丁牧師穿著牧師領襯衫出門旅行的時候，經常被陌生人攔住。許多人在機場看見他那黑色襯衫上的牧師領，就會對他說：「請你為我禱告。」最近一次丁牧師搭飛機時，一位婦女看到他的牧師領，就跪在他的座位旁邊，懇求說：「你是牧師嗎？你能為我禱告嗎？」於是，丁牧師便為她禱告。

我們為何相信上帝會垂聽並回應禱告呢？耶利米書的一段經文給了我們答案：因為上帝在乎！上帝向祂所愛但因罪被擄的百姓保證：「我知道我向你們所懷的意念，是賜平安的意念，不是降災禍的意念」（29章11節）。上帝期盼有一天百姓會重新歸向祂。祂說：「你們要呼求我，禱告我，我就應允你們。你們尋求我，若專心尋求我，就必尋見。」（12-13節）

耶利米被囚在獄中時對此深有體會，他學到更多禱告的真理。上帝向他保證：「你求告我，我就應允你，並將你所不知道、又大又難的事指示你。」（33章3節）

耶穌也勸勉我們要禱告。祂說：「你們沒有祈求以先，你們所需用的，你們的父早已知道了」（馬太福音6章8節），所以我們要「祈求」、「尋找」並要「叩門」（7章7節）。我們每一次的祈求，會使我們更親近那位回應禱告的上帝。我們向上帝禱告時，不必像陌生人那樣拘謹，因為上帝認識我們，想要聆聽你我的心聲。讓我們現在就將憂慮交給祂！

When Pastor Timothy wears his preacher collar while traveling, he often gets stopped by strangers. “Pray for me, please,” people in the airport say when they see the clerical band atop his simple dark suit. On a recent flight, a woman knelt by his seat when she noticed him, pleading: “Are you a pastor? Would you pray for me?” And Pastor Timothy prayed.

A passage in Jeremiah sheds light on why we perceive that God hears and answers prayer: God cares! He assured His beloved but sinful, exiled people, “ ‘For I know the plans I have for you,’ declares the Lord, ‘plans to prosper you and not to harm you’ ” (29:11). God anticipated a time when they would return to Him. “Then you will call on me and come and pray to me,” He said, “and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart” (vv. 12-13).

The prophet learned this and more about prayer while confined to prison. God assured him, “Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know” (33:3).

Jesus also urges us to pray. “Your Father knows what you need before you ask him,” He said (Matthew 6:8). So “ask,” “seek,” and “knock” in prayer (7:7). Every petition we make draws us closer to the one who answers. We don’t have to be a stranger to God in prayer. He knows us and wants to hear from us. We can take our concerns to Him right now.