Touching Base

Yet give attention to your servant's prayer and his plea for mercy, Lord my God. Hear the cry and the prayer that your servant is praying in your presence this day.

-- 1 Kings 8:28

Depending on how you look at it, the introduction of text messaging was one of civilization's greatest advances (or setbacks) in the history of communications. If we want to touch base with someone--whether they're on another continent or on the other side of the room--all it takes is just a few taps on a smartphone, tablet or computer keyboard. 

One downside is that an entire generation now knows little about writing and receiving actual letters and postcards. And a check of our mailbox (the real one by the driveway) proves the point. The volume of first class mail delivered by the post office, such as stamped letters and greeting cards, has fallen since 1998. Printed direct mail advertisements, better known as junk mail, are its replacement. Meanwhile, over 6 billion text messages are now sent each day in the United States, and 81% of Americans text regularly.

Our preferred methods of communication continue to evolve through popular social media such Facebook, Twitter and YouTube. But there's another communications medium that's remained steadfast for centuries. It's prayer, which is talking to God about what's going on in our life, our problems at home and at work, concerns with our loved ones--and just about anything else--both trivial and substantial. Our Creator wants us to tell him about it.

But that's just half the story. That's because prayer is a two-way conversation where we're both talking to God and also listening to what he has to say. That might sound strange, but it makes perfect sense. If we're asking God for his help and direction, don't we want his response?

This raises an important question: If we're seeking God's response to our prayers, how do we know when he's answering? 

First, God speaks in many forms--but never in a way that contradicts his Word in the Bible. We can perceive his message through that small inner voice that tells us the right thing to do in an unexpected situation. God also speaks through Bible study, a situation at home or at work, daily circumstances and even that chance meeting with a friend you haven't spoken with in years. Was that unexpected late-night phone call or text message just a coincidence? Not necessarily.

The key to hearing God's voice is knowing how to listen. So with this in mind, we should set up a regular time each day to speak with him, and feel free to continue the conversation, whatever the hour.

"I call on you, my God, for you will answer me," we read in Psalms 17:6. "Turn your ear to me and hear my prayer."

Like any good message--text or otherwise--our prayers to God don't have to be formal, just authentic. Let's open our eyes and ears--as well as our heart and mind--and listen to all that he has to say.