God Always Hears US

Hiking boots with no slip grip. Hiking pole. A fanny pack to carry lipstick and phone securely in. Stylish bogging, maybe one with a cute fuzzy ball on top, or at least a pair of ear muffs. Waterproof gloves. Extra socks for emergence. From this list, I can now successfully check one item off: the hiking boots! After visiting four stores, one of which sold what I’m certain was every pair of shoes known to humanity, and trying on so many different shoes that my feet hurt, I purchased a pair of Merrill hiking boots… from the clearance rack. 😂 

Tim and I have recently decided to take up hiking. Literally, we made this decision within the last two weeks. Our first outing was to the Ray Mine on Pensacola Road in Burnsville, NC. It was a short hike with a rather steep incline. At one point, I crawled over the logs on my hands and knees. Tim and Oscar (the puppy in charge) led the way, and believe me when I say they were constantly calling for me to catch up. The hike kicked my fifty-one-year-old tail! Once we were back at the ATV, Tim decided we needed to “Take up hiking and do it on a more serious level,” especially since I was so out of shape.” 

This past weekend, we checked out the Coleman Boundary in Barnardsville, NC. The waterfall in this post is called Douglas

Waterfall. It took us about twenty minutes to hike to the waterfall. The beauty was so captivating that I lost focus while walking, and the next thing I knew, I was falling face-first into a massive pile of rocks. To break my fall and prevent breaking my nose, I threw everything I had in my hands. Yep, phone included. Luckily, I could brace myself with my hands without getting injured. Of course, I did get a lecture from Tim and Oscar. My phone landed behind one of the rocks, completely submerged in the water. Talk about luck! The protection screen now has a few more cracks, but the phone works perfectly!
 

While at the Ray Mine, I found a stick along the path that I used to help me. It made a significant difference in my balance and often prevented me from wiping out. After my spill at the waterfall, I realized I had not picked up a stick, so I quickly found one. If I had been using a stick, I probably would not have fallen and thrown my phone. As we exited the hiking trail, I looked for a place to put the stick. I wanted to leave it in plain sight so no one else would be staggering around like I had. I found the perfect spot, alright, and I placed my stick with about ten other sticks also left in plain sight for folks like me. Gee, I wished I had noticed that “perfectly plain sight place” before going on the trail! 

During both hikes, our paths crossed with hikers of all kinds. Some were hiking with a buddy, some were in family groups, and even a few were going at it solo. It was the solo hikers who stood out to me the most, and at that moment, I felt alone. I began realizing how vast the forest I was standing in was and how minute I was. Have you ever felt alone in the world? Like no one cares? No one listens? No one is available? Maybe you have felt like you were a bother to others. 

Daniel 10 has a beautiful story about Daniel praying to God and semi-fasting for three weeks. I call it semi-fasting because Daniel said he didn’t eat any “choice food,” meaning he stopped eating certain foods. Daniel had questions about the end times of which he desperately sought God’s answer. While standing by a river with some of his friends, an angel appeared to Daniel. His friends could not even see the angel. But the feeling they got from the angel’s presence alone was enough to send them packing. What about your friends? In times of need, do they have your back? Or do they take the high road and flee, leaving you alone to battle? I don’t know anything about Daniel’s friends except that they ran. For all I know, this could have been the first time they abandoned Daniel. But, if I were Daniel, I would rethink the friendship. I don’t know about you all, but I want me some friends who will be there through thick, thin, and definitely through the presence of angels! 

Daniel, left alone on his knees, went into a deep sleep. The angel told Daniel he was sent to give him a message regarding his prayer but had gotten distracted by a battle with the prince of Persia. From all my research, I learned there was a powerful demon at work in Persia, and the angel sent to Daniel stopped to join the war against the demon. The battle became so intense that this angel, in a sense, needed backup. The archangel, Michael, joined the angel in battle. While Michael continued to fight, the first angel completed his mission and visited with Daniel. 

Here is my favorite verse from this story. Daniel 10 verse 12 says, “Since the first day that you set your mind to gain understanding and to humble yourself before your God, your words were heard, and I have come in response to them.” God heard Daniel’s words the first time he said them. Have you ever prayed for something and felt like God wasn’t listening? Don’t ever let Satan tell you that lie again. We have proof that God hears us.

For me, it’s easy to get distracted by this world and forget that an invisible war is raging. I also don’t think about the angels who might be protecting and defending. I often joke about how my angel needs a break from me now and then because I’m too much of a mess to take care of! 

This story in Daniel has reminded me that God does hear me when I cry out to Him the first time. He doesn’t need me to remind Him what I’m praying for. I repeat my prayers because I’m reminding myself of Who it is that has the power to answer them. God hears me, He cares, He listens, and He is always available. I’m grateful Jesus opened those doors for me to have complete, undeniable access at any time to God. I’ve always heard that God answers “Yes, No, or Not Yet” to prayers. Now I’m wondering if “Not Yet” happens because the angel with the answer is busy fighting a spiritual war at that moment and just hasn’t gotten the answer to me yet—something to think about for sure. 

HAPPY FALL!