It is always a pleasure when we talk to a loved one far away. With the aid of the telephone we can feel very close to those we have not seen for a long time. A call from the right person can fill our hearts with joy. The amount of excitement generated by a telephone call is in direct proportion to the importance of the person calling. We take for granted and may talk in a very off hand way to those who may live nearby and call frequently but if the call is from some distance or from a very important person then our voice quivers with excitement as we talk to them.

Few of us ever have the opportunity to talk to someone considered world famous but when and if the person on the other end of the line turns out to be an important dignitary we become completely oblivious to our surroundings. We concentrate upon what we are saying and hearing as we converse with our esteemed friend.

When we consider how great God is, the very fact that He hears our prayers becomes difficult to comprehend and yet we are assured that the effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much and that ”the eyes of the Lord are over the righteous, and his ears are open unto their prayers.”

Truly when we pray to God we are talking to Him. If we would be careful what we said to an important dignitary how much more so when we are talking to the Creator of heaven and earth. Is it any wonder that Solomon tells us, ”Be not rash with thy mouth, and let not thine heart be hasty to utter any thing before God: for God is in heaven, and thou upon earth: therefore let thy words be few.”

What a wonderful thing prayer is! Although God is in heaven and we upon earth, yet He wants us to talk to Him. ”Ye shall call upon me, and ye shall go and pray unto me, saith the Lord, and I will hearken unto you.” ”And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart.”

Through prayer we can talk to God at any time of the day or night and be certain that He hears us. This is not so in calling another mortal. There our calls might be limited to business hours or perhaps they are in conference and unable to talk to us, but our Heavenly Father’s ear is always attentive to our cry if we approach Him acceptably.

We need to make prayer a very real part of our everyday life. Jesus often spent the night in prayer. If the Son of God needed the strength that communion with his Father gave him, how much more do we need the help and strength that alone comes from prayer.

Our prayers should be the outpouring of our hearts to our loving and merciful Heavenly Father. We want to ”draw nigh to God, and He will draw nigh to us.” We should avoid the pitfalls that James warned about for some in his day asked and received not, because they asked amiss.

A child in trouble will want to call his father for help and feels much better after telling one who cares of his plight. Sometimes the parent can help and sometimes not, but all of us as children of God can approach our Father in time of need and know that He is able to help for ”Behold, the Lord’s hand is not shortened, that it cannot save; neither His ear heavy, that it cannot hear.” Isaiah 59: 1