Prayer that Penetrates Ceilings

Do you sometimes feel that your prayers get nowhere? Your prayers stop at the ceiling? In my life I often see God answering my prayers, but I often recognize answered prayers only when they come in the nick of time. Prayers answered with plenty of cushion I may forget because the element of concern is lost.

Often however, I fear to pray because as I look within I see an ugly sight. My robe of righteousness as one of the saints seems to shrink and I see my filthiness beneath. I don't feel clean because I know that often I'm not publicly presentable. I'm unclean with sin, or unclean with a sense of sin because too often I confess that same sin(s). I feel unworthy. And of course, we are unworthy in ourselves.

When I feel especially unworthy, encumbered with the enormity of my struggle, not so valiently fought, I still want to pray. But I also want to be heard. I confess, but I feel that my confession is empty because I confessed yesterday. ...For the same thing. So I pray a pray that even I know that our loving God cannot ignore.

I pray for someone else. I pray for someone else because I know that God cannot possibly refuse to hear this kind of prayer. My loving Lord will always hear a pray for another. And in this way I try to stay close to Him when I feel like sheepishly slinking away without hope. I know myself all too well. But I know that Jesus, my loving Lord God, wants to keep me. When I wander He looks for me and finds me. Only when I hide does He look but not find me. He knows where I am but waits for me to talk with him. And he hears when I pray the prayer that I am confident that he cannot ignore. I hang on to the trust that He will always scoop me up into his arms when I expose my hiding place.

If you're unsure your prayer of confession is heard, persist in confession anyhow. But also pray for someone else. When I pray that prayer I know that at least God hears, even though I fear he harbors distrust in regards to my commitment in confession itself. It keeps me closer to God.

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George Wade 8/27/2009
Addendum. God does answer prayers. Yet again at nearly the last moment! I had a 97 Dodge Ram van that I wished to use in the Cash for Clunkers program against a new 2010 Toyota Camry. But while the original owner of this van, I had allowed the registration to lapse for 6 months last year since I seldom drive it any more. Because the police cited me in August last year for an unlicensed vehicle I had registered it on August 20.So I couldn't cash it in until August 20. And the Cash for Clunkers government program initially ended in July after just four days because of strong demand. It was then extended with additional funding. I had an appointment with a salesperson on August 24 to close the deal. She assured me that her dealership was confident that funding would last into at least sometime in September. And she left on vacation in Cancun for a week.Thankfully, God influenced the sales floor manager to recognize the program was again ending earlier that expected. He contacted me and I closed on the deal on August 20, exactly a year after re-registration of my old vehicle. While in the midst of closing the deal the government announced the program closing date the following Monday. And I understand my dealer quit making Cash for Clunkers deals on the next day.I might have expected to take just any Camry (or car) on the lot at such late notice. But God even provided the exact model in the exact color with the exact options I wanted! He had arranged for me to register my old van the previous year at the precise moment needed and He provided the precisely desired replacement vehicle. Although a struggling sinner with self-doubts, I found my God again precisely providing for both my needs and my wants...