OPEN LINE

Call to me and I will answer you, and will tell you great and hidden things that you have not known. Jeremiah 33:3 ESV

I get a lot of robocalls and texts. It has gotten so bad that I seldom answer my phone if I do not recognize the number. I often let the call go to voicemail to see if it was not a telemarketer. At times, I would answer the phone, but within seconds, I would hang up, if I realize it is a robocall or a telemarketer.

I am so glad God never hang up on me when I call on him. Indeed, God never hangs up on anyone. He welcomes all calls and listens to all callers. Whether the call is for selfish and sinful reasons or not, God listens and answers. Wow!

In today’s text, the Lord told the Israelites through the prophet Jeremiah, to call on him, and he will answer them. Prayer is the only way we can call on God. God listens to our prayer because the Holy Spirit intercedes for us. He does not and cannot reject the intercession of the Holy Spirit because He is the Holy Spirit.

The line of communication with God is never busy. No one will ever hang up on a caller. Our calls do not go to voicemail. God listens personally to every call. The Lord does not use caller ID. Before we even call, he knows when we are going to call and why. That is why the word of God tells us to make our petitions known to God when we pray.

There is no need to pretend with God. When we pray, we can get straight to the point and let him know why we are calling. God likes transparency and straightforwardness. He wants his children to be open and at ease with him.

Many people are frustrated in life because they are using the wrong service provider to communicate with God. In the early 90s, using cell phones was frustrating at times, depending on your service provider. Many of my calls were dropped in the middle of the conversation because I was out of range from the nearest cell tower to my service provider. Things have gotten a whole lot better these days. I seldom have a call dropped because the service providers have become more efficient.

The Holy Spirit is the only service provider that guarantees uninterrupted communication with God. The Holy Spirit removes any interference that would prevent our calls from getting to the Father. Then He stores our calls into his memory bank so that God the Father can go in to retrieve them (Romans 8:27).

Many people treat God as a telemarketer or robocaller. We do not answer his calls, or we let his messages go to voicemail. When they listen to the messages (from sermons, Bible study, devotionals, etc.), they chose whether or not to do what is asked. Thus, they remain in a state of spiritual frustration and disobedience to God.

What has God called you to do, but you refuse to listen and obey? Are your spiritual ears open and attentive to the voice of God? Is God in your contact list? God maintains an open line for all his creation. Even the ungodly can cry out to him. However, do you have an open line for God to communicate with you? Are you answering his calls or sending him to voicemail?

Prayer- Blessed Lord, I pray for those who are refusing to answer your call upon their lives. May they become sensitized to your voice and listen to your instructions for their lives.