Call to Me and I will answer you, and I will tell you great and mighty things, which you do not know. Jeremiah 33:3.
For You, LORD, are good, and ready to forgive, and abundant in lovingkindness to all who call upon You. Psalm 86:5.
From my distress I called upon the LORD, the LORD answered me and set me in a large place. Psalm 118:5.
Today your LORD (יהוה) God says:
Call to Me and I will answer you.
Today we continue our series on how to hear My voice with Life Lesson No. 5 – “Call and He will Answer.” “Whoever will call on the name of the LORD will be saved.” Romans 10:13.
I tell you to seek Me while I can be found and to call to Me while I am still near. But there are different kinds of calls. The Israelites I redeemed out of Egypt were always calling on Me but generally in fear and just for deliverance from an evil at hand. They did not call on Me for fellowship, they preferred to let Moses talk with Me while they went and worshipped a gold calf. Selah.
The Bible is full of references about people calling on Me for deliverance, healing, provision, and protection and full of My miraculous answers. But if you only call people when you are in trouble and need help but otherwise never speak to them, there is not much of a relationship there. People you enjoy a friendship with, however, you call just to share things, just to pour out your heart, just to enjoy each other’s company for a respite during the day. And the people you are in close fellowship with are the people who care about you and respond immediately to come to your aid when they hear you are in trouble. And your heart throbs with joy when they suddenly show up at your dark hour to help carry the burden just because they heard somehow and came.
The call to Me for fellowship is the highest and best call you can give Me, for it is then I share revelation, impartation, and My life with you. And abiding in Me with My Words abiding in you makes you fruitful. Daniel called to Me often for revelation and the unveiling of mysteries. He loved spending time with Me in My Word. And I answered his calls and gave him exceedingly great visions and revelations beyond his fellows. I do not tell you that he called upon Me for deliverance at all or cried in fear the night he got thrown and sealed in a lions’ den with hungry lions all about him in close quarters. But he tells you what happened. I sent an angel that held the mouths of the lions shut all night so that Daniel was not harmed.
Why did he not cry out in fear as Jonah did in the depths of the sea? Daniel was always in fellowship with Me and walked in My ways. He knew how I constantly delivered and promoted him even as a prisoner of war in a foreign pagan land. He was anxious for nothing. When they made the edict that he could not pray to Me, he ignored it and continued his custom of prayer. He had no fear of men because he had reverence (fear) of Me. His eyes were always on Me. And I took care of him. I am an ever present help in time of danger. I am with you.
And besides your calling on Me, you also see Me calling on people to perform certain works, tasks, and ministry. I have called you by name, you are Mine. But for Me to call on you, as I did on Ananias to cure Paul and upon Peter to go to the home of Cornelius and share the good news of Jesus, you must first have called on Me or, even though you feel the pull, you may reject the call. Many are called but few are chosen. Why? Most do not respond to the call. Draw close to Me and I will draw close to you. Be sure to make your election and your call permanent on your side for on My side My gifts and My call are irrevocable. Like Jonah, they are still there for you to take even if you reject them the first time.
But returning to calling upon Me. I tell you to come into My presence with confidence. I tell you to call upon My Name in truth. I tell you to seek Me, to knock to enter, to ask to receive. I tell you that your cry pierces the clouds and comes right to My throne.
How do you call upon Me? Like you would normally do, you call Me by Name. But what you need and how you feel about a person determines how you call them. And the names you call someone in private may not be what you would want shared with them when you call them. How you call on Me tells Me a lot about how you regard, honor, and feel about Me. I tell you to call on Me with shouts of joy. With songs of praise. With thanksgiving. With sincerity in truth.
David sang, “I will bow down toward Your holy temple And give thanks to Your name for Your lovingkindness and Your truth; for You have magnified Your word together with all Your name.” Psalm 138:2. All My Name. What is all My Name? It is what I have shown you of My nature and character and promises in My Word: The LORD your healer, the LORD who looks ahead and provides, the LORD your righteousness, the LORD who sanctifies you, the LORD is peace, the LORD of Hosts, the LORD your redeemer, the LORD your savior, the LORD your rock, the LORD your refuge, the LORD your victory (banner), the LORD your deliverer. And Jesus told you to call Me “Father.” And the Holy Spirit cries out with your spirit, “Abba, Father.”
The best Name to call upon at any given moment is the Name you need, if you are being attacked with sickness call upon Me as the LORD your healer. If you need provision, call on Me as the LORD who sees ahead and provides. If you need protection call upon Me as the LORD of Hosts and watch Me command My angels to guard you in all your ways.
I have made a promise to you in Psalm 91: “I will set him securely on high, because he has known My name. He will call upon Me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble; I will rescue him and honor him. With a long life I will satisfy him and show him My salvation.” Psalm 91:14-16. You have to call. “He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will abide in the shadow of the Almighty. He will say to the LORD, ‘My refuge and my fortress, My God, in whom I trust!’”
Calling is a relationship. You cannot just call up anyone and expect them to give you a hearing if you are a stranger to them. Try calling the President of the United States, the Prime Minister of Israel, or the head of a nation or large enterprise that you do not personally know and see how far you get. But if you know them well and are friends or family, yes you will get through and you will even have their private number. Calls to and from those you trust and love are answered on both sides.
You only call upon those who you believe have the answer you are seeking and are able to fill your need. And the best calls are to those you know, love and trust who you know are there for you and are not against you. Those who will keep your matters private. You call those you are comfortable with who you know will receive your call with joy.
Are you comfortable with Me? I did not say irreverent, I said comfortable. Do you come with confidence to My throne of grace to receive mercy and find grace just when you need it? And I should add, with joyful expectation of the answer? Do you rejoice when you hear them say, “Let us go to the house of the LORD.”?
Samuel was very comfortable with Me but he had great honor and zeal for Me. He told Saul the benefits of obedience. 1 Samuel 15:22. I honored him because he honored Me. I replaced the High Priest, who dishonored Me and his office, with Samuel though Samuel was not a descendant of Aaron. And though at first Samuel had not known My voice, he learned it and consulted Me continually. I called on him to do things for Me also. Such as anointing David. And Samuel was quick to answer My call. Like Abraham.
David was very comfortable with Me but he was filled with praise and thanksgiving and reverence for Me and My holy things, such as My holy ark. He was mindful of all My benefits and continually composed songs to Me of honor, majesty, and praise, and taught others to sing them and use the musical instruments he fashioned. He found Me worthy of his praise, of his life. Listen to how he opened his prayer: “I love You, O LORD, my strength. The LORD is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer, my God, my rock, in whom I take refuge; my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold. I call upon the Lord, who is worthy to be praised, and I am saved from my enemies.” Psalm 18:1-3. David heard from Me. I would tell him the battle plans that would win when he called upon Me. He consulted me continually. He had learned My voice by calling on Me since his youth.
Daniel was very comfortable with Me but he had great reverence in prayer and honored Me with a pure and excellent life. He would do nothing to compromise My Word, even if it put him into danger of death. And I tell you of many of his prayers and visions. He listened and looked and I showed him much.
Elijah was comfortable to call upon Me, even to rain down fire from heaven, but he had great reverence and walked in integrity. He listened and then spoke with My authority.
Nehemiah was comfortable calling upon Me in everything but he was filled with awe and thanksgiving and he tolerated no breaking of My commands. And I prospered him in rebuilding the walls of Jerusalem and bringing the people back to obedience to My law.
Mary was comfortable with Me but she spent her life in obedience to My Word. She welcomed her assignment with joyful praise as she treasured all I was doing for her in her heart and pondered upon it. She was well pleased with Me and I was also with her. Highly favored. She heard from Me and gave flesh to the Word. She knew My Word as no other has.
And there are many others who have called upon Me and learned My voice so as to walk in My ways which are lovingkindness and truth.
I love you. Call on Me and I will answer you and tell you great and mighty things you could not know. Why not set some time aside each day to fellowship? “Behold, I stand at the door and knock; if anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and will dine with him, and he with Me. He who overcomes, I will grant to him to sit down with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne.” Revelation 3:20-21.