God Loves the Sound of Your Voice

I know I’m getting old, and I’m enjoying it. One way I know I’m getting old is that Sharon and I have “his” and “hers” recliners in front of the fireplace and the TV. Young couples don’t do that. Only Mimi and Papa-Dave types have matching old-man and old-woman recliners.

The front door of our home is in another room and to our back when we are sitting in our recliners. We often sit there and read, write, watch an SEC football game, study scripture, and sometimes we even talk. However, when that front door opens and a small voice yells, “Heeeey, Papa Dave!” . . . everything stops. No matter how important the task at hand is, when one of the grandkids arrives and yells my name . . . everything stops. There is no sweeter sound than the chipmunk voice of your grandkids calling your name as a warning you’re about to get a sticky-fingered hug.

If I had known how awesome grandkids were going to be, I would have been nicer to their parents. When I became a father, I knew my kids’ voices, especially when they whined and wailed, and I guarantee not everything stopped at every peep. (Like I said, being Papa takes it to another level.) But those little voices reminded me of my privilege to be a father.

In the South, we use a term of endearment when speaking of our father. With syrupy, sweet-tea accents and a great drawl, we call him “Daddy.” When my grown daughters and even my grown son say that, it still melts me. In Hebrew, the word used the same way as we use “Daddy” is “Abba.” Abba God. Daddy God.

You and I are made in God’s image. His fingerprints are all over His creation. Psalm 139 tells us we are “fearfully and wonderfully made” and “intricately woven.” And your Heavenly Father is absolutely crazy about you! He thinks you are amazing. Matthew 10 tells us He thinks so much of you that He knows the number of hairs on your head! Some of us are a hot mess, and He loves us beyond breathing anyway. You are His child, and He sits by the phone and looks out the front door waiting for you to call or visit so He can hear the sound of your voice.

If you can possibly imagine how quickly I drop everything “important” I’m doing and turn my full attention toward my grandkids at the sound of their voice, then you have a small glimpse of how much God loves the sound of your voice when you talk to Him.

Maybe you’re embarrassed because it’s been a while since you’ve talked to God. He holds no grudge toward you. He is just waiting for you to say, “Abba Father, let’s talk.” He loves the sound of your voice more than I love those chipmunk voices—and that’s hard to believe!

So, no matter if it’s been a while or it’s for the first time, try it . . . 

“Heeey, Abba God!”

The maker of Heaven and Earth will hear you. He will stop everything and give you His full attention, even if your hands are sticky with the mess of life.