Direct Line to God!

Written by ​Fr. Dale Minor - The Reclaim Ministry

This morning I had to make a call to a technical service provider regarding a matter of their billing. Of course, I reached their Automated Message System (AMS) which ran me around every shrub and tree in the forest without ever directing me to a live person who could answer my one simple question. This caused me to wonder what it would be like if I had to use such a system to reach God when I needed to talk to him. If the Lord had an 800 number and an AMS would I have heard something like this?

“Hello, thanks for calling heaven. Your call is important to us. For English, press 1.” (I pressed 1 before it could list 87 other language options.) The AMS continued, “Do you have a current account with us, say Yes or No.” (I hesitated as I hoped I had an account but wasn’t sure what they needed.) AMS, “I’m sorry, we did not hear your response, do you have an account with us?” (with hope, I said “yes.) AMS, “Please key in your account number.” (Now I was about to panic but just to answer something I typed in my birth date.) AMS, “Thank you, that is helpful, but there are a few million
similar ID’s in our system. Please key in your full name, followed by the pound sign.” (This, I did.) AMS, “Thank you, that gets us closer. Now please key in your local postal zip code.” (I dutifully complied with only the slightest hesitation as I reconsidered if I really needed to make this call.) AMS, “Thank you, to help us serve you better, please listen carefully to our menu of services as they have recently changed. If you want to inquire about churches in your area, press 1. If you need a reference for Bibles, commentaries, and other print resources, press 2. If you need an answer to a theological question, press 3. If you want to speak to a guardian angel, press 4. To inquire of a prophet, press 5. If you just have to talk to …….” (Out of frustration and though I thought I whispered it, I audibly uttered, “What the hell is going on here?”) AMS, “I am sorry, we do not handle inquiries for hell. For further inquiry, please visit our website; PTL.Jesuslives.hvn. Goodbye, it has
been a pleasure serving you this day.” (Wait! Wait, I called out as the line went dead.)

Fortunately, I have long known that there is a much faster way to reach the Lord, God. For all I have to do is sit back, relax and say. “Good morning, Lord. It’s me again. First of all, I want to thank you for answering my prayer for a good night’s sleep, and to be able to awake this morning with those I love and with strength to do whatever it is you have for me this day. However, I do have a matter that is weighing heavy on me and I need your help.” And from here, I can carry on a conversation with the Lord. He is never too busy to hear by prayer, He never asks me to hold while He deals with other customers; for He is always read to answer my prayer, even if I have to wait a while to see how it all plays out. I am confident of this as I have his word for it, and I have now had enough experience with Him that my trust is solid.

If you need more than my testimony, consider these words from Jesus; “If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you.” (John 15:7) He also says, “Therefore I say to you, whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you will receive them, and you will have them.” (Mk. 11-24)

All the great saints of God had learned how to communicate with Him in prayer, not the least being King David and the other Psalmists. “I love the Lord, because He has heard My voice and My supplications. Because He has inclined his ear to me, therefore I will call upon Him as long as I live.” (Ps. 116:1) “Certainly, God has heard me, he has attended to the voice of my prayer.” (Ps. 66:19)

You may still have to call your provider to answer technical questions relating to your electronics; but I suggest if you first talk to the One who is our Provider, -- your experience will go better and without all the frustrations.