Pick Up The Phone

Today more than ever there is a variety of help available for the situations we find ourselves in; I have several books entitled For Dummies which are quite helpful and start with the basics – but it’s not too long before I need help and pick up the phone to call a professional that will answer my problems, especially with IT!

Call to me and I will answer you. I’ll tell you marvellous and wondrous things that you could never figure out on your own.

Jeremiah 33:3 The Message

What about my life? When do I go and speak to God? Is it when I have problems and I’ve tried to fix them and realise the dummy version hasn’t worked and I need to see the professional. 

There is a theory that God only spoke back in the Bible days and now He doesn’t anymore, but that’s not true. God still speaks. 

What we have to do is know His voice and know how He speaks. God speaks to us in so many different ways. 

A prime example is recorded in 1 Samuel 3:1-20. A young boy keeps hearing a voice, thinks it is his boss next door and keeps getting out of bed only to be told by his boss I never said a word. This young boy perhaps thought he must be dreaming and yet the voice was so clear. I have to admit it is a rather unusual story, nevertheless true. The problem was this young boy did not recognise the voice. I can concur with that. When someone on the phone calls I am not great at recognising voices, yet alone one calling out in the middle of the night!

You see the problem was Samuel (this young boy) certainly knew about God, but until now he had had no personal experience with the living God. Religious training, though important, can never substitute for a personal encounter with God.

Samuel had been given basic (dummy book) training on the Torah which is the Jewish law, but did you know in the Bible that “knowing God” always implies a personal experience or direct relationship with the Lord. That was Samuel’s problem

As I said Samuel was sleeping when he heard his name being called. This happened a few times, and Samuel ran to Eli (his boss) the Priest thinking it was him who was calling, but it wasn’t. Finally, the penny dropped with Eli and he realised the voice calling Samuel was God.

Recognising the call of God is not always easy but can I say necessary.

That is why I take comfort from our verse today. 

Call to me and I will answer you. I’ll tell you marvellous and wondrous things that you could never figure out on your own.

JEREMIAH 33:3 THE MESSAGE

When it rings, you must pick up the phone in order to hear what the person on the other end is saying. Just like that, if you want to know what God is saying you have to pick up your Bible and read it. Why? Because the Bible is God’s Word to us and God speaks through His word.

Let me encourage you today with Psalm 95:7 from the Message ‘Drop everything and listen, listen as he speaks’: That tells me God is calling, pick up the phone (the Bible) it is well worth it, trust me.

Stay Safe and Blessed.