Currently in our Canadian news, there have been comments about the lack of communication within the ruling political party. A recent poll detailing the party’s drop in popularity apparently proves that their message is not reaching the people, which indicates a lack of external communication too, according to the press. It seems to be the major buzzword in every organization, people give countless workshops on it and relationships are forever changed because of it. Our world appears to revolve around ‘communication’.
This is an area that interests me as much as it confounds me. Just when I think I’ve gotten the hang of the whole ‘communication thing’, something occurs that assures me I haven’t quite gotten there yet. It could be at work, when my boss gets to the end of an explanation only to have me say, “Pardon?” Or, for example, with personal relationships when I realize days after a conversation, that what was actually said, wasn’t what was really meant.
Communication has a way of bonding people, though apparently this is more accurate in women than in men. Girls like to share things with each other in order to feel close, whether it’s about spiritual things, or every day life, or even just about shoes. There are times when I long for a few words from someone to feel connected with them, even just a line in an email.
It makes me wonder how God feels when we go for days without communicating with Him. The Bible tells us to “pray without ceasing”, which seems to me to be demonstrated by an attitude of thankfulness.
You can usually sense those people who practice this all the time; they are a little less stressed, a little more centered, a little more patient, and perhaps even a little more loving. When I hang out with these people, I’m reminded once again that I need to keep that line of communication with the Lord open and strong.
In the Gospel of John, Jesus tells us that “He that believeth in me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these...” This truth is abruptly followed by the statement: “…whatever ye shall ask in My Name I will do.” Oswald Chambers says that the ‘greater works’ that we will do are the prayers we will pray, when we will ask in the Name of Jesus, and He will do ‘whatever’. It appears that communication is pretty important to God as well. If our lives of prayer, our open communication, is the ‘greater work’, then developing a disciplined prayer life should be high on our list of priorities. It’s a main part of nurturing our relationship with our Lord. We need to spend time with Him, bonding and getting to know Him better through communication.
I find it easy to talk to a close friend; often during a stressful time I’ll seek their guidance or even just their companionship. I admit I don’t do that with my Lord as often as I should and I admire those I know who automatically go to Him first. Again, it’s the discipline of remaining in a prayerful attitude, making it unthinkable not to go to God first.
I have yet to meet the person who has learned all they need to know about communication, so I imagine the books, seminars and teaching will continue in the secular marketplace. And when I talk with the people I know that are closest to the Lord, they will still say they have a lot to learn about communicating with the Almighty.
Regardless of how much we know or need to find out, one thing that will keep our relationships with others strong is continuing to develop our communication skills. What will keep our most important relationship healthy is the desire to keep communicating with Him, our closest Friend and Saviour. Not only talking to the Lord, but listening as well, so we don’t have to continuously say, “Pardon?”
Written by Lorraine Walker. Originally published November 2006 on http://www.sgmradio.com For a current Reality Check, Read "Thanks But No Thanks" at http://www.sgmradio.com/2011/11/04/thanks-but-no-thanks/
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