In times when life seems to go from bad to worse and the world questions where God is, I wonder what would happen if we had God’s cell phone number and could speak directly with Him. Would we call God to talk to Him or would we simply send Him a short text? Why would we call Him? How often would we call Him?

According to what I learned in school, basic communication consists of a sender and a receiver. However, beyond the basics, how do we really get to know people? We get to know them by communicating and spending time with them. The reality is that we can’t create relationships unless there is a continuous and genuine dialogue that involves speaking and listening. It’s the same in our relationship with God. He talks, we listen. We talk, He listens. And best of all, we have access to Him without limits or borders through Jesus Christ as we read in Hebrews 10:19-22:

And so, dear brothers and sisters, we can boldly enter heaven’s Most Holy Place because of the blood of Jesus. By his death, Jesus opened a new and life-giving way through the curtain into the Most Holy Place. And since we have a great High Priest who rules over God’s house, let us go right into the presence of God with sincere hearts fully trusting him. (NLT)

But prayer is much more than instant communication. The Bible is full of examples that leave no doubt that God desires to constantly communicate with us and share what’s in His heart, not just talk to us from time to time. The amazing truth is that God loves us, and He wants us to do well in life.

“For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.” (Jeremiah 29:11)

For a long time, we have seen prayer as the 911 emergency number, as the recipe or the genie in the lamp, and even as a monologue—when the reality is that prayer is a dialogue. The most difficult part of hearing from God is the fact that it takes time to learn to differentiate His voice from the other voices around us, and it also requires humility of heart.

Hearing God’s voice has to do with being in tune with Him and knowing Him intimately. You may have noticed this happen with close friends. When you have spent so much time together, it is not even necessary to say a complete sentence. Just with a few glances or intonations of the voice, we already know what the other means. Although we are different, we come to understand each other well.

Our God is not slow to hear. He listens to what we say and even what we don’t say. In Romans 8:26-27, the Bible tells us that the Holy Spirit takes our requests and prayers to God with unspeakable groans—and even what is in the depths of our being, what we have not told anyone, He knows. God orders our steps and when we are connected to Him and desire to do His will, even when we make a mistake, He will lift us up and show us the way.

So, dear friend, be encouraged—because you can confidently pray to God knowing that He will listen to you. But don’t forget to also prepare yourself to listen to His voice and, above all, be willing to obey His Word for your life. God longs to have a relationship with you, not just a conversation.

“In those days when you pray, I will listen. If you look for me wholeheartedly, you will find me. I will be found by you,” says the Lord. (Jeremiah 29:12-14)

I invite you to pray with me now: Lord, I know that many times I have prayed to You only hoping that You would answer me, but the truth is that You want to have a conversation and a relationship with me. Please help me to have the right attitude and to be sensitive to Your voice. Speak, Lord. Your servant listens! Amen. 

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Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2007 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.