Hearing His Voice #167

[Jesus said,] “Be sure of this: I am with you always.”

Matthew 28:20

John Hyde, the famous missionary to India known for his radical life of prayer, used to speak of his conversations with God as one would speak of conversations with any other person. He once came to a meeting claiming that he had been arguing with God the night before about whether to share some of God’s dealings with him. On another occasion, he heard the lunch bell ring while he was in the prayer room and asked, “Father, is it Your will that I go?” After a moment of silence, he said, “Thank you,” and rose to leave. He continued to converse with people while acknowledging often that God was very much a part of the conversation. The presence of God always seemed to him to be a tangible reality.

Many considered Hyde to be a little odd. Yet, in light of God’s many promises never to leave us, Hyde seems to have been more in touch with reality than most of us are. We often have conversations about the subject of God, or His will, with little awareness that He is in the room. But not only is He in the room, He’s in the hearts of those who believe in Jesus as their Savior. This may seem like an abstract principle to those who haven’t cultivated a deeply personal relationship with God, but in fact the Spirit of our highly relational God is always available for conversation. He may not always stay on the topics we want to discuss, but He will commune with us in the depths of our spirits. He invites us to explore our fellowship with Him from every angle and at every level of our lives. He is with us not just to watch silently; He is actively with us to be deeply involved in our lives.

Jesus, You are with me even as I read this, even as I pray this prayer, and even as I think about all the truths You have revealed. My circumstances, my relationships, and my thoughts are all in plain sight to You. Teach me how to be a good conversationalist with You in every area of life.