Phone Home

As we move into the 4 the week of our stay-at-home orders, if you’re like me, you’ve probably
broken into your vault of classic movie DVD collection. One of my all-time favorite flics when I
was a kid was Steven Spielberg’s ET-The Extra Terrestrial. The  storyline is about a gentle alien
who becomes stranded on Earth and is befriended by a young boy named Elliott. The two
quickly bond and Elliott secretly hides ET at his home. Although I enjoy the entire movie, my
favorite seen is when Elliott and ET are in one of the kids bedrooms and ET looks thru the
window and points to the stars and says, “ET phone home. ET phone home.” No doubt ET must
have been scared finding himself in an unfamiliar circumstance and away from his family and
friends. As the movie continues ET falls ill. I tend to believe it is because of a broken heart being
separated from the one’s he loves. So Elliott  knows the only way he can help his unlikely friend
is to get him back to where he came from; back to his family and friends; he needs to get back
home. The Good News is, is that ET was able to call home with the help of his friend Elliott.
After much effort (including high flying bicycle escapades), Elliott and ET finally reach the
waiting alien craft. Spoiler Alert! ET makes it back home. The touching conclusion is the scene
where Elliott and ET are standing facing each other as ET slowly extends his hand toward him.
 You can see Elliott is distraught about losing his new found friend. But before ET turns to get
into his ride home, he extends his index finger over Elliott’s heart. The tip of his finger begins to
shine brightly and ET is heard saying, “I’ll be right here.”
   The circumstance we find ourselves today can make us feel lost and alone too as we hunker
down in our homes. But here is the Good News!! Jesus says we can call Him anytime. We can
call Home thru PRAYER. 2 Chronicles 7:14 says, “If my people who are called by my name, will
humble themselves and PRAY and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will
forgive their sin and heal their land.” Likewise we can see God’s desire to listen to us in 1 Peter
3:12 which says, “ For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous and His ears are attentive to
their PRAYER.” Our Father in Heaven has given us the means to call Him any time, any day,
anywhere, under any circumstance. Thru PRAYER we learn to trust Him; thru PRAYER we learn
to listen to His direction; thru PRAYER we may be comforted by His love; thru PRAYER we draw
nearer to Him in a deeper relationship. So if you are feeling anxious or alone, just reach out in
PRAYER to our loving Creator. He is waiting for your call and wanting to reach down to touch
your heart and whisper, “ I am right here.”

Dave Carey