The Post Newspaper Contributing Writer
The minute these words left my mouth that Sunday morning I knew something wasn’t right.
I might as well have added, “If You want, we can talk when I get home, but after the dishes are done. Oh, and I need to wash the car first before it rains. And I totally forgot that I wanted to make some soup. Guess, I’ll have to go grocery shopping also. Well, it looks like my dance card is getting pretty full today, so maybe we can spend some time tomorrow morning before I go to work. I’ll get up extra early to make up for it.
But I need to get going for now. Don’t want to miss praise and worship!
We have a great music ministry. Hey, I think You’d like it!”
Of course I’m being sarcastic, but it was actually one of those moments when I had no more words.
Whether we are in a building or not. I believe that many times we act this
way.
We can read all the books about God, listen to other people’s testimonies. Sing our hearts out. Get on our knees. Recite the prayers. Listen to the messages. Watch the movies. Complete the religious ceremonies. Take the communion. And even quote a few Bible verses.
But have we really connected with God? Are our lives really being changed
because of our relationship with Him.
And I’m not talking about focusing on our sins. How we messed up that week or how we need to improve. Or how we should imitate Christ like behavior.
You can’t give away what you don’t have.
Are we just learning about Him and not truly experiencing Him?
Who is He? Do you know?
Not too long ago, I had the rare opportunity to spend an entire day alone with the Lord. Just He and I. It had been so long since we had spent more than just an hour or two together.
I am born again so His Spirit resides in me, and He will never leave me or
forsake me. (Heb. 13:5) So wherever I go throughout the day, I carry Him in my born-again spirit. (John 14:15-18.)
But even so, if I don’t consciously take time to think only about Him
and meditate/chew on His word, and listen to Him, then our relationship can grow cool. If I don’t actually wrap my life around Jesus and His word around me then I can have Bible verses posted all over my fridge, or my computer at work, and still grow distant.
God is a real live person, whom we can know. “God is Spirit,” John 4:24, but He is also love,1 John 4:8, and anyone who loves needs/wants to be loved back.
That day I purposely chose to spend with Him I didn’t tell anyone my intentions, I just cleared my calendar and set that day apart, just He and I. The cell phone was on silent, and all troublesome thoughts, unresolved situations and world events got put on hold.
After my husband left for work. I listened to several praise and worship
songs. I sang to God and thanked Him for how good He is.
Then I went outside just as the sun was coming up and sat in our swing. I
was praying in the Spirit (speaking in tongues) and listening to the birds
coming awake.
My eyes were closed, but just as the sun rose over the horizon I felt the warmth on my face and turned towards it, and smiled.
At that moment, I truly sensed with all my heart, that God took a picture of
me.
It totally took me off guard and I can’t prove it to you in this lifetime
but I KNOW that He did.
Now some of you might scoff at this and think I’m being silly or just plain
nuts. And your certainly welcome to your own opinion.
But how many of you have every taken a picture of your own children. You
wait for just the right moment to capture their smiles.
And you don’t think our Heavenly Father wouldn’t do the same for us?
He loves to laugh with us. He is Holy and joyful. He is jealous for us and
kind hearted.
He loves us and wants lavish His attentions on us. If we let Him. He gives us free will, to draw as close to Him with our hearts as we want.
God doesn’t want us to just “play church” with Him. He knows that we have responsibilities here, but it is possible to live in this world, while not being of this world.
He wants our hearts totally devoted to loving Him and pressing in towards
Him. His word brings us closer to Him.
I sat in that swing and shut out the world and opened up my heart to God’s
word.
As I withdrew my mind from all other distractions and just soaked Him up I
became filled with His love and began to experience His goodness.
There is no place on this earth I would rather be than in His presence.
(God wants and has provided for EVERY person to be able to have an intimate relationship with Him. Believing that God exist is not enough, you must make your own choice to receive Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior.
People, a preacher, or a priest cannot baptize you into the kingdom of God. Only God can do that through His Holy Spirit. You MUST be born again, John Chpt. 3, in the Spirit by putting your faith in Christ Jesus and receiving salvation purely by His grace in order to be reconciled to God. “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves, it is the GIFT of God, NOT OF WORKS, lest anyone should boast.” Eph. 2:8 … “But what does it say? ‘The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart (that is, the word of faith which we preach): that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has
raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes
unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. For
the scripture says, “Whoever believes on Him will not be put to shame.” Romans
10:8-11)
(Contact Brenda Groves at: bkgroves1996@yahoo.com)
