1 Kings 9:3 (ESV) -- And the LORD said to him, “I have heard your prayer and your plea, which you have made before me. I have consecrated this house that you have built, by putting my name there forever. My eyes and my heart will be there for all time….”

Pictures from NASA telescopes capture breathtaking views of galaxies far beyond our reach. These pictures remind us of how massive the universe is. Planet Earth is just a tiny rock in the middle of this giant cosmos. It is mind-blowing to reflect on how big the universe is and how small we are in comparison. When you zoom out of the Earth’s atmosphere and look upon the planet, its vastness shows how little we all are. Then as you keep zooming out, we only appear smaller in light of the scale of it all. Yet—here’s an amazing reality—God knows us and hears our prayers.

Our passage today captures this amazing truth for us. We read in 1 Kings 9:3, “And the LORD said to him, ‘I have heard your prayer and your plea, which you have made before me. I have consecrated this house that you have built, by putting my name there forever. My eyes and my heart will be there for all time.’”

This passage is God’s response after Solomon’s prayer of thanksgiving and dedication of the new Temple. Solomon had the privilege of building the Temple. His father David attempted to, but God set aside the task for Solomon. It took seven years to complete. The LORD responds to Solomon after he prays. 

The LORD begins by saying “I have heard your prayer and your plea.” What a thought! Imagine how incredible this truly is! The God of the universe hears the words of a mere creature. The universe that is so large and expansive we can’t even wrap our minds around its scope. We have no technology that can travel to its end or even take a picture of it. And as large as the universe is, it is but a pebble compared to the Mt. Everest that is God. God holds the cosmos in His hand. He spoke it into being with a word. 

This God hears our prayers. The thought is incredible. It humbles us. It should stir awe and wonder at the greatness of our God. He hears our prayers and pleas, and He doesn’t even work hard to do it. He knows our needs before we even ask Him (Matthew 6:8). Do you petition the LORD with confidence that He hears you? If you are in Christ, you can rest assured that your sins are forgiven and you have access to the throne of grace (Hebrews 4:16). Go to Him. You may feel small, but the God of the universe hears your cries to Him.

Reflection & Journal:
- Why is it so incredible that God hears our prayers?
- What are some specific things you are currently taking before the LORD?
- How does this passage teach us to think about prayer?

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