The playground was bustling with laughter and movement, but my boys, then just two and four years old, played in their own quiet way. After a speech therapy session, we stopped at a nearby park, a familiar part of our speech therapy routine when the weather was nice.
My older son wandered the perimeter of the playground and discovered sweet gum balls—a spiky green fruit on the gumtree but which dries out and turns brown and drops to the ground. He would pick up the prickly pods, inspect it between his fingers, then fling it at a tree, and walk a few steps until he found another gum ball.
Another child, probably a year or so younger than my son, decided to join in. “Hey, Mommy! What are these things?” he called out. His mother, busy tending to a baby in a stroller, didn’t respond. I saw his shoulders slump, disappointment settling in. So, I answered his question. His face brightened instantly, and soon he was firing off more questions—not just about the gum balls, but about trees, seeds, and even dinosaurs. He marveled at the world around him, sharing his favorite facts with the enthusiasm only a child can have.
As his mother eventually called him away, I turned my gaze to my own sons. They played in silence, lost in their own worlds. As their mother, I could anticipate their needs without them speaking, yet my heart ached to hear their voices. I longed to know their thoughts, their questions, their worries and wonders. More than anything, I wanted to hear them call me "Mama."
And in that moment, I realized—this is what God desires from us, too.
Image from @markusspiske on Unsplash
He wants us to share our heart and our thoughts with Him, even though He already knows them. He wants us to ask our questions so He can supply the answers in His own way. He wants us to share our requests and petitions with Him. Nothing is too big or too small to bring before our Heavenly Father.
Our Heavenly Father didn’t just create us and leave us, but He wants to be involved in every detail of our lives. Psalm 145:18 tells us, “the LORD is near to all who call on him.” He’s available and accessible to us. And not only that, but He loves us and is mindful of us (Psalm 8:4). His heart is all about drawing near to our hearts.
I think sometimes we picture God as distant—too busy with bigger problems to care about than the details of our lives. Maybe we see Him as a tired parent, distracted and preoccupied, or as a mighty King who only acknowledges us when it fits His schedule. But that’s not who He is. Psalm 145:18 assures us, “The Lord is near to all who call on him.” Our Heavenly Father isn’t just aware of us—He is present, listening, and longing for us to draw near. He invites us to share our hearts, our worries, our joys, and our questions with Him, not because He doesn’t already know, but because He desires a relationship with us.
One of my favorite verses about prayer is Psalm 116:1-2: “I love the Lord because he hears my voice and my prayer for mercy. Because he bends down to listen, I will pray as long as I have breath!”. What a beautiful image—God bending down, leaning in, eager to hear what we have to say.
Just as I longed to hear my sons’ voices, God longs to hear from us. He is not a distant, distracted Father—He is near, attentive, and eager to listen. Our Heavenly Father is never too busy, never too preoccupied, never uninterested in what we have to say. He bends down, leans in, and waits with love to hear the cries, questions, and praises of His children. So don’t hold back—pour out your heart to Him. He is listening.
This is an edited excerpt from Jenn’s book On the Same Page with God.
Jenn Soehnlin is the author of Embracing This Special Life and On the Same Page with God. She enjoys writing about faith, praying Scripture, special needs parenting, and more at www.embracing.life. She loves spending time with her husband and two sons, curling up with a good book and a cup of coffee, and enjoying a wonder walk through nature.
