對我和妻子來說，2022年是非常特別的一年，因為我們的小孫女菲菲出生了！她是我們八個孫兒中唯一的女孩。身為菲菲的爺爺奶奶，我們一想到她就笑得合不攏嘴，每次和兒子視訊通話，更是無比興奮。雖然有時我和妻子待在不同的房間，但從她的歡聲笑語就知道她看到了菲菲可愛的模樣。現在只需點擊一個按鈕，撥打一通視訊電話，就可以見到遠方的親人。

透過視訊看到對方，算是相當新穎的現代科技，但與上帝「視訊通話」，即在禱告時清楚意識到祂的同在，卻絕不是一件新事。在詩篇27篇，大衛面臨敵人的攻擊、誣告和恐嚇，而身邊的親友都無法給他任何幫助（10-12節），於是他向上帝吐露心聲：「我的心聽見祢說：『來吧，跟我談談。』我的心就回應說：『上主啊，我來了。』」（8節，新普及譯本）

的確，困境會促使我們尋求上帝的面（8節），但我們不應只在這種情況下才來到上帝面前向祂傾心吐意，因在祂「面前有滿足的喜樂」，在祂「右手中有永遠的福樂」（16篇11節）。如果你仔細聆聽，隨時都可能聽見祂說：「來吧，跟我談談。」

The year 2022 was very special for my wife and me. That’s the year our granddaughter, Sophia Ashley, was born—the only granddaughter among our eight grandchildren. Sophia’s grandparents haven’t stopped smiling! When our son calls via video, the excitement gets ramped up even more. My wife and I may be in different rooms, but her joyful holler reveals that she’s getting a glimpse of Sophia. Seeing those we love from afar is now only a call or click away.

The ability to see the person we’re talking to on the phone is relatively new, but face time with God—prayer with a conscious awareness of being in His presence—is not. David’s prayer in Psalm 27—voiced in the midst of opposition that required assistance beyond the capability of the closest human allies (vv. 10-12)—includes these words: “My heart has heard you say, ‘Come and talk with me.’ And my heart responds, ‘Lord, I am coming’ ” (v. 8 nlt).

Difficult times rightly compel us to “seek his face” (v. 8). But that’s not the only time we can or should be in face-to-face fellowship with the one in whose “presence is fullness of joy”; at His “right hand are pleasures forevermore” (16:11 nkjv). If you listen closely, at any time you may hear Him say, “Come and talk with me.”