God Listens to Our Prayers

Today's Reading
Numbers Chp 27

After reading throughout Numbers about God's instructions for daily living, I've been getting a sense of how relentless the God of the Old Testament can be in terms of do this, do that, etc. In this chapter, I am reminded of how God listens to our prayers and responds, he is a just God and a caring God.

First He responds to the daughters of Zelophehad:

¹ The daughters of Zelophehad son of Hepher, the son of Gilead, the son of Makir, the son of Manasseh, belonged to the clans of Manasseh son of Joseph. The names of the daughters were Mahlah, Noah, Hoglah, Milcah and Tirzah. They approached ² the entrance to the Tent of Meeting and stood before Moses, Eleazar the priest, the leaders and the whole assembly, and said, ³ "Our father died in the desert. He was not among Korah's followers, who banded together against the LORD, but he died for his own sin and left no sons. ⁴ Why should our father's name disappear from his clan because he had no son? Give us property among our father's relatives."

⁵ So Moses brought their case before the LORD ⁶ and the LORD said to him, ⁷ "What Zelophehad's daughters are saying is right. You must certainly give them property as an inheritance among their father's relatives and turn their father's inheritance over to them. (Numbers 27:1-7)

Then He listens to Moses:

¹⁵ Moses said to the LORD, ¹⁶ "May the LORD, the God of the spirits of all mankind, appoint a man over this community ¹⁷ to go out and come in before them, one who will lead them out and bring them in, so the LORD's people will not be like sheep without a shepherd."

¹⁸ So the LORD said to Moses, "Take Joshua son of Nun, a man in whom is the spirit,^"and lay your hand on him. ¹⁹ Have him stand before Eleazar the priest and the entire assembly and commission him in their presence. ²⁰ Give him some of your authority so the whole Israelite community will obey him. ²¹ He is to stand before Eleazar the priest, who will obtain decisions for him by inquiring of the Urim before the LORD. At his command he and the entire community of the Israelites will go out, and at his command they will come in." (Numbers 27:15-21)

My Prayer: Lord, you ARE just and you ARE caring. Thank for listening to my prayers that I have prayer and for prayers prayed by others on my behalf. Forgive me that I neglect you and help me draw nearer to you - help me develop a deeper desire and love for you and for me to follow your instructions more obediently. Help me remember that you DO listen and respond to prayers - and more importantly, help me pray.