Praying To Hear

I was reading from the Book of Ecclesiastes this morning and was struck with the words found in the first verse of chapter 5: "Guard your steps when you go to the house of God. Go near to listen rather than to offer the sacrifice of fools, who do not know that they do wrong."

The beginning words, "guard your steps," is much the same as us saying, "watch where you are going."  The prophet is warning us, as we approach God, to be considerate of where we are going - before the very throne of God.

So why warn us about going before God?  Doesn't His Word invite us to "Let us then approach God's throne of grace with confidence..." (Heb 4:16)?  Certainly it does but not a confidence that comes from ourselves, rather one that comes from the Lord.

The point then is not to be fearful in approaching God but rather to be mindful.  Specifically, the prophet is warning us not to come before God with preconceived ideas of what is good and right or already having determined what God should do.  Instead, approach Him with an open heart, seeking what is good and best and right.

Consider how we approach God in prayer, telling him what we need and what others ought to have instead of seeking to find out what God wants from us and/or for us.  The difference is in calling for the Lord and calling on the Lord. Calling for is how one address a servant while calling on is subservient.

God is not a genie in a bottle for which we summon to do our bidding. Goes is the Creator, Sustainer, Redeemer and Judge of the universe. We need to approach Him with a humble spirit, asking for his guidance, for his will, for his answers to our needs, our desires, our direction.

So, the point is to be careful to,approach God with an open heart rather than an open hand.  We need to come before him asking where and how we are to go rather than telling him where and soliciting his help in getting there.

It is not that should never ask God for those things we want but rather we ought to approach him with a humbleness that "seeks first the kingdom of God..." (Matt 6:33a)  knowing that  "...all these things [earthly needs] will be given to you as well" (Matt 6:33b).  Jus' Say'n.