Wednesday, April 28, 2021

Can You Hear Me God?

 


Pastor Doug spoke about the importance of communication in marriage. No relationship can flourish when we don't talk to one another. The same is true of our relationship to the Lord. He has given us the precious blessing of prayer - the two-fold gift of being able to speak with Him at any moment about anything and the sure knowledge that He is listening. 

I wrote a little about this when on a visit with our grandchildren many years ago:

“Grandma, let’s go outside and swing.” We were visiting family and my youngest granddaughter wanted a push on her swing. She is a tiny wisp of a girl with huge brown eyes, long light brown hair that curls lightly around her shoulders and a sweet shy smile. The only thing big about her is her voice. As the youngest of five children, she has learned to up the volume if she wants to be heard. She is so precious, and I love spending time with her.


So we bundled up (because temperatures in the 50’s feel mighty cool to us Texans) and headed outside to the swing set. I helped her onto the swing and began to gently push her. “Higher Grandma!” she cried. I pushed a bit harder. Now she was going about as high as her swing would allow. As she reached the highest point of the arc she looked up into the sky and yelled as loudly as her three year old voice could yell, “Can you hear me God?”


It took me by surprise, and I was quiet for a moment. Then I said, “Of course He can hear you honey. He can hear you if you just whisper. He can hear you if you just say the words in your heart. He is right here with us.”

She didn’t say anything for a little while, just continued swinging. Then as her swing reached toward the heavens, “Can You hear me Jesus? Can You hear me God?”

One day this little one will understand that He does indeed hear every word – spoken and unspoken. Right now that is a difficult concept for a three year old mind. I am all grown up, but there are times when, like my granddaughter, I want to shout to the heavens, “Can You hear me God?” Times when God seems so very distant, and I want desperately to know He has heard my prayer.


“Can You hear me God?” The answer echoes down through time from the pen of the Psalmist, as he was directed by the Holy Spirit:

“I love the Lord, because He hears my voice and my supplications. Because He has inclined His ear to me, therefore I shall call upon Him as long as I live.”
Psalm 116: 1, 2 (NAS)

“Even before there is a word on my tongue, behold, O Lord, Thou dost know it all.”
Psalm 139: 4 (NAS)

“I sought the Lord, and He answered me, and delivered me from all my fears.”
Psalm 34: 4 (NAS)

“In the morning, O Lord, Thou wilt hear my voice; in the morning I will order my prayer to Thee and eagerly watch.”
Psalm 5: 3 (NAS)

Yes sweet girl, He can hear you.


Blessings,
Linda