Psalm 34:6 This poor man cried, and the Lord heard him, and saved him out of all his troubles.
This passage of scripture teaches us that we are to put no restrictions on God's freedom and His right to hear and answer the prayers of those who have no relationship with Him, for the "Poor man" mentioned in the passage is not necessarily a Christian. On of the misconceptions that are held by many of us is that a person must have a relationship with The Lord, in order for Him to hear and answer their prayers. The Bible does not teach this erroneous belief, for then none of us might be heard of God, since we were all alienated and estranged from Him at some point or another in our lives. A healthy relationship with God must have a beginning point, and as a general rule, it is never when we are walking in obedience to His commands. Let's read:
Ephesians 2:1 And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins; 2 Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience: 3 Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others.
With the above passage in full view, we are now prepared to delve into the issue of God's discretion in answering the prayers of those who have no healthy relationship with Him. A prostitute comes to the realization that what she does for a living is wrong, and she is pricked in her conscience by The Holy Ghost, and thus sees her desperate need and her utter inability to save herself. She then prays to God for help in her dire situation and God reserves the right and freedom to both hear and answer her prayer. But He also has the right not to hear the prayers of those who are bent on sinning, when many opportunities for turning to God have been presented. This is where God's discretionary answers to other prayers remain His sole prerogative, to answer or to turn a deaf ear according to His own will and good pleasure. Let's read:
Proverbs 1:24 Because I have called, and ye refused; I have stretched out my hand, and no man regarded; 25 But ye have set at nought all my counsel, and would none of my reproof: 26 I also will laugh at your calamity; I will mock when your fear cometh; 27 When your fear cometh as desolation, and your destruction cometh as a whirlwind; when distress and anguish cometh upon you. 28 Then shall they call upon me, but I will not answer; they shall seek me early, but they shall not find me: 29 For that they hated knowledge, and did not choose the fear of the Lord.
It is of critical importance for us to understand that God reserves the freedom and the right to answer the prayers of even the blatantly disobedient, once those prayers consist of confession and repentance, for God is rich in mercy, and takes no delight in the destruction or troubles of the abandoned sinner, but rather seeks for ways and means whereby each member of the human family can be redeemed. Manasseh was one of the most wicked kings to ever sit on the throne of Israel, and God spoke to him through His servants and prophets for very many years, but the king would not hear, but rather plunged himself and the nation deeper into rebellion and idolatry, until God saw fit to have him taken into captivity by the king of Assyria.
But when Manasseh was incarcerated, and suffering tremendously, he reflected on the loving entreaties of God, who for all those previous years had borne patiently with him, and he saw clearly where his own transgressions had brought upon himself the present calamity, which could have been avoided if he had then obeyed. And so he prays to God from His jail cell and The merciful God hears and answers his prayer, and even goes further by restoring him to his kingdom. Let's read:
2nd Chronicles 33:10 And the Lord spake to Manasseh, and to his people: but they would not hearken. 11 Wherefore the Lord brought upon them the captains of the host of the king of Assyria, which took Manasseh among the thorns, and bound him with fetters, and carried him to Babylon. 12 And when he was in affliction, he besought the Lord his God, and humbled himself greatly before the God of his fathers, 13 And prayed unto him: and he was intreated of him, and heard his supplication, and brought him again to Jerusalem into his kingdom. Then Manasseh knew that the Lord he was God.
As we interact with our fellowmen we will often come across situations where individuals are not walking according to God's revealed will, or they might even be living in rebellion to what they know to be right. Let us then be careful not to misrepresent God's character by not praying for or with them, for Christians are always to see the potential in every person, and thus leave the discretionary answers to their prayers up to God alone, who sees and knows every heart. We therefore end with a passage of scripture which gives us God's perspective on the ungodly, for Jesus Christ shed His blood to save both saint and sinner. Let's read:
Romans 5:6 For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. 7 For scarcely for a righteous man will one die: yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die. 8 But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. 10 For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life.
May God add His blessing to the study and practice of His word. "Good night" and God bless!