“Ask, and you will receive. Search, and you will find. Knock, and the door will be opened for you.” Matthew 7:7 (GW)
Blake’s Story, Age 16
In religion class, the teacher assigned a creative piece. He asked us to take an advertisement or TV commercial and modify it, quoting scripture, to publicize or promote religious principles. I poured over magazines – confident I’d find the perfect print ad to use – but nothing seemed to fit. Then it hit me! I thought of the cell phone commercial on TV, you know the one where the test man roams the globe to confirm cellular strength with the now familiar line, “Can you hear me now?” This was going to be fun – I’ll make God the test man in my commercial!
I think casting God as the ultimate test man is perfect!
The strength of His voice is strong and steady – it can always be heard if you listen. But after researching His voice for my project, I realized hearing God is only half of it. We’re supposed to pay attention to God’s voice and do what it says. Here’s the scripture from James 1:22 to back me up: “But don’t just listen to God’s word. You must do what it says. Otherwise, you are only fooling yourselves.” So I added a twist to the tagline for my commercial: “Can you hear me now? Great, but will you listen?”
Conversation Starters
- What do you think about Blake’s selection for a modified, religious TV commercial?
- Talk about other ads or commercials that would be fun to re-make for promoting Christ to others.
- “Can you hear me now? Great, but will you listen?” Are you willing to apply that tagline in your life? If so, talk about practical ways to make your goal a reality.
An Adult Perspective
It’s not much of a stretch to visualize God as the ultimate test man because He is everywhere – roaming the earth (the one He created, by the way), and reaching out to us through the prompting of the Holy Spirit, His own spiritual “cell service.” Scripture confirms God’s intent on getting through to us. The verse, John 14:26, states His design so eloquently: “But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you.”
He calls out, “Can you hear me now,” tenacious in His pursuit of us.
In the book of Matthew, Jesus tells his followers to pursue the Father with faithful determination. “Ask, and you will receive. Search, and you will find. Knock, and the door will be opened for you.” (Matthew 7:7) Unfortunately, many people seek God’s wisdom halfheartedly or as a last resort, oftentimes ignoring His advice all together. Others don’t stop pleading or praying long enough to listen for His Godly counsel. Time and time again, souls slip off course while forging ahead with their own agenda – forgetting that our sovereign Lord actually does know what He’s talking about and does know what’s best!
Yet, through the static of their disobedience, He patiently inquires again, “Can you hear me now?” Great, but will you listen?
In Sarah Young’s devotional book, Jesus Calling, she gives Christ a voice in prayer: “I am with you and for you. When you decide on a course of action that is in line with My will, nothing in heaven or on earth can stop you.” Quite simply, our lives can be less complicated and more rewarding if we would just take God’s word for what it is: the gospel truth. Christ petitions us to stop merely listening and start obeying and doing His will. Don’t miss out on the most important call in your life – the one that will guide you to a heavenly future. Listen earnestly for His voice and “follow the instructions of the Lord! Joyful are those who obey his laws and search for him with all their hearts.” (Psalm 119)
“You guide me with your counsel, leading me to a glorious destiny.” Psalm 73:24
