An unusual Text of Scripture caught my eye last night after the Revival Service. Though I have read it before, several times, it never really spoke to my heart as it did a few hours ago!
“O LORD God of hosts, how long wilt thou be ANGRY against the prayer of thy people?” Psalm 80:4, an astounding question!
God “angry” at the very prayers His people pray?
This I know. Sin (a backslidden heart) will surely displease the Lord, at least when it is unconfessed and cuddled in our lives. Here’s Proof … “If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me.” Psalm 66:18, not even “hear” my prayers! But that’s not anywhere near the same as being “angry” at my prayers.
Furthermore, husbands being “bitter” against their wives … that’s for sure an impediment to answered prayer. “Likewise, ye husbands, dwell with them according to knowledge, giving honour unto the wife, as unto the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the grace of life; that your prayers be not HINDERED.” 1 Peter 3:7, that our prayers be not “cut down” or “tripped up!”
Other scenarios could be discovered from the Bible, circumstances that might keep God from responding to prayer.
But to cause Him to be ANGRY at certain prayers, or at certain people praying … that’s unique!
Here is the chief reason why (best I can find from Scripture) God might react that strongly AGAINST a person’s prayers. “He that turneth away his ear from hearing the law (God’s Word), even his prayer shall be abomination.” Proverbs 28:9 … where that word “abomination” actually means “disgusting” a person! Pretty close to anger, divine (righteous) indignation.
It looks to me like God can get angry at my praying … when (or if) I disobey His Word! Reject His Word! Refuse to hear His Word!
It is as if God says: “If YOU won’t listen to ME, via the Bible … then I will not listen to YOU in prayer. Your prayers will actually anger ME!”
Wow!
Prayerlessness, bad as that is, might be better than hypocritically praying to the Lord with a heart that’s repellent to Scripture.
Now I realize that today’s Text is unusual.
But nonetheless it should … propel us to a more sincere prayer life. That’s my goal, anyway.
— Dr. Mike Bagwell
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