I bought a new cordless phone/answering machine last month and I really like it.  I actually hooked it up to the phone line a couple of weeks ago to replace a phone that wasn’t working consistently.  I immediately noticed a difference.  I was no longer getting those hang-up calls on the machine – you know, the ones where someone calls, hears the message, but doesn’t want to leave a message.  They were gone.  Two weeks without any.  This was amazing!

As I contemplated the advanced technology that must be at work to do away with these “blank messages”, I congratulated myself on choosing such a fine piece of equipment.  My analytical mind couldn’t leave well enough alone.  I had to think this through as to how this was possible. 

I slowly began to realize that not only did I not have any hang-up calls recorded, I didn’t have any phone messages recorded either.  Hm-mm . . . two weeks with no one leaving a message . . . that is very unusual . . . must be something wrong with this machine. 

Time to check it out.  Yep . . . plugged in to both power and phone line . . . I can make calls with it . . . I can receive calls with it . . . lights are all on . . . outgoing message is recorded . . . maybe it just needs reset . . . I’ll turn it off and back on again and see if anything changes . . . pressing on/off button . . . what? . . . Did that say “machine on”? . . . That can’t be . . . press again . . . “machine off” . . . press again . . . “machine on”!

Uh Oh!  No messages because it wasn’t turned on.  Everything else was in place, but it was not activated.  People calling were not hearing the message inviting them to talk to the machine, so they weren’t able to leave communication with me.  I’ve wondered why there were no messages and discovered it wasn’t that people weren’t trying to reach me, but that I had the answering machine turned off and therefore was unreceptive to their attempts to communicate.

I wonder how often we wait to hear from God and begin to wonder and question if this “prayer thing” really works.  We get out our checklist of what we think prayer is and ought to include.  Yep. . . . got that . . . did that . . . said that . . . and on we go, wondering if we’ll ever get this right.  Yet how often do we check that internal communication switch – you know; God living in us, the Holy Spirit.  Are we living a life filled with the Spirit, led by the Spirit, surrendered to God through the power of the Holy Spirit? 

Maybe we’re not consistently hearing from God because we’ve turned off His presence in our life by ignoring the Holy Spirit and the work He can do in us.

It is time to hit that “power button” and allow God’s Spirit to do His work in and through you to the glory of Jesus Christ.  May His message come through loud and clear!