A blank stare was etched on my face as the employee of Menards asked me, “Is there something I could help you find?”  I know there were three things I needed and each hand was holding something, but for the life of me, I could not remember what that item was.  It is really not my fault though.  There are so many distractions out there — yes, I am talking back to school supplies that go on sale on July 5th.  How can anyone stay focused?
So, I pray and say, “Amen.”  I go my way and God goes his sending angels to take care of my passionate desires.  Wham — something flares up half way around the world and God’s attention is suddenly consumed with it.  How is he going to ever remember my request for traveling mercies for a distant cousin?
Psalm 141:2 “Accept my prayer as incense offered to you[…].”  God does not forget our prayers because of some tragedy someplace in the world.  They stay before Him like an “Incense of Remembrance.” 
Revelation 8:4 reminds us that our prayers are incense before God.  He promises to work with us to see His will done on the earth.  Let me give you an example:  Abraham loved his nephew, Lot.  The love was not reciprocated and Lot fought against Abraham and numerous times left him.  Lot moved into Sodom which placed him in a situation that would cost him his life.  In Genesis 18 we have a story of Abraham praying for Sodom and specifically his nephew Lot.  Abraham asks God to spare Sodom if 10 righteous men could be found in the city.  Some have spoken that Sodom could have been spared if Abraham did not quit praying, but I think he did keep praying.  He was praying for his nephew Lot.  He was asking God to not only spare him, but to bring him home.  (See Genesis 19: 29 where it says God listens to Abraham’s request and kept Lot safe)  Lot was safe but not home.  he went to live in the mountains rather than with Abraham.  There he had two children, one of them named Moab.  Now follow me here.  Moab became a mighty nation and from that nation comes a girl from Moab named Ruth.  Ruth is adopted into the family of Elimelech and eventually marries a man named Boaz.  Ruth and Boaz have a child named Obed.  (Too many names?  Then you understand my confused look at Menards, but I digress.)  Abraham wanted Lot to come back into the family.  He refused and ran, but God remembered Abraham’s prayers like incense before Him.  Years later Ruth, a child of Moab, offspring from Lot married into the family of Abraham and little Obed becomes the grandfather of David.  God answered Abraham’s prayer and brought Lot home.  
Are you praying about something and wondering if God is hearing?  He will remember your request and work on bringing these deep desires to fulfillment.  Have Faith, and write your Menards list down.
 
“Prayers are deathless.  They outlive the lives of those who uttered them.- E.M. Bounds”