I Talked With God

 It is a rare privilege for anyone to be able to talk to, and have a handshake, with the highest official of our land or country.

When I was a new lawyer, a bosom friend and client, and the son-in-law of then Governor Paciano Bangoy of Davao Province when Davao was yet a single province, invited me to the Governor’s residence so I can meet my “idol,” the 1939 lawyer-bar topnotcher whose 98% grade is unsurpassed up to this day, who was then the Senate President and who was campaigning for the Presidency of the Philippines, the late President Ferdinand E. Marcos. I was excited beyond words could express to meet him personally. Being accompanied by the son-in-law of the Governor, breaking protocol, I was brought directly to Senate President Marcos. In his golden baritone voice, as I was introduced to, and had a handshake with him, he said to me, “How are you?” Oh, the indescribable joy in my heart, especially because he was subsequently elected President by a landslide vote.

In my later years as an active practitioner, in my capacity as President and later Chairman of the Board of the most prestigious organization of businessmen, professionals and politicians in Davao City, the Davao City Chamber of Commerce & Industry, now with more than 500 members, I have had handshakes with the succeeding Presidents of the Philippines, like President Joseph Estrada, President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, except, perhaps by pure coincidence, the incumbent one, President Noynoy Aquino and his late mother, President Corazon C. Aquino.

But the privilege of having a handshake or talking to the President of our country is nothing. While I know them as all of us know them, I am sure, they don’t remember having handshake with me or me having talked to them, should, by God’s grace, we meet later in heaven.

But everyday, morning, noontime, evening, every and any moment, I can always talk to God in prayer. There is no protocol with God. We do not need anyone else to introduce us to Him or any special occasion to talk to our God as He himself taught us, we can directly pray, “Our Father which art in heaven…” Then, we can proceed to ask and tell him anything, and according to His perfect will, what we ask for will be granted to us as gift without spending a single cent. And we can do this anywhere at anytime. Only “Ask and it shall be given to you, seek and the door shall be opened to you” (Matt. 7:7). And God remembers us because the Scripture says, “Even the very hairs of your head are all numbered” (Matt. 10:30). That is how sharp the memory of our God! Imagine, God knows even the number of our hairs! How wonderful! But are we availing of this wonderful opportunity and privilege of talking to God (Jesus Christ in the flesh) personally any moment everyday? Let us do so for our own good and for the glory of God.

What makes it more wonderful is that we do not have to be a professional, businessman, wealthy, high politician, brilliant, or a friend to someone close to God. Any one can talk to God through prayer. “The Spirit and the bride (Jesus Christ) say, “Come’, And let him who hears say, ‘Come’ Whoever is thirsty of (God, the Love of God), let him come, and whoever wishes, let him take the free gift of the water of life” (Rev. 22:17 NIV).