“Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and hidden things you do not know.”
Jeremiah 33:3
This article was written by Madam Sapph Adodoadji, a member of Accra Ridge Church. Please enjoy and pass it on to others.
Introduction
Prayer is one of the greatest privileges given to humanity. It is not simply a religious practice or a collection of words spoken into the air. Prayer is an invitation from the Almighty God to enter into fellowship with Him.
Jeremiah 33:3 has often been described as God’s “telephone number” because it captures the heart of God’s invitation to His people. These words are not a desperate attempt by humanity to reach a distant God; rather, they are the loving call of God reaching down to us: “Call to Me.”
The Creator of heaven and earth, the One who spoke the universe into existence, opens the door of His presence and invites us to speak with Him. The God who is above all things bends His ear to listen to ordinary people. This, in itself, reveals the glory of prayer.
To fully appreciate the significance of this promise, we must understand the circumstances surrounding it. Jeremiah received these words from God while he was imprisoned. Outside the walls of his prison, the Babylonian army surrounded Jerusalem. Fear had gripped the people. Famine was spreading. The kingdom was falling apart. Jeremiah himself had been rejected and imprisoned because he faithfully proclaimed God’s message.
It was in that moment of uncertainty and hopelessness that God spoke: “Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and hidden things you do not know.”
What an incredible picture of God’s heart! A human king may restrict access to his palace, but the King of kings invites His people into His presence. Prayer is the doorway through which we encounter God’s majesty, His wisdom, His mysteries, and His transforming power.
Prayer is not merely about presenting our requests to God. It is about experiencing the reality of who He is. God is not far away. He is near. He is not indifferent. He listens.
The story of Paul and Silas in Acts 16 demonstrates this truth. While imprisoned and suffering, they prayed and sang hymns to God at midnight. Suddenly, the glory of God was revealed. The prison shook, the chains fell off, and the doors opened.
Their prayer did not only change their situation; it revealed the presence and power of God.
Jeremiah 33:3 reveals three beautiful truths about the glory of God in prayer. It reveals the glory of :His accessibility, His availability, and His authority.
In this first part of this article , we shall look into the first two.
l The Glory of His Accessibility
The first words of God’s invitation are:“Call to Me.”
These words reveal something extraordinary about God. The Almighty God makes Himself accessible to His people.
Consider who God is. He is the eternal Creator, the One who was not created by anyone. He is the God who spoke, and the heavens and the earth came into existence. He is the King of kings and the Lord of lords.
In ancient times, approaching a king was not a simple matter. A person could not walk into a royal throne room without permission. Queen Esther risked her life when she approached King Xerxes without being summoned.
Yet the God of the universe gives us an open invitation:“Call to Me.”
Isn’t this glorious?
God does not need us, yet He desires relationship with us. Acts 17 reminds us that God is not served by human hands as though He needs anything. He is completely self-sufficient, yet in His love, He chooses to listen to His children.
Sadly, many people treat prayer as a last resort. We try our own strength. We depend on our resources. We seek human solutions. Then, when everything else fails, we say, “All we can do now is pray.”
But prayer was never meant to be our last option.
Prayer is our first response.
Imagine a powerful leader sitting in an important meeting surrounded by advisers and security personnel. Suddenly, a small child runs into the room crying, “Daddy, I hurt my knee!”
The leader does not reject the child because of the importance of the meeting. He stops, picks up the child, and responds with love.
Why? Because access is based on relationship.
In the same way, we do not approach God because of our own importance or perfection. We approach Him because Jesus Christ has opened the way for us. Through Christ, we have received the privilege of calling God:“Abba, Father.”
The glory of prayer is that the God of the universe makes Himself accessible to the brokenhearted, the weary, and all who call upon Him.
l The Glory of His Availability
God does not only say:“Call to Me.”
He continues :“And I will answer you.”
This is the beautiful assurance of God’s availability. He does not invite us to call and then leave us waiting in silence. He promises that He hears and responds.
God does not say, “Call me and I will consider it when I have time.” He does not say, “Call me and I may respond if I am not too busy.” He declares:“I will answer you.”
In a world where people are often unavailable, God remains faithful. Messages may go unanswered. Calls may be ignored. People may be physically present but emotionally distant.
But God never sleeps.He never ignores.He never turns away from the cries of His children.
However, God’s answers are not like a machine where we present our requests and receive exactly what we desire. God answers according to His perfect wisdom, His perfect love, and His perfect timing.
Sometimes God answers with a YES. We see this when Elijah prayed and fire fell from heaven, when Hannah prayed and received Samuel, and when the early church prayed and Peter was delivered from prison.
Sometimes God answers with a NO. Paul prayed for his thorn to be removed, but God responded by giving him sufficient grace and strength in his weakness.
Sometimes God answers with a WAIT. A delay does not mean God has forgotten us. Often, God uses waiting seasons to prepare us and accomplish His greater purpose.
Jeremiah experienced this personally. God did not immediately remove him from prison or stop the Babylonian invasion. Yet God answered by giving Jeremiah hope, revealing His promises, and strengthening him in the midst of difficulty.
Sometimes God changes our circumstances.
Sometimes He changes us within our circumstances.
But in every situation, His glory is revealed.
To be continued…
Stay blessed!
Please note: The preaching programme on Sunny 88.7 FM (Tuesdays at 5:30 a.m.) has been temporarily put on hold. However, please continue to join us on Asempa 94.7 FM – Sundays at 5:30 a.m. and YFM 107.9 – Sundays at 6:30 a.m. for our Radio Bible Study, as well as Sunny 88.7 FM every Sunday at 3:30 p.m. for Hymns and Their Stories.
