Not Available

Even in these days when texting is the norm, we still sometimes use the telephone to make a call. And when we do, how frustrated we become when we hear "the person you have called is not available."

We are even more frustrated when we hear a list of prompts, followed by another list of prompts, and another, and another, all ending with "please leave a message after the beep."

In this world of instant everything, we don't want to wait. We want to talk to a real person, not an automated answering service. And we want to talk to that person now. When we call. Not at some future point that might or might not ever happen, because they might or might not decide to return the call. And if they do return the call, we might or might not decide to answer. And so it goes.

We want answers now. We expect people to answer when we call. Just like in the "olden days" when the phone rang, and you answered the person without even knowing who was on the other end of the line. The phone rang, and so you answered it. Perhaps I'm dating myself!

In these days of texting and telemarketing and robocalls, a person who actually answers the phone without knowing who on the other end of the call is a rarity indeed. 

I must confess that I am not a fan of the telephone, particularly in this post-stroke season of my life. But when I do actually make a phone call, it's because I want to talk to the person I called. Actually talk to them. Not to their voice mail. I actually want to hear a real human voice. The voice of the person I called.

How thankful I am that when I want to talk to God, I don't have to worry that He's too busy to pick up the phone. When I want to talk to God, He listens. And He responds. Not audibly, of course, but with that still, small voice that let's me know He's listening.

When I want to speak with God, I don't get put on hold. There's no endless list of prompts to get through. I don't have to press 1 for requests and 2 for praises. I don't have to leave a call-back number.

When I call, He answers. When I call, He hears. When I call, He responds. When I call, He answers.

"He bends down to listen....." (Psalm 116:2 NLT)

I am overwhelmed.