God Doesn't Have Voicemail

A Reflection on the Psalm for July 28th, 2019:
Seventeenth Sunday in Ordinary Time

​Psalm 138

R. On the day I called, O Lord, you answered me.

I give you thanks, O Lord, with my whole heart; before the Angels I sing your praise; I bow down toward your holy temple, and give thanks to your name for your steadfast love and your faithfulness. 

R. On the day I called, O Lord, you answered me.

For you have exalted your name and your word above everything. On the day I called, you answered me, you increased my strength of soul. 

R. On the day I called, O Lord, you answered me.

For though the Lord is high, he regards the lowly; but the haughty he perceives from far away. Though I walk in the midst of trouble, you preserve me against the wrath of my enemies. 

R. On the day I called, O Lord, you answered me.

You stretch out your hand and your right hand delivers me. The Lord will fulfill his purpose for me; your steadfast love, O Lord, endures forever. Do not forsake the work of your hands. 

​R. On the day I called, O Lord, you answered me.

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Hi! You’ve reached the voicemail of Aurea Sadi. Sorry I missed your call. If you’d like to leave me a message I’ll get back to you as soon as I can. BEEP!


This is the sort of message you’ll hear when you call me at work and I can’t get to the phone. I do my best to answer all my calls but sometimes a) I’m not physically at my desk or b) I’m working to a deadline and need to focus or c) I’m in the midst of a conversation with someone physically in front of me. Despite these legitimate reasons, sometimes when I return the call, the person on the other end asks, “Why didn’t you answer my call?!?”  

It is the image of literally calling God on the phone that came to mind as I reflected on Psalm 138. God doesn’t use voicemail. While I may miss phone calls, God never misses my call. God is always available for my call. That’s a mind boggling concept given how many people may be “calling” Him at any given time of day. And more importantly, God answers: “On the day I called, O Lord, you answered me.” What often gets missed for me is the fact that God answers me. I miss that because either I’m too distracted to wait for the answer or I already have a preconceived notion of what God’s answer should be. When I don’t “hear” what I think I should, then God hasn’t answered.    


But God does. And when God answers, as the psalmist points out, a whole host of goodness results: increased strength of soul, perseverance from the wrath of enemies, fulfillment of purpose. Yet, do I take the time hear Him? Do I take the time to respond? Calling, be it by phone or through prayer, is about entering into a conversation. In our world of text messages, FB and Instagram dms, SnapChat, and a whole host of social media that I am too uncool to know about, it is rare for some people to actually have a good ole fashion conversation; voice to voice. Having an IRL conversation on the phone gives you the opportunity to hear tone, inflection, pauses, and other subtleties in the other person’s voice that can give a clarity and depth of understanding to what they are trying to tell you… and insight into who they are.

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In having “ole fashion” conversations I am also making a commitment of time and an investment in building some level of relationship with the person or persons with whom I am conversing. I think is this is why God always answers; He is constantly wanting to be in relationship with me and all His creation. I can only recognize the goodness that God willingly and generously shows me when I take the time to respond to His response to me. After all, I called Him. He answered. So it would only be in my best interest to actually listen!


Aurea Sadi

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