I spent most of today studying for my Church History final exam tomorrow. (How would you spend your day off?) Right now the outcomes of the four main ecumenical church councils are beginning to blur together, along with most of the apostolic fathers. I got cauliflower ear while I was on the phone for a long time with one of my seminary classmates reviewing our notes.
I was also on the phone talking a good while with tech support people located in who-knows-where trying to get some answers to why my new notebook computer can log onto the Internet using WiFi in all sorts of places (like Panera and church) but not at home. (The problem has been narrowed down to its incompatibility with our old router. Some junior members of our household are lobbying for dad to purchase a newer, faster router that will most likely solve the problem.)
I am thankful that when it comes to my Heavenly Father hearing my prayers, everyplace is a hot spot with full connectivity to Him. Like my laptop, the issue is my internal compatibility with Him. Periodically, I need to run some diagnostic questions to check and see if there's any interference. I ask questions like these...
- What are my motives right now?
- Have I confessed known sin in my life?
- Am I operating out of fear?
- What am I thinking about? Is it true and right and good?
- Am I trusting God in this situation?
- Am I obeying what I know God wants me to do?
This is what King David was dealing with when he prayed, "Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me and lead me in the way everlasting" (Psalm 139:23-24, NIV).
Thankfully, our prayer connection can be reestablished when we draw near to God. Humble submission, honest confession, and wholehearted obedience lead us right into God's presence (James 4:6-10). Prayer is not just sending and receiving a signal; it's the outflow of a deepening relationship with God. How strong is your connection to Him?
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