not escape the divine ear. No wilderness too expansive, no problem too extensive that the God of Abraham did not hear and bring divine help exactly when it was needed. She was absolutely alone in this world with no one to see or hear or even care - except for One! And that One was the God of eternity! His response to her cry was intimate, intricate and infinite. It always is! Now, as then!

Hagar found that out again after the birth and subsequent weaning of Isaac when, yet again, she was driven out of Abraham's household at the insistence of Sarai (21:10). Again, she found herself in the wilderness where she had met God. Her son was about to die and she wept. The young boy Ishmael, under a bush not far away, wept as well. And God heard the lad crying; and the angel of God called to Hagar from heaven, and said to her, '"What is the matter with you, Hagar?Do not fear, for God has heard the voice of the lad where he is"' (21:17). Once again the assurance came that God was 'a very present help in trouble' (Psalm 46:1). God heard the boy where he was! That's a wonderful confidence we can have as well. He hears us where we are! Alone, in our own wilderness, dying for lack of sustenance, hidden and crying out in our agony of heart; God hears and provides the life-sustaining well of water that answers to our need exactly where we are at that moment. And God was with the lad, and he grew... (21:20). He's with us too! We need be anxious for nothing!

Eliezer

Another servant of Abraham's found out God's personal interest in his affairs! Though we are not explicitly told that he was Eliezer, we are told that he was the oldest of Abraham's household and that he had the charge of all that Abraham owned. A comparison with Genesis 15:2 would suggest that the servant in 24:12-14 was this same servant, as described in 24:2.

In choosing a wife for Isaac, he prayed: '"O LORD, the God of my master Abraham, please grant me success today, and show lovingkindness to my master Abraham ... now may it be that the girl to whom I say ... and who answers ... may she be the one whom Thou hast appointed for Thy servant Isaac ..."' He was specific in his request so that he would recognize when God had answered. Had he been general in his request, he might never have known that God had indeed listened and responded to his need. But before he finished speaking, Rebekah was on the scene and exactly what he had asked was playing out before him.

He had prayed specifically, but he let the Lord lead: 'Meanwhile, the man was gazing at her in silence, to know whether the LORD had made his journey successful or not' (24:21). The man did not orchestrate the circumstances so that he could interpret the results as he wished them to be. He kept quiet and let the Lord work out His plan so that he could not miss God's guidance. It's a concept that we do well to imitate in our prayer life. Solomon rightly stated: 'A time to be silent, and a time to speak' (Eccles. 3:7). For when God hears the cries of those who call out to Him, He calls back. Sometimes we're too busy speaking to hear Him! Verse 48 describes the correct response to answered prayer: '"And I bowed low and worshipped the LORD, and blessed the LORD, the God of my master Abraham, who had guided me in the right way ..."' When Rebekah's family wanted to delay the departure of Rebekah with the servant to travel the 500 miles (800 km.) back to Palestine, he said, '"Do not delay me, since the LORD has prospered my way"' (24:56). That's what he asked of the Lord. And that's what he received in response. James 4:2,3,8 tell us today: '"You do not have because you do not ask. You ask and do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, so that you may spend it on your pleasures ... Draw near to God and He will draw near to you."' True then; true now!

Jabez

Jabez was more honourable than his brothers were. Whatever else may have set him apart as such, this did, that he called on the God of Israel to bless him, enlarge his border, keep His hand with him and keep him from harm (1 Chron.4:9,10). The summary statement of Scripture is: 'And God granted him what he requested.' Why? His character was honourable, obviously in God's eyes as well as men's. He asked according to the will of God, and in God's time and in God's plan He brought it to pass.

He asked for big things. Big or small to us, it's all small to God, yet ever so important! We ask for similar things today - blessing, enlarging of the borders of God's house, His hand evident among us, His protection over us. But are we vessels for honour? Paul instructed Timothy about that. His summary in 2 Timothy 2:21 is instructive when set beside Jabez' prayer: 'Therefore, if a man cleanse himself from these things, he will be a vessel for honor, sanctified, useful to the Master, prepared for every good work' (v.21). God does hear and does bless and does enlarge and does stay near and does protect. His faithfulness is unquestionable and unchangeable. Are we willing to cleanse ourselves from the dishonourable that we might also be vessels for honour, sanctified, useful, prepared, as it appears Jabez was in his day? Are our requests, or our lives, out of step with God's will if we are not witnessing God's response?

May we be Hannah-like in our petitions before a God who will freely give us all things ... (Rom.8:32). She said: '"I have poured out my soul before the LORD" (1 Sam.1:15). As then, so also now, The effective prayer of a righteous man' [and woman] 'can accomplish much' (James 5:16).

Biblical quotations from the NASB

NEELY, G. | Apr 2003
Old Testament Insights Into Prayer