You're probably familiar with the recurring cell phone TV commercials developed around the catch-phrase: "Can you hear me now?" Most of us can relate to being in a cell coverage dead zone, where we have uttered those exact words only to receive the response of silence on the other end. And thus begins a search for those missing bars as we pace the room looking for a signal.

But thankfully, we don't have to worry about whether God is part of the 3G Network. His service goes far beyond anything we can comprehend. In fact, sometimes He doesn't even wait for the phone to ring...

"Before they call I will answer; while they are still speaking I will hear." - Isaiah 65:24 (NIV)

I'd say that's pretty good service, wouldn't you? Think about it...the very ear of God is inclined to hear the whispers of your heart, so audible words aren't even necessary.

But prayer is a two-way street, and I fear that it's God who is forced to utter the words, "Can you hear me now?" in my life, a sad indicator of my bad hearing. But all we have to do is check out Psalm 29:3-8 to know that God shouldn't need a microphone for me to hear His voice: "The voice of the LORD is over the waters; the God of glory thunders, the LORD thunders over the mighty waters. The voice of the LORD is powerful; the voice of the LORD is majestic. The voice of the LORD breaks the cedars; the LORD breaks in pieces the cedars of Lebanon...The voice of the LORD strikes with flashes of lightning. The voice of the LORD shakes the desert; the LORD shakes the Desert of Kadesh. The voice of the LORD twists the oaks and strips the forests bare. And in his temple all cry, "Glory!"

With such power in His voice, why do we have such a hard time hearing? In my life, I fear that I never devoted much time to cultivating my ears to listen for His voice in the midst of all the noise around me. Until we calibrate our hearts and condition our ears, we are unable to truly listen, regardless of the volume. Whether God chooses to communicate in a whisper or a thunder, our ability to hear ultimately resides in the sensitivity of our ears.

So take a moment today to be still and listen during your prayer time. Allow the powerful and majestic voice of the Lord to speak truth into your life. And may your response be, "Glory!"

Making It Personal:

• How does it make you feel to know that God can answer even before we call?
• When was the last time you heard clearly from God during your prayer time? How did you respond to His voice?
• How can you remove the "noise" in your today in order to hear clearly from God?