In John 11, while Jesus was praying, he said: “I know that You always hear Me, but because of the crowd standing here I said this, so they may believe You sent Me.” John 11:42 (HCSB)

When Jesus prayed, He knew the father heard Him.  You are thinking, “Oh sure, the Father heard Him, - but that’s because He is God too.”  The implication here is that He does not listen to us.  My friend you could not be any more wrong!  In fact, the people hanging around Jesus at that time were not convinced He was God, which is why He added the “but because of the crowd standing here…”, part.  They too believed that God would not hear and answer the prayer of “just anyone”.  Maybe that is the key:  We are not “just anyone”.  If God will not listen to you because you are nobody, would He listen to you because you were one of His?  Would He listen to you because you belong to Him? 

You were important enough to the Father to send His only begotten Son.  Jesus thought you were important enough to die for.  Wouldn’t that qualify you?  God calls us His children, Jesus calls us friends, we refer to each other as brothers and sisters of Jesus.  The Bible says that the Church is Jesus’ bride.  When our children talk, we listen; when our friends talk, we listen; when our family talks, we listen; when our spouse talks – we listen! 

When you talk to God – He listens!  If He is listening, He is also going to answer.  Perhaps not the answer we want it to be, but He does answer!  When we are finished with our prayer it becomes our opportunity to listen!