This is a hard verse to swallow, but a vital one for spiritual health. It sets a principle of consistency in our relationship with God.
If anyone turns a deaf ear to my instruction
"Instruction" here represents God's teaching, His principles, His revealed will. "Turning a deaf ear" isn't ignorance; it's a deliberate act of rebellion. It's knowing what's right and choosing to ignore it to live your own way.
Even their prayers are detestable
The consequence is severe. The word "detestable" is extremely strong. Why would God find a prayer detestable? Because it becomes an act of hypocrisy. It's the attempt to use God as a blessings-vending-machine while rejecting God as Lord.
It's like a child who breaks every house rule on purpose, ignores their parents, but keeps asking for money and favors. In that context of disobedience, the request itself becomes offensive. Effective prayer isn't an isolated performance; it's the expression of a life seeking to walk aligned with the Father.
"The Knight in Rusty Armor" — Robert Fisher
The Knight talked a lot, but didn't know how to listen. He wanted to be admired (a kind of "prayer" for validation), but refused to hear the truths about himself. His armor only started to come off once he learned to sit in silence and listen (to the truth, the pain, the other person) before speaking.
"O Poder da Autorresponsabilidade" — Paulo Vieira
The victim spends their life asking God to change their circumstances (prayer), but refuses to hear the instruction about what they themselves need to change (the instruction). The self-owning prayer starts with: "Lord, I've heard Your instruction. Here's what I'm going to change. Now, I ask for Your help."
Jesus sums up this principle in John 15:7: "If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you."
The condition for answered prayer is His words remaining in us (hearing the instruction). Jesus Himself was the perfect example: His prayers were always heard because His life was a constant obedience to the Father ("not what I will, but what you will").
In Christ, we are accepted, which gives us the desire to obey not out of fear, but out of love. And when we pray in Jesus' Name, we're praying on the basis of the merits of His obedience, seeking to align our will with His.