Love Is Spelled TIME
When a couple is dating, can you imagine if all they did was hang out together with their friends? If they never got alone, would they ever get to know each other and fall in love? Would she know what he liked and disliked, or would he know what she would say if this or that situation arose? That only comes from being alone with each other and purposefully building a relationship, and that’s how it is with our relationship with God.
So how do we have a personal relationship with God in a world that constantly demands our attention? The life of Jesus tells us how. Even though there was always something or someone demanding His time and attention, He maintained a habit that is an example for us to follow. Mark 1:35 says, “Before daybreak, Jesus got up and went out to an isolated place to pray.” He often withdrew from the busyness of the day to quiet places where He could connect with His Father in heaven. He also tells us, “When you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen.” Jesus was saying, “Not only do I need to get away to be with My Father in secret prayer, but so do you.”
Jesus had to purposefully disconnect from the demands on His time to be alone with His Father and be strengthened and encouraged, and so do we. It’s not easy to disconnect these days, especially when our families, friends, and jobs keep us so busy, and then there’s all the distractions of social media, trending news, and the sports and entertainment world. Just as Jesus had, there’s always something to pull you away.
The only way you can develop an intimate relationship with God, a relationship where you hear His voice and let Him mold and make you into the person He wants you to be, is when you push away the distractions and simply spend time with Him. Perhaps you take a Scripture and just ponder over it and listen to what He is saying. Perhaps you sit quietly in His presence and say, “God, I love You today. Thank You for this day. Father, I want You to reveal more of Yourself to me.” Whatever that intimacy looks like for you, the only thing that will satisfy the needs of your soul and give vision for your life is to set yourself apart and be alone with God.
Make prayer a priority in your life. If you don’t carve time out from your schedule, it will get away from you. You need to spend your time wisely; you need to spend time with God. He’s waiting for you!
So how do we have a personal relationship with God in a world that constantly demands our attention? The life of Jesus tells us how. Even though there was always something or someone demanding His time and attention, He maintained a habit that is an example for us to follow. Mark 1:35 says, “Before daybreak, Jesus got up and went out to an isolated place to pray.” He often withdrew from the busyness of the day to quiet places where He could connect with His Father in heaven. He also tells us, “When you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen.” Jesus was saying, “Not only do I need to get away to be with My Father in secret prayer, but so do you.”
Jesus had to purposefully disconnect from the demands on His time to be alone with His Father and be strengthened and encouraged, and so do we. It’s not easy to disconnect these days, especially when our families, friends, and jobs keep us so busy, and then there’s all the distractions of social media, trending news, and the sports and entertainment world. Just as Jesus had, there’s always something to pull you away.
The only way you can develop an intimate relationship with God, a relationship where you hear His voice and let Him mold and make you into the person He wants you to be, is when you push away the distractions and simply spend time with Him. Perhaps you take a Scripture and just ponder over it and listen to what He is saying. Perhaps you sit quietly in His presence and say, “God, I love You today. Thank You for this day. Father, I want You to reveal more of Yourself to me.” Whatever that intimacy looks like for you, the only thing that will satisfy the needs of your soul and give vision for your life is to set yourself apart and be alone with God.
Make prayer a priority in your life. If you don’t carve time out from your schedule, it will get away from you. You need to spend your time wisely; you need to spend time with God. He’s waiting for you!