Recently I was sitting in a football stadium when my phone rang. Honestly, the only reason I knew that it rang was that I felt it vibrate. Answering the call was a challenge. I was out in the open and the sun was shining, so I could not read the screen. And at just the moment I swiped the screen to answer it, the home team threw a touchdown pass. The crowd roared its approval.

So here I am, trying to celebrate with other fans, and also trying to answer the phone (Yeah, I know. My wife wondered why I answered it, too). Anyway, I am trying to hear a voice, not sure who it was, and completely unable to understand anything that is being said.

This lasted for a few seconds, because the pass was a not a long one, but you could see the lane open up for the receiver. It was going to be a touchdown, but it took a few seconds to happen. So I still had no idea who has called me. Finally I shouted in the phone, "I’m not sure who this is, but I’ll call you back in a minute. I’m at a football game."

Our team kicks the extra point and we go to a TV timeout. So I pull the phone close to my eyes, shade it with my hat, and discover that I just missed a call from… wait for it…my dad. Wow! He’s been my dad now for 57 years. You would think I would recognize him, right? How embarrassing! The good news is that he knew where I was, and he was calling to get me to buy him a program. I had invited him to go with me, but he wasn’t up to it. He’s actually the reason I go to games.

Still, it bothered me that I didn’t know who he was. He was laughing. It was fine. After all, I was distracted.

And then it hits me. How many times in my life have I been distracted by things that really don’t matter when my Heavenly Father is calling me? Proverbs 1:20-33 speaks of a time when God calls, and His people do not listen. As a result He says to them, "They will call upon me, but I will not answer." Could there be a more frightening thought?

But verse 33 says, "Whoever listens to me will dwell secure." I need the security that only God can offer. So do you. I encourage you to listen when God calls. What He says matters.