Welcome to today's encouragement from Our Daily Bread.

Our reading titled, God Will Answer, was written by Patricia Rabon.

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 the book of

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. 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. 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.

Jesus also urges us to pray.

Your father knows what you need before you ask him, he said in Matthew chapter six.

So ask, seek,

and knock in prayer.

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.

Today's Our Daily Bread Devotional Scripture reading is from Jeremiah

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