Nearing Home - Billy Graham [29]
Telecommunications have changed our world. It used to be that when I would get on an airplane, my wife would be assured she wouldn’t hear from me for hours. Now there are few instances when anyone is disconnected. We can call from the sky while in flight. It is no longer necessary to pull off the highway to make a call from a pay phone. But sometimes reception is difficult. It is not unusual for a cellular phone to drop a call in midsentence or for the transmission to be interrupted momentarily because of interference. Often people nearly scream into the phone, “Can you hear me?” A reply comes back, “I can hear you. Can you hear me?” It’s sometimes comical to hear the younger generation ask their peers to repeat themselves.
The first question God asked man is: “Where are you?” Adam answered, “I heard Your voice in the garden” (Genesis 3:9–10 NKJV). God also questioned the woman, “What is this you have done?” (Genesis 3:13 NKJV). If Eve had had a mobile phone, she may have suggested there was interference on the line.
But there is nothing humorous about broken communication with the Lord of our lives. When it happens, I can assure you that we are the interference—not Him. Sometimes we don’t want to hear what He has to say because we already know what the Word of God has told us. The Bible is full of accounts of men and women hearing the voice of the Lord but not recognizing it at first. This happened to the prophet Samuel. God called him by name, over and over. Samuel thought it was someone else. But the Lord persisted until Samuel recognized His voice (1 Samuel 3:11).
If God did not want to commune with us, then He would not question man; but not only does He want to communicate with us, He also wants to hear from us. He expects a response. Isaiah “heard the voice of the Lord saying, ‘Whom shall I send?’” Isaiah responded, “Here am I. Send me!” (Isaiah 6:8). The persecutor of Christians heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?” In this remarkable exchange, Saul responded, “Who are You, Lord? . . . What do You want me to do?” (Acts 9:4–6 NKJV). This dialogue was the beginning of the apostle Paul’s great ministry.
But God’s voice isn’t always heard in the form of a question. He is a loving God who cares about our needs. His voice gives comfort and guidance. Gideon heard the Lord speak peace (Judges 6:23), and Habakkuk heard God’s voice say, “The righteous will live by his faith” (Habakkuk 2:4).
Many people have told me over the years that they believe God speaks through His Word, but they don’t believe He actually hears their pleas. Scripture dispels this. For those who fear and honor the Lord, He hears the voice of weeping (Psalm 6:8) and says,
Refrain your voice from weeping,
And your eyes from tears;
For your work shall be rewarded. . . .
There is hope in your future. (Jeremiah 31:16–17 NKJV)
If ever you feel lonely and weak, listen for God’s words of comfort: “Hear my voice” (Isaiah 28:23), and “Lift up your voice with strength” (Isaiah 40:9 NKJV). He hears the voice of your words (Deuteronomy 5:28) and attends to your voice in prayer (Psalm 66:19). I hope these reminders from Scripture boost your spirit.
At my age I can sympathize with most seniors. The good old days call me back at times, especially when I am with friends who have shared so much. While I choose not to dwell on the past or relive my youth, there are times I long to hike up into the hills with my children or stand in the pulpit to deliver a Gospel message. But the walker, wheelchair, and cane near my bed remind me that chapter in life is past. So I thank God for the memories that have enriched my life but look forward to new opportunities, to experiences that can add some dimension to the present. Our attitudes