listening Archives - Marissa Henley

Do unsolicited sales calls make you crazy? A lower interest rate, an extended car warranty, a timeshare opportunity . . . And I suspect most of these “amazing offers” aren’t even legit.

But I received a call recently that was rather entertaining. An exuberantly chipper woman told me I had qualified for a free cruise vacation (yeah, right) and just needed to answer a few questions. Our conversation went like this:

Me: I’m in the middle of working right now—this isn’t a good time.

Chipper Telemarketer: This is exciting! Okay, so is your annual household income still over $40,000?

Me: I don’t think you’re listening to me. I want you to take my name off your list.

Chipper Telemarketer: I don’t think I heard you clearly—let’s try this again so we can get you signed up for your free trip! Is your annual household income still over $40,000?

I’m thankful that our Heavenly Father is nothing like Miss Chipper. When we speak to Him, He doesn’t ignore us. He already knows our thoughts and concerns, and yet He still listens (see Psalm 139:1,4).

Psalm 91 tells us that God hears the cries of those who seek refuge in Him:

“When [the one who holds fast to me] calls to me, I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble; I will rescue him and honor him.” (Psalm 91:15)

When we call out to the Lord, He listens and responds. He rescues. He provides. He pours out His perfect peace.

No matter what you face this week, the Lord listens when you call to Him.

I try not to be a mom who stares at her phone all day. But I remember a time, a few years ago, when my young daughter was trying to tell me something, and I was engrossed in my phone. She gently put her hands on my cheeks, lifted my eyes to look into her eyes, and then started speaking to me.

She needed to be heard.

That’s one interesting aspect of our current social media age. Anyone can get their message out there. We are all clamoring to be heard. We can instantly tell hundreds of people about our joy, our heartbreak, or our great new purchase at Kohl’s.

But is anyone really listening?

Micah 7:7 tells us that there is One who hears us: “But as for me, I will look to the LORD; I will wait for the God of my salvation; my God will hear me.”

The God of our salvation hears us. The Lord who has the power to rescue us, our Heavenly Father who cares for us, the God who proved His love by saving us . . . He hears our cries. Psalm 34:6 says, “This poor man cried, and the LORD heard him and saved him out of all his troubles.”

Do you need to be heard? Are you feeling discouraged by your troubles and feel that no one understands? Cry out to the Lord. He will hear you.

No matter what, your God will hear you when you cry out to Him.

{ Graphic hand-lettered by Amanda J Calligraphy }