Amidah 16 – Prayer for the Hearing of Prayer

This request might be strange. We are praying for God to hear our prayer. Why would God not hear our prayer? The answer is in the scripture: “The LORD is far from the wicked but he hears the prayer of the righteous.” (Proverbs 15:29) Prayer is a matter of the heart. God knows intimately what is in our heart.

God desires to work on our hearts through prayer, which is why prayer sometimes is a process. Jesus said, “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.” (Mt 7:7) Jesus also said, “Suppose one of you has a friend, and he goes to him at midnight and says, `Friend, lend me three loaves of bread, because a friend of mine on a journey has come to me, and I have nothing to set before him.'

"Then the one inside answers, `Don't bother me. The door is already locked, and my children are with me in bed. I can't get up and give you anything.' I tell you, though he will not get up and give him the bread because he is his friend, yet because of the man's boldness he will get up and give him as much as he needs. (Luke 11:5-8) – (See also Luke 18:1-7)

Through the process of Prayer God helps refine the difference between our desires and needs. God works on our hearts and helps us understand how He works as we pray. God desires to give us all that we need, and many of our wants. "Which of you, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him! So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets.” (Mt 7:10-12)

So prayer is a process in which God works on us. As we look at the Amidah, it is a process. First: Recognizing God’s Greatness. Second: Recognizing and correcting our sinfulness. Third: Praying for God’s people and His desires, always placing in our hearts the things God tells us in His word. We are to pray for others, and for our desires. But these things are better understood as we allow God to shape our hearts. Jesus said, “Your Father knows what you need before you ask him.” (Mt 6:8)

Paul said, “For this reason I kneel before the Father, from whom his whole family in heaven and on earth derives its name. I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being,” (Eph 3:14-16) Let us pray that God hears our prayer and that we are strengthened, becoming more the person which God desires.