God Blesses Hungry Hearts

For a few weeks we are featuring material from Teach Us to Pray  ©1995 by Discipleship Publications International and edited by Tom and Sheila Jones. This week’s post is the second of two excerpts from chapter by Steve Kinnard who serves as a teacher in the New York City Church of Christ.

When we pray rightly and righteously, it allows God to work powerfully in our lives.  Jesus said, “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled” (Matthew 5:6).  They will be filled—it will happen.  “Ask, and it will be given to you;  seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.  For everyone who asks, receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened” (Matthew 7:7-8).  Those who seek will not be denied. 

James said, “You have not because you ask not” (4:2 KJV).  When we passionately seek God, he richly blesses us.  This was true of the nation of Judah.  2 Chronicles 15:15 states: “All Judah rejoiced about the oath because they had sworn it wholeheartedly, they sought God eagerly, and he was found by them.  So the Lord gave them rest on every side.”  When they sought God wholeheartedly, he blessed them.

Sometimes we must wrestle in prayer to receive the blessings of God. If we desire a blessing wholeheartedly, then we will be willing to wrestle for it and even wait for it.  Jacob the son of Isaac wrestled for a blessing with a man sent from God.  Genesis 32:26 says, “Then the man said, ‘Let me go, for it is daybreak.’  But Jacob replied, ‘I will not let you go unless you bless me.’”  Jacob received his blessing.  He received it because he greatly desired it—enough to wrestle for it; God blesses the hungry heart.

The power of your prayers is not dependent on your achievement, your knowledge, your age, your personality or your popularity.  It is dependent on the hunger in your heart for the person of God and the will of God.  No hungry heart will ever be turned away.