The LORD is near to all who call on Him, to all who call on Him in truth.    (Psalm 145:18)
 
We have all experienced communication gaps. Perhaps you’ve faced an issue with your health insurance company (or, in my case, the DMV) that you need help to resolve. You try to find your way through a phone tree that has no options to fit your case or you spend interminable stretches of time on hold or you talk to a different, clueless customer service representative every time you call. You feel sure there’s someone there who can help with your problem, but you just can’t find him.
 
Another kind of communication gap is getting another person to understand what you’re saying. A misunderstanding separates you and a friend or loved one. You have no problem getting ahold of her, but you just can’t seem to get her to understand your point of view or what you meant when you said … whatever it was you said.
 
What joy to know that there is no frustrating communication gap between you and God! He is near you, right now and all the time. When you call on Him in prayer, He hears you immediately and perfectly. You have complete access to Him at all times, and He hears your heart, not just your words. What a privilege to have that kind of access to One who is far greater than any human, even the customer service rep with the power to set your insurance matter straight.

Here are some ingredients for your prayers this week:
 
1.  Thank the Lord for the rain we received yesterday and several weeks ago.
 
2.  Our Chinese congregation has a large mission field – thousands of Chinese speakers – right here in northern Orange County. They are hosting a Chinese New Yearcelebration with an evangelistic purpose on Saturday, Feb. 6. Ask the Lord to bring many unbelieving immigrants to this event and to prepare their hearts for the gospel message.
 
3.  Vacation Bible School is 21 weeks away, and planning is already underway. Pray that our VBS will truly be an outreach to children in our community. Pray that all of us – whether we have elementary-aged children or not – will be thinking about children we can invite.
 
4.  A frequent theme in the minor prophets is the wrath of God revealed against people who stubbornly refuse His ways. Who in your spheres of influence may face the wrath of God? Lift them in prayer, asking for hearts of stone to be replaced with hearts of flesh.
  
5.  Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked or stand in the way of sinners or sit in the seat of mockers.  (Psalm 1:1)  Lord, what does that look like in 21^st century America? Sinners and mockers are everywhere. We can’t avoid all contact with them, and You probably don’t want us to. Protect us, old and young, from following sinners and mockers down wicked paths.

In Christ,
Carol Gilbert, Prayer Chair
Calvary Community Church of Brea