Scripture: "I am my
beloved's, and His desire is for me." Song
of Solomon 7:10
My Secret
I want to tell you a secret. One
that has totally revolutionized my life with God. Can I have a minute
of your time and see if it could do the same for you?
Wanting More from God
About a couple months ago, I was at
a weird place in my relationship with God, and I asked Him what to
do. I wanted more out of our relationship, but I didn't know what to
do about it. And here's the answer I felt He gave me: Go on walks. Go
on walks? Are You serious? What is that going to do? Are You
saying I'm out of shape? (Which I am.) In any event, I went, out of
sheer obedience and curiosity—and I kind of like walking. Every day
after work, I'd put on my walking shoes and head out the door, often
tired and not feeling like it.
Going on Dates
And what do you know, but as I
started to walk, I started to talk: to God—about my feelings, my
fears, what happened yesterday at work, how I feel about my
life...everything and anything that was on my heart. And do you want
to know what's more? As I began to walk—everyday, after work—I
began to hear God talk back...or sometimes just feel Him listen and
care. It was like I began to "date" God. And God,
smart as He is, knew this would happen. He knew that it was quality
time that we needed to grow in our relationship together.
A Fresh Love
Have you ever seen a married couple
that falls out of love? It's not that they hate each other; they just
lost that "thing." But then, in a move of desperation, they
move everything else to the side and begin to act how they did when
they first fell in love. They date; they open up; they notice new,
wonderful qualities in each other. They listen to every word with
attention. They put each other first. Mainly, they spend time
together.
God's Message to You
And this is EXACTLY what God
wants to do...with you. He is just crazy about you. He wants
to spend every waking moment with you: listening to your fears,
talking about your dreams, laughing at funny things, and counseling
you on the tough issues. Don't believe me? Listen to Him here; He's
talking about you:
"“But then I will win her back once again. I will lead her into the desert and speak tenderly to her there. I will return her vineyards to her and transform the Valley of Trouble into a gateway of hope. She will give herself to Me there, as she did long ago when she was young, when I freed her from her captivity in Egypt. When that day comes,' says the Lord, “you will call Me ‘my husband’ instead of ‘my master'" (Hosea 2:14-16).
No Matter How Old or New
No matter where you are at in your
relationship with God (maybe you've just begun, or maybe you've been
with Him a while now), He wants to pursue you all over again. He
wants you to give yourself to Him again. When I started taking
my daily walks with God, our daily dates, I started to hear Him and
feel His love in a revolutionary way. I started to hear
Him soothe my fears, give me advice, and care for me with deep
loyalty. And the same will happen for you if you start spending time
with Him.
The Offer
Here's what Jesus says to you:
"Look! I stand at the door and knock. If you hear my voice and
open the door, I will come in, and we will share a meal together as
friends." Revelation
3:20 Do you want to have those dates with God? Do you want to let
Him into your home...maybe for the first time, or maybe "all
over again?"
Start Here
Why don't you simply start with
picking a time of day to take a daily date with God? It could be
morning, noon, or night. You just tell Him, "God, I would like
to go on that date You're offering me. I'm a little surprised You'd
want to spend so much time with me, but I'm honored. Let's build this
relationship." Is that what you want to do? If so, why don't you
tell God in the Comments below what time of day you'd like to
spend together, and then take that time to talk and get to know each
other this week. I personally promise you that you will not regret
it. God is crazy about you, and spending time together every day will
revolutionize your life.
