There are billions of people on earth, which means billions of dreams, concerns and groans.  billions of purposes, different stories to tell, in our complex world, HOW does God listen to all our concerns?

I really don’t know and frankly, I think it is none of man’s business to explain the wonders of God, however what I did discover is WHAT God DOES in our prayers.

I was reading the story of the Israelites during their years of slavery.  They were mistreated by the oppressive Egyptians, there was no hope for them, the God of their ancestors seemed like a joke and a made up story, as far as their situation is;  God seemed unreal or deaf.  Then I came across a verse that struck me:

“Many years later the king of Egypt died. The Israelites groaned under their slavery and cried out. Their cries for relief from their hard labor ascended to God:

God listened to their groanings.

God remembered his covenant with Abraham, with Isaac, and with Jacob.

God saw what was going on with Israel.

God understood.”

-exodus 2:23-25 (message)

In another translation, verse 25 stated:  “He looked down on the people of Israel and knew it was time to act.”(NLT)

Then it struck me, God listened to their prayers, he remembered his promises, he saw their situation and more than that he understood.  To top it all off it said that he also knew that it was time to act, he was  “concerned about them.”(NIV).  It just gave me strength to know that despite the billions of prayers being made, billions of complaints and even billions of doubts God receives, his sovereignty is never compromised and at the end of it all, He listens to us, He remembers His promises, His will and purpose for us, He sees our situation in a bigger picture and most importantly, He understands more than we understand ourselves.

Listens. Remembers. Sees. Understands.

Four words that gives me a whole new confidence in my prayers, Thanks God!