“Can you hear me now?”

“This is what the LORD says, he who made the earth, the LORD who formed it and established it—the LORD is his name: ‘Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know.’” Jeremiah 33:2-3

Have you ever had a problem with your computer and called Microsoft or Dell help line and got a recording? They are SUPPOSED to be there! I guess everyone is entitled to a bathroom break.

I have a love-hate relationship with answering machines, voice mails, and text messages. In some ways, they are better than nothing. I THINK that I am at least able to leave a message, an attempt to communicate with the party I am trying to reach who “isn’t available”. The reality is that I have had someone tell me that they left a message in my voice mail – but I never heard it! Maybe they called the wrong number and left the message somewhere in cyberspace? Maybe someone in my house deleted the message and THOUGHT they verbally delivered it? The point is – leaving a message with or counting on that a message will be delivered by a mechanical device does not insure that I have communicated with the person I wanted.

God cuts out the ‘middle man’ or electronic device and gets ALL my calls. I don’t have to use any formula or mechanical device. I don’t have to go through someone else. God is always ‘on call’. He can handle MULTIPLE calls! No language is ‘foreign’ to Him. He doesn’t even need a recognizable language. He does ‘thought’ very well! He even gets my message when I am not sure what the message is or how to communicate what is in my spirit. My spirit speaks to God’s Spirit. No line – no waiting.

God’s Spirit doesn’t make us slaves who are afraid of him. Instead, we become his children and call him our Father. God’s Spirit makes us sure that we are his children. His Spirit lets us know that together with Christ we will be given what God has promised. We will also share in the glory of Christ, because we have suffered with him. Romans 8:15-17 (CEV)

The NIV translation says that we can call Him “Abba, Father”. For me, that translates into ‘Daddy’. I see God as ‘personal’, not just a figurehead. I remember when my children would come home from elementary school and tell me ALL about their day. I didn’t understand the relevance and importance of most of it – but I listened and tried to ask at least one question. I wanted to lay the foundation that when they needed to come to me with the BIG stuff – I’d listen then, too. God does the same only He KNOWS the relevance of ‘little things’ in my life. He listens. His Spirit asks questions and He even gives the PERFECT advice!

So when we are in need, we should come bravely before the throne of our merciful God. There we will be treated with undeserved kindness, and we will find help. Hebrews 4:16 (CEV)

When I am at my lowest, don’t know where to turn, I can come to GOD and He will look at me with love and mercy and He WILL help me! It doesn’t get better than that!

Stop right now. Maybe life is OK right now. Maybe there isn’t a crisis. Maybe there is. Take – 2 minutes if that’s all you have – and just close your eyes and tell “Abba” all about it. He is listening.