Job 13:22

"Then call thou, and I will answer: or let me speak, and answer thou me."

If God does those two things, previously mentioned, then there is freedom in Job's life to approach unto God. And he is right in this. Christ has made a way for us to come boldly unto the throne of mercy. We, being saved, have that way in Him, not inour own works and ways. You cannot come just any old way, you have to come the way He told us. 'I am the way, the truth and the life.' And when we are in a right relationship with Him, void of sin and iniquity, then He speaks and we hear and obey. But if sin be present, then we don't hear and we won't obey. Then call thou - God initates with man; He has always desired for man to walk with Him. Knowing that Adam would sin and break the relationship, God knew a way had to be made to restore the brokenness. From the time that God was walking in the garden and His voice called unto Adam, 'Where art thou?' until today, 'Behold, I stand at the door and knock'; His voice is calling. He has not stopped calling unto men, women and children, 'Hear My voice'. 'For the Gospel hath appeared unto every man', through His Holy Spirit spekaing and drawing. It is the true desire of a child of God to hear when He calls. A long absence of His voice calling would provoke that something is wrong in the relationship. But for the true child it is a daily exercise of hearing Him call unto them. I will answer - the repsonse of man toward the call of God; The problem is not to be found on God's behalf, for He is the same yesterday, today and tomorrow, He is always calling. The lapse is on our behalf, do we answer? NOw Job is ascerting that he will, and does answer the Lord's call. He is found faithful in all these things. What can be said of us in answering the Lord? Are we faithful to hear Him? Are we faithful to obey Him? When was the last time you was still and heard Him call and you answered, "Here am I, Lord, send me"? The backslidden Christian will not answer. they are like Adam and Eve hiding in the bushes, for conviction has gripped them. Those that do not walk consistently, will falter as well, for they are afraid of what He will say when they speak to Him. And thus, God in His ways, usually allows sorrow and troubles to come, to provoke them to hear Him and for them to answer Him. But the righteous are found waiting in His presence every day. They know His voice, they hear His call and they answer. Yes, they might be ashamed and convicted like the backslidden and unfaithful, but they will not allow for the fellwoship to be broken. Habakkuk has a similar verse to note here, "And what I shall answer when I am reproved". Even if God does rebuke us, scold us, reprove us, so what, answer Him. The devil, I belive, makes Christians turn away from the Lord and hold their tongue in answering Him. Let this not be our case brethern. Or let me speak, and answer thou me - Job flips the roles of communication; Instead of the Lord calling and us answering, there are times when we call and He answers. 'Call unto Me, and I will answer thee'. Now thisis the norm for most prayers offered today. We, as the church, are a people given to much prayer. We are constantly calling unto Him. But there are some things to note here for the relationship to be right in prayer time and to pray rightly. First, 'If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord willnot hear me'. this does not counter our verse, it only specifies more. Manya soul is calling unto the Lord and wondering why He has not answer them. Too many testimonies of prayers going up and 'hitting the cieling and coming back down'. the reason for this is their sin has not been confessed nor repented of. they hold on to their selfish sins and expect for the Lord to answer. This cannot be nor will be, He is holy and just in all His ways. Removed the sin and move forward for Him to answer your calling upon Him. Secondly, many are calling and even though sin may not be predominant, they give no time to wait before Him to answer. It is as the practice today of so many, they ask someone in pleasantries, 'How are you?' And they never wait for the person to answer, and a matter of fact they don't want them to answer, they were just saying something to say something. Many a Christian comes into God's presence and calls upon Him but quickly rises up and moves on to their own agenda and never give God Almighty time to answer them. And then we wonder why nobody is hearing from God today. 'Be still and know that I am God'. You may be calling and He wants to answer, are you giving your ear to hear? And when He speaks to us, we will need to give an answer unto Him. Are you ready to answer for your life, actions and time spent? soon and very soon, He will speak from His throne and we will need to anser and give an account of every good and evil work from our hands.