I have a hearing problem. Always have had. I was born with it – an abnormal hearing pattern that is just within the bounds of the “normal” spectrum. 

Most days this doesn’t bother me at all. It’s just part of who I am. Part of the way God made me. But every once in a while (usually when I am over-tired or there is an abundance of “distraction” noise around), I feel my hearing problem acutely. Trust me, after the third or fourth time, “I still didn’t hear that,” stops being cute and just becomes irritating. 

I know it could be worse – as a kid I feared losing my hearing entirely, especially since ear infections were an incredibly frequent occurrence  for me – but I also know what it is to struggle to hear things that others hear easily. I know what it is to have to “bend close” to clearly hear someone speak. 

Because of this, a verse like this is dear to my heart. I love that God “bends close” to hear our prayers. God doesn’t bend close becase he has a hearing problem, he bends close because he cares. Because it is important to him to hear our prayers. Because we are his precious children – each and everyone of the billions of us on this planet – and he CARES to hear what we have to say to him. 

The Psalmist says because of this – because God bends close – he will pray as long as he has breath. Because God’s desire to hear the Psalmist’s prayers makes the Psalmist want to keep talking to God. That’s the way of relationship. 

This Lent, as we journey toward the cross, may you know that God’s ear is bent close to catch even your smallest prayer. May that sense of God’s attentiveness spur you on to pray more often. And may you find your relationship with God growing stronger because of it. 

Because he bends down to listen, I will pray as long as I have breath!
Psalms‬ ‭116‬:‭2‬ NLT