Do you spend time with God? I used to think I spent a lot of time with God. I go to church for a few hours every Sunday and sometimes on Wednesday. I have my Bible Study on Tuesday. Once a month I meet with a group of people for worship and a teaching for 3 or 4 hours. Once a month I meet with some women I went through a Discipleship class with. When I hear a good song on the radio I stop and sing to God. When I see a beautiful sunset or a pretty bird or when I just feel good I tell God “Thank You”. I pray, not every day or for long periods of time, but I pray, and sometimes I listen to what he has to say, for a few minutes. Usually He gives me a word or an insight or a picture that just blows me away.
I used to think I spent a lot of time with God. He isn’t far from my thoughts and I think of Him every day and talk about Him a lot to people. But I don’t really spend a lot of time “with” God or Jesus or the Holy Spirit. What I do is spend a lot of time thinking about them, talking about them, talking at them or singing to them.
There doesn’t seem to be much two way communication! And isn’t that just sad. God doesn’t want to just listen to us. Jesus doesn’t want to just listen to you sing to Him. The Holy Spirit doesn’t want you to feel His presence, say “That’s cool” and then move on to the next thing you are going to do.
They want to spend time with you, to love on you, to talk to you as well as listen to you. I had the incredible opportunity to leave my life for 24 hours and focus everything on God, Jesus and the Holy Spirit. I prayed with Jesus, I sang to God and felt His receiving of my worship. I was able to forget everything, all distractions, and focus 100% on Them.
I didn’t worry about having enough time to finish the song before I had to go put my laundry in the dryer. I didn’t have to worry about starting to read the Bible and wonder how long before someone interrupts me. I didn’t have to think “I should be cleaning…” I should be working…” “I should be fixing dinner…” or any of the hundreds of other distractions I have every day. I didn’t have to be interrupted by someone needing my attention and having to put God aside for their needs.
For 24 hours I was able to focus 100% on my relationship with God, Jesus and the Holy Spirit. I wrote, I prayed, I talked, I worshiped, I sang…with them, not to them. I sat in Heaven’s living room and spent time with God. I sat in Heaven’s dining room and ate my meals with Jesus and we talked. I went to bed and was tucked in by the Holy Spirit and kissed on the head and they sang me to sleep. I slept and woke with them watching over me and me knowing they were there.
That is all God wants, relationship with us. I know that everyone can’t just leave their life and go someplace to spend time with God like I did. Most people can’t even get away for a few hours. But wouldn’t it be SO COOL to go and just sit and have a cup of Tea and some muffins and talk with God and let Him just love on you!!!! It is not like anything else you have ever experienced. You plan a date; schedule a meeting, put time aside to read. Why not just make a date with God! Plan the place and the time, sit and just see where He takes you. Just say “God, I am here to spend time with you, what shall we talk about”. Don’t make it the same place, or time or day. Make it your room on Sunday afternoon or the Park on Saturday morning, or your car at lunchtime. Your rendezvous should be fresh and new and exciting so that both you and God look forward to your next meeting like a date with your beloved.
That is what I plan to do, make plans to spend time with God. Because I’ll tell you what, I have felt His gentle touch today. When I was upset I felt Him trying to make me laugh. When I was working I felt His hands on my shoulders communicating His love for me.
A friend of mine put it this way, I went after Jesus whole heartedly, I put aside everyone else and spent time with Him. Can you imagine how He must have been thrilled to have that kind of attention from me, attention He has never had before? To show Him how much I love Him and so He can show me how much He loves me.
His little kisses today have held me together during times of stress. His touch has brought me back from the edge of anger. His love has replaced all of the stress I would normally have felt today. God loves us so much but He wants a relationship with us, a two sided relationship, not a one sided acquaintance.
So make a date, play some music, read something to Him, sing with Him, dance with Him. Spend time with Him but mostly, listen to what He is saying to you. He has so much to tell you but most importantly He just wants you to know how much He loves you. He wants to pour that love on you like fragrance from Heaven. To lavish you with His affection because you took time to be with Him. To love on you like your spouse or your parents. Let Him know how much you love Him, and then let Him show you how much He loves you!
: 5:13 AM