Silas
Good and Faithful Servant
Your cry for mercy reaches the ears of the One who delights in showing it. The very moment your heart called out, the God who was already looking for a reason to be gracious heard you. Just as He placed that intercession on Moses' heart so many generations ago because He was seeking an opportunity to demonstrate mercy, so He has been drawing you to this place. You are not trying to persuade a reluctant God; you are opening the door through prayer for Him to do what He has been longing to do all along.
You described the ridicule and the attack on your prayer, the way it was belittled by those who twisted it into something to mock. That kind of mockery has always been a weapon of the enemy to discourage and paralyze those who are truly seeking God. When Nehemiah faced the same scorn while rebuilding the walls, he met it not with argument, but with prayer: “Hear, O our God, for we are despised.” And then he and the people set a watch and kept on building. Do not let the laughter of others silence what God has placed within you. You do not need to display your prayer before anyone else for it to be heard before heaven. The Lord knows the unspoken groanings of your heart; He knows exactly what this prayer is about, and He responds to that trust, not to public explanation.
And now you are wrestling to believe that the prayer has already been answered. There is a vast difference between saying, “I believe God can” and “I believe God will.” And there is even a step beyond that: “I believe God has already done it.” That kind of faith rests not on what your eyes see, but on the character of the One you are addressing. And look at who you are calling upon: the great and awesome God who keeps His covenant of mercy for those who love Him and observe His commandments. You began your prayer by turning to Jesus alone; that is the right address. He is the same Lord who, when the blind man was brought before Him, did not merely ask him if he wanted to be healed; He drew out the man’s faith until he declared, “Lord, I believe,” and he worshiped. Faith comes by hearing the promises of God, and His promises are more solid than any mocking voice or any fleeting circumstance.
So when the thought comes that you must believe your prayer is already answered, do not be afraid of that holy confidence. It is not presumption when it is built on the mercy of the One who saves the most unlikely candidates, just as a pattern for all who would later believe. You are not coming to a God who deals in justice alone, you would not want that, and neither would I. You come crying for mercy. Mercy is not getting what you deserve, and grace is getting what you could never earn. The throne you approach is a throne of grace, where mercy is given freely and abundantly.
Do not let the mockery become a second voice that rivals what God has spoken. Eve stood at that tree, choosing between believing God’s word and believing the serpent’s contradiction. Every promise of God is either trusted or doubted. Jesus Himself appealed to His own works as testimony: if they could not accept His words, they should believe the works that He did. And His greatest work was the cross, where He secured for you the right to come boldly and find mercy. Your prayer, spoken aloud or held silently before Him, is joined to that finished work.
So keep praying. Keep watching. Responsible action walks hand in hand with earnest prayer; it is not laziness but obedient trust. Hold up the shield of faith knowing that the very mercy you need is already flowing toward you from the heart of a merciful and faithful High Priest. And when the enemy whispers that your faith is too small, remember: you are not believing in your own believing; you are believing in Jesus Christ. He is the one who opens the way, not the volume of your voice. The God who parted the Red Sea and brought deliverance to a whole nation out of His sheer compassion is no less attentive to the cry of your heart today. He hears it entirely. He will have mercy, for that is who He is.
You described the ridicule and the attack on your prayer, the way it was belittled by those who twisted it into something to mock. That kind of mockery has always been a weapon of the enemy to discourage and paralyze those who are truly seeking God. When Nehemiah faced the same scorn while rebuilding the walls, he met it not with argument, but with prayer: “Hear, O our God, for we are despised.” And then he and the people set a watch and kept on building. Do not let the laughter of others silence what God has placed within you. You do not need to display your prayer before anyone else for it to be heard before heaven. The Lord knows the unspoken groanings of your heart; He knows exactly what this prayer is about, and He responds to that trust, not to public explanation.
And now you are wrestling to believe that the prayer has already been answered. There is a vast difference between saying, “I believe God can” and “I believe God will.” And there is even a step beyond that: “I believe God has already done it.” That kind of faith rests not on what your eyes see, but on the character of the One you are addressing. And look at who you are calling upon: the great and awesome God who keeps His covenant of mercy for those who love Him and observe His commandments. You began your prayer by turning to Jesus alone; that is the right address. He is the same Lord who, when the blind man was brought before Him, did not merely ask him if he wanted to be healed; He drew out the man’s faith until he declared, “Lord, I believe,” and he worshiped. Faith comes by hearing the promises of God, and His promises are more solid than any mocking voice or any fleeting circumstance.
So when the thought comes that you must believe your prayer is already answered, do not be afraid of that holy confidence. It is not presumption when it is built on the mercy of the One who saves the most unlikely candidates, just as a pattern for all who would later believe. You are not coming to a God who deals in justice alone, you would not want that, and neither would I. You come crying for mercy. Mercy is not getting what you deserve, and grace is getting what you could never earn. The throne you approach is a throne of grace, where mercy is given freely and abundantly.
Do not let the mockery become a second voice that rivals what God has spoken. Eve stood at that tree, choosing between believing God’s word and believing the serpent’s contradiction. Every promise of God is either trusted or doubted. Jesus Himself appealed to His own works as testimony: if they could not accept His words, they should believe the works that He did. And His greatest work was the cross, where He secured for you the right to come boldly and find mercy. Your prayer, spoken aloud or held silently before Him, is joined to that finished work.
So keep praying. Keep watching. Responsible action walks hand in hand with earnest prayer; it is not laziness but obedient trust. Hold up the shield of faith knowing that the very mercy you need is already flowing toward you from the heart of a merciful and faithful High Priest. And when the enemy whispers that your faith is too small, remember: you are not believing in your own believing; you are believing in Jesus Christ. He is the one who opens the way, not the volume of your voice. The God who parted the Red Sea and brought deliverance to a whole nation out of His sheer compassion is no less attentive to the cry of your heart today. He hears it entirely. He will have mercy, for that is who He is.
