One morning, as my wife and I walked along a beach in Florida, our cell phone rang. It was our son calling from Seattle, Washington. When the conversation ended, I began to marvel at the technological “miracle” I had just participated in. My son’s voice had come directly into my ear within a second or so of the origination of the call. The signal had zoomed up into the sky from Washington and bounced across the continental United States. I could have just as easily been on a beach in Puerto Rico and the signal would have continued past Cuba, the Dominican Republic, Haiti, an onto the shore where I was standing. That call would have skipped millions of other phones to hone in on mine. Only my phone would answer the ring.

As I reflected on that moment, I felt God say to me, “I also know your number. You are not lost in a faceless tide of humanity. I always know where you are and I am always with you 24/7. But if you turn your heart phone off, it’s not possible for me to talk to you.”

When our cell phones are off, no one can reach us at our number. When our heart phone is off, even God can’t reach us. Our heart phones need to be on, especially during times of difficulty or emergency. Those are the times we think the Lord doesn’t know where we are – but He does! He gives His promise, “I will never leave you or forsake you” (Hebrews 13:5). If you want to be aware of God’s presence, keep your heart phone on for His call.

Have you ever wondered, “God can you hear me now?” Perhaps you have strayed far from God or feel as if you are swimming in a swamp of alligators. God is listening. He has your number, but be sure to turn your heart phone on.

How can we keep our heart phone on? Stay in constant contact with God through PRAYER. Consider the following six-letter acrostic.

P – PRIORITY. To keep our heart phone on, prayer should be a daily priority. Not just when we face trouble or when we feel like it or every now and then. On my own I’m weak. I do not know the future or what tomorrow holds. Jesus made prayer a priority. He is our example. He taught us to pray in Matthew 6.

King David attributed his success to a God who answers prayer. “I love the Lord because he hears and answers my prayers. Because he bends down and listens, I will pray as long as I have breath!” (See Psalm 116 NLT.)

R – RELATIONSHIP. Prayer is based on relationship with God. Jesus said that when you pray you can begin with “Our Father”. That’s relationship. When we pray, God does not just hear our words, He sees our heart. Spending time with Jesus builds relationship and nothing is as rewarding and as important. Keep your heart phone open by inviting Christ to live within you and commune with you. (See Revelation 3:20.)

A – ADVOCATE. The word “advocate” means one who pleads the case for another. I don’t know how to pray as I ought, but the Holy Spirit pleads my case. He will put you in touch and help you when you pray. (See Romans 8:26.)

Y – YIELD. When we pray we must yield ourselves to God. Surrender your life. Commit your way and will to Him. It will keep your heart phone on. (See Matthew 6:10 and James 4:6-8.) Pride is a major problem to heart phones.

E – EFFECTIVE. Prayer is effective. Don’t doubt it or deny it. We must pray the prayer of faith. Faith will beam your prayers to God. “…The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much” (James 5:15, 16).

R – REPENTANCE. David said, “If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me.” Sin will turn off our heart phone. David confessed and forsook his sin. He then had this assurance, “But certainly God has heard me; He has attended to the voice of my prayer” (Psalm 66: 18, 19 NKJV). Has your heart phone been shut off by sin or a wrong attitude? “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (I John 1:9). Call out to the Savior in faith and repentance.

You don’t need to wonder, “Can you hear me now?” When you practice daily prayer, your heart phone will always be on to God.