Sometimes in life we just need a friendly ear, don’t we?

911 dispatchers have certainly found this out.

People call the emergency line for the darnedest of reasons, either to vent about some minor injustice or just to get some advice.

Like the fellow who called 911 to ask what last night’s sports scores were.

Or the little girl who needed help with her math homework.

One guy called 999, the UK version of 911, at 4am on a Saturday morning to ask, “Where is the best place to get a bacon sandwich right now?”

A Halton, Ontario, boy recently called the emergency line in an outrage when his Mom changed the password to his Xbox.

Some have been known to dial 911 when their pizza delivery wasn’t ready on time.

We get consumed with anxiety, uncertainty, confusion, or anger and think, “There must be someone I can call about this!”

Needless to say, 911 should be reserved for actual emergencies only, please.

But sometimes we just need someone to talk to, even if it’s about random things.

It’s good to know that no matter how big or small your concerns, God is interested in hearing from you.

Scripture tells us that He cares about even the little things that we face.

“The LORD directs the steps of the godly. He delights in every detail of their lives.” (Psalm 37:23)

He won’t ever chastise you for bringing your challenges before Him and asking Him what to do about them.

“If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you.” (James 1:5)

When you need someone to call about even the minor things in life, keep our Heavenly Father on speed-dial. Throughout Scripture, God has shown that He takes an interest in a wide range of human problems, from catering issues to missing objects to being a bit short at tax-time.

John 2:1-10 tells us of a time when Jesus was attending a wedding at Cana. The host must have misjudged how many people would be attending (or how much they would drink), because they soon ran out of wine. This seems like a minor issue, but it could have led to great embarrassment for the host in that culture.

Jesus saw some large vats and miraculously turned the water in them into wine, saving the day. He also went one step further, creating a beverage that the guests assumed was the “good stuff”: fine, aged wine. This was no Beaujolais Nouveau, but more like oak-aged Cabernet Sauvignon.

Another example of God’s interest in our minor problems is found in 2 Kings 6:4-7. As some men were felling trees, an axe head flew off and fell into a nearby body of water, where it couldn’t be located. The wood-cutter was distraught, as the axe itself had been borrowed. Working through the prophet Elisha, God made the iron axe head float so it could be retrieved.

Our last example is from Matthew 17:24-27. Jesus and the disciples were discussing payment of the temple tax. They must have found themselves a bit short, however, because neither Jesus nor His disciples seemed to have ready money to pay it. Instead, Jesus told Peter:

“Go down to the lake and throw in a line. Open the mouth of the first fish you catch, and you will find a large silver coin. Take it and pay the tax for both of us.”

Problem solved.

No matter what you’re facing, big or small, God wants you to call out to Him in prayer.

If you need help, or just a listening ear, keep this number handy: G-O-D.

Lines are open 24/7!

© 2021 Lori J. Cartmell. All rights reserved.