I Hear Ya!

     Last night I was talking to a friend, and midway into the conversation I could tell I had completely lost them. Their eyes were semi-glazed over, and I could tell their thoughts were far away; maybe dwelling on a bit of homework, or perhaps setting sail on a dream vacation. I undoubtedly was beating a subject to death; undoubtedly rambling, but afterwards I was just glad I wasn’t spilling my guts, talking about anything of consequence. That could have been really… (raising the pitch of my voice) AWKWARD!

     That incident reminded me of other experiences in my past, but situations that were on the opposite side of the spectrum. Times when I spoke at the podium in the middle of a hot debate, and where I knew that everything coming out of my mouth was being heavily weighed, judged, and possibly skewed in abbreviated form on somebody’s debate flow. I knew my competition was listening to what I said, but usually with the degree of kindness and painful precision of somebody anticipating my immediate death and destruction. It’s good to be heard… I guess.

     A few weeks ago, I shared the story of Elijah on Mount Carmel with my Sunday school kids. The verse that recounts Elijah taunting the Baal worshipers (1 Kings 18:27) always strikes me as funny. I’m sure those prophets were shooting Elijah dirty looks as they were slicing themselves and dancing like they had never danced before. Elijah was suggesting that their god, Baal, couldn’t hear them because he was either deep in thought, busy traveling, on the pot, or taking a nap. The situation would have been worth a picture. It’s definitely funny, but sad at the same time. It is sad because it’s true. Their god couldn’t hear them! Not the handicap you want when you are having a show down between deities.

     To me, one of the most comforting things found in scripture is that our God hears us (Micah 7:7). Not just when we are voicing something interesting. Not just when our life is on the line. And not with the ear of someone intent of doing us in if we don’t say things correctly. And God doesn’t just hear us, He responds too: sometimes by withholding rain, or through the medium of fire and earthquakes, sometimes simply through whispers. And frankly, that’s kind of cool. I like that.