Today’s 333 Devotional: “The Prayer God Hears”

Israel found itself fighting to secure the Promised Land. And while God promised it, they still had to go in and take it. After they defeated Jericho and Ai, the next battle was against five kingdoms.

The Lord told Joshua not to fear because He had given Israel the victory, and the rout was on. God even joined the battle raining huge hailstones upon the enemy killing more than the Israelites could.

Joshua realized the opportunity, but also realized he didn’t have enough daylight to accomplish the task, so he prayed, “Sun, stand still over Gibeon; and Moon, in the Valley of Aijalon.” (Joshua 10:12)

How God did this I don’t know, but in some way, He suspended the natural order of creation and provided enough daylight to answer Joshua’s prayer. Some question the story’s validity because there is no way this could have taken place, but that’s the very definition of a miracle.

To say that God couldn’t do this means God is not big enough. But the Lord said, “I am the Lord, the God of all flesh. Is there anything too hard for Me?” (Jeremiah 32:27)

The record states, “And there has been no day like that, before it or after it, that the Lord heeded the voice of a man; for the Lord fought for Israel.” (Joshua 10:14)

This story reveals the Lord God of all creation hears our prayers and answers them, but not for our glory, but for His. The problem with our prayers is they’re not for God’s glory, but ours.

This is why the Apostle James tells us we don’t receive the answers we want.

“You ask and do not receive, because you ask amiss, that you may spend it on your pleasures.” (James 4:3)

God still hears and responds to the voice of man and intervenes on the behalf of his children. You may say that God hears the voice of the person who hears the voice of God.