A God who hears and listens

*blog post by guest writer Erin Hanson

“Hi. You’ve reached God. Please leave a message, and I’ll get back to you as soon as possible.”

Could you imagine if God had a voicemail, and we had to wait approximately 5-7 business days for him to even hear our prayers? I came to the realization that I see my prayers in this way. In the midst of me praying on my way to work, before bed, or in my personal time with the Lord I assume he isn’t listening. He will listen eventually, after he has tended to the prayers that are far more important than mine.

This morning God lovingly grabbed my shoulders and said, “Erin, when you pray, I am hanging on every word. I am looking into your eyes and am solely focused on you.” Can you picture that? Just try for a minute — imagine that the God of the universe is sitting across from you on your bed, or in the passenger seat, or wherever you are, and is fixated on you. Your prayers do not get lost in the abyss of others, and not a single one misses the ears of our God.

Matthew 6:8b says, “…for your father knows what you need before you ask him.” What a comfort to know even my unspoken prayer is known.

It can be easy to lose sight of how close God is to us because, well, he isn’t visible. But, the proximity of God has nothing to do with him and everything to do with how close to us we let him be.

“I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you with my eye upon you.” -Psalm 32:8

His eye is upon me… upon you. He has already sought us out and shown us his care to know the longings of our hearts, and we get to then choose to let him in.

How can you let the Lord in this week?

Have you had a conversation with him recently?

My challenge to you this week is to reach out and spend that intentional time telling him about how you’re doing, the longings of your heart, and the pain you’ve been carrying alone. He is sitting there, ready to listen, and ready to comfort you if you let him.

“Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will hear you. You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart.” -Jeremiah 29:12-13