Can You Hear Me Now?

We’ve seen the commercial more than once—the one where the guy walks around with his cell phone, pausing every couple of steps to ask the question “Can you hear me now? Good.” We are reminded that some companies go to a lot of trouble to keep their communication lines open. We have all experienced areas where cell phone communication breaks down, when we can’t hear at all.

Stop for a moment and think about the effort God has made to communicate His unending love for us. His message is clear. He loves us and wants us to respond by living our lives in the truth—a truth that honors our Creator and loves and serves our fellow man. The problem is that we don’t listen. We are too wrapped up in ourselves to notice His call.

In the majesty of the mountains, the splendor of the oceans, and the wonder of the skies, God reveals His power through His creation. “Can you hear me now?” He asks. In the eyes and faces of others, through family and friends, He reveals His love. Through those who have sacrificed for us and shared our joys and sorrows—the Body of Christ—He asks, “Can you hear me now?”

In the stories of His Word, the miracles, parables, and the lives of the named and unnamed disciples who left everything to follow Him, God calls out, “Can you hear me now?” In the quiet of our sanctuaries, the Holy Spirit speaks to our hearts about priorities, about the direction for our lives, and about the purpose of our being. “Can you hear me now?” He asks.

One day, on an old rugged cross, His Son Jesus hung in our place. His grace was freely given for our sins though the sacrifice of Christ. God’s only Son bled and died. Why? Because He loves us. “Can you hear me now?”