Have you ever noticed how most of our prayers are based on how we feel at the time?  If we are happy, we spend more time worshipping God, and if we’re sad, it’s “oh, woe is me” prayer time.  If we don’t feel good, we are usually asking God to make us well, and if we need money, well, we are usually asking God to prosper us.  Whatever we are feeling pretty much determines how we will pray.
   Have you ever considered that God has feelings too?  He surely must have, otherwise, He could not have created us with feelings.  But do we ever ask God how He feels about things?  Actually, the Holy Bible tells us His heart’s desires.  We read all through the Bible how God has His arms outstretched to mankind, calling out to them, inviting them to know Him and His ways, to trust Him to chart the best way for us.  Consider how God called Israel His own chosen people among all those on earth, and when He blessed them and prospered them, they got happy and content and basically forgot Him.  How do you think that made HIM feel?  How would it make YOU feel if you adopted a down and out family off the street and gave them a home and food, clothing, and every possible thing they could ever need, and they got so involved with their own self-serving interests, that they forgot all about you, and they quit talking to you?  Would it hurt you?  Then it must surely hurt God when we do the same.  It happens all the time, over and over throughout history.  Seems we never learn, do we?
   Now, consider your own particular situation.  Some of you are blessed and well off with abundance.  Others have enough to get by without need.  Still others are just getting by, or struggling to make ends meet.  Some of you are abundantly healthy, others not so.  And your prayers are shaped by your situation, even if you don’t intend it to be that way.  Just listen to your prayers that you’re sending up to God.  Are they about YOU, or are they about HIM?  Or are they about what you want Him to do for you?  What kinds of prayers make GOD happy?  I imagine sometimes when we come to the Throne Room , God would just as soon hang out the “Out to lunch” sign as soon as we start praying.  But He doesn’t because HIS feelings prevent Him from doing so.  You see, God loves us, and is full of grace and mercy, and because He never changes, we are not destroyed.
   Now, if I had been the one creating the Ten Commandments, there probably would have been eleven of them, the last one being, THOU SHALT NOT WHINE.  I for one do NOT want God to sit on the Throne, resting His head in His hand, staring at the ceiling while I drone on and on about how bad things are, and what He can give me to make me stop whining for a while.  I would MUCH rather He smile when He hears my voice, and I know He does when I tell Him how much I love Him and just offer up worship for no other reason than God is good, and His mercy endures forever.  Could there possibly be anything more pleasant than to be in the LORD’s presence?  If there is, I surely can’t imagine what.
   I know how many times my heart has been hurt during my lifetime, and so it’s easy to imagine how many times we all have hurt God’s heart.  Face it, people are fickle.  We love God as long as it’s convenient and we’re getting our way.  But when we’re not?  I have to imagine what life would be like if God was fickle like WE are.  It wouldn’t be a very pretty picture.  We would all be still lost in our sins, because if God based our salvation upon what’s in it for Him, we wouldn’t have a prayer.  Most of us base our relationship with God upon what’s in it for us.  Yet, all God wants is to bless us and be good to us.
   You’d think we would really appreciate a God who loves us so much that He gave His own Son for the ransom for our sins.  But do we?  I mean, really, would YOU give YOUR only child’s life to ransom someone who never gave a hoot about anyone but himself?  Can you imagine how God feels when someone refuses His free gift of salvation?  Does it hurt HIS feelings, knowing that a child whom He loves so much, chooses to stand apart from Him?  God does NOT delight in the death of a sinner.  He would rather they turn from their wickedness and live.  Could it hurt God’s heart when we, His redeemed children, fail to tell other people about His goodness and mercy?  Does it hurt God’s heart to watch HIS OWN CHILDREN who have been redeemed by the blood of His Son, living below the blessings He died to give us?  I think if you honestly consider those questions, you will treat God better. It gave ME something to think about.
   Any parent wants their children to have a good life, how much more does our heavenly Father want His children blessed?  After all, He is the good and perfect Father.  And He has indeed made those blessings available to whosoever will draw close to Him.  God yearns for our love, and He delights in blessing us, He desires our constant fellowship.  Sometimes I think God actually gave us needs for things that will keep us alive, just so we would cry out to Him to meet those needs.  Think about it; if people didn’t have needs, most would never ever talk to God.  Some of you parents of teenagers understand that well.  If your kids didn’t need something, they would never talk to you.  A need gives us reason to cry out to God.  And that need gives God the opportunity to love on us and take care of us.  Sounds like a match made in heaven to me.
   God isn’t something “out there”, a nameless, formless entity.  He is our Creator, our heavenly Father, loving provider, the source of all life, and certainly He should be the One foremost in our thoughts, words and deeds.  He has a heart that loves His children, and He hates it when we turn our back on Him, because it separates us from Him.  Remember, He doesn’t forsake us, but He allows us to forsake Him, because He will not force us to love Him. 
But yet, I AM forced to love God, because it is impossible to consider how he first loved me while I was yet deep in sin, and my heart not cry out in love for Him.  Personally, I can’t see how anyone’s heart could not yearn for Him.  But it must be because they have not yet heard of His tender mercies.  I must tell them.  Yes, that’s the answer.  Maybe you could help me?