The Lord is near to all who call on him, to all who call on him in truth. Psalm 145:18

A few months ago, a neighbor of ours asked Ken if he would mind taking a look at her antique telephone. She bought it because of her love of anything old but still able to serve a purpose, even if that purpose is only decorative. But soon after she acquired the phone, she found it a useful tool for keeping her young great niece and nephew from misbehaving around Christmas time. If they started to cross the line, she hopped on the old phone to call Santa and let him know of their behavior. And, of course, only an old phone of that vintage could reach the jolly old elf. It worked! Though the ruse quickly brought said niece and nephew to order, our neighbor found that the crank on the phone didn’t turn, a fact that conveniently escaped the kids.   

Well, as you would expect, Ken happily took on the challenge. He was like a kid with a new toy, something a little different from the tools he typically refurbishes. Our neighbor had said she would be happy if the crank would turn properly and maybe she would polish the bell a bit later, but Ken couldn’t stop there. He had to see this old phone looking spiffy again. I was a tad concerned that his eagerness to achieve the look he desired might be more than she wanted from this repair. She really appreciates the patina acquired with age and Ken was giving it more of a bright, shiny new look.

That being said, he spent hours repairing cracks, removing old paint, cleaning and oiling the inside components, and finally adding tung oil to preserve the lovely old wood. Oh, yes, he polished that brass bell until it sparkled. Then he decided it would be fun to create a “big reveal” just like on TV. Here’s where I got more worried. If our neighbor didn’t like what he had done, she would feel a little trapped. But I had no reason to fear. She loved it! Of course, the phone didn’t actually work, but the crank turned freely and the old parts were refreshed to last another hundred years, as a wall ornament and direct line to Santa.

Phones have come a long way since the days when that old relic provided communication in someone’s home. Even I can recall rotary dial phones, my mom still had one at the time of her death in 1989. I figured Southwestern Bell would probably find a spot in their museum for that big black clunker of a phone. And then phones went back on the wall when our kids were in high school and were supplied with very long cords so they could stretch their line of communication all the way to their rooms.

I can’t begin to tell you how excited I was when we got our first cordless phone. Imagine being able to talk for an hour and place the handset back on the charging station and in a short while, it was back up to maximum capacity and I wasn’t tripping over cords running from room to room or untangling said cords after the kids used them. I thought they must have been doing gymnastics amid their conversations for that cord to get so twisted.

And then I remember my first cell phone. I felt such freedom being able to call from anywhere, well, anywhere I could get a decent signal. Remember that old commercial, “Can you hear me now?” Ken was reluctant to climb on board the cell phone train, but when we moved back from Florida in 2008, I reminded him how difficult it had been to keep in touch between our two vehicles by walkie-talkie while on the road moving down. Then I went out and bought him the cheapest phone I could find. I just needed to have the assurance I could reach him if I needed help.

When one door closes another door opens, but we so often look so long and so regretfully upon the closed door, that we do not see the ones which open for us. Alexander Graham Bell

All of this brings me to the point of this little missive. There are lots of instances in everyday life when we need the assurance that help is just a phone call away. We can call a spouse, call a friend or call 911, but whom should we call first? God doesn’t depend on electromagnetic fields for a signal, He is never too busy to take your call and He’s never unavailable. There is no voicemail on God’s personal and direct line with you. You can count on Him any day, anytime, anywhere. You won’t have to turn a crank like our neighbor, dial a number or even consult your contacts. Just give Him your heart and open the line of communication with Him. His signal is always a strong one hundred percent. He’ll answer on the first ring…I promise. You may have to work together for a while on whatever issues you’re facing, but He won’t leave you…I promise that too!

Look! I stand at the door and knock. If you hear my voice and open the door, I will come in…..Revelation 3:20