The Culture of Hope Founded on Faith

Spending Time with God

When I discovered that I had lost my cellphone yesterday, I experienced a similar feeling to what I experience when I do not spend quality time with my Lord.

Women carry big purses for a reason and mine is no exception. I carry emergency stuff in it that I would sorely miss when needed–like a nail file, anti-histamine cream and pills, cough drops, emergency inhaler, hand lotion, cellphone. My phone was in a pouch that hung by a short, stout chain from the strap of my purse. The chain unhooked and somewhere in one of three stores I visited, it fell off. When I discovered it gone, I had a sense of being without something important, as if I was in the water without a life vest. What if something happened while I was out and I didn’t have a phone to call for help? Well, I live in a small town so I could always walk to a nearby business and ask to use their phone.

There are times that I don’t take the time to sit in God’s presence before my day begins. I find many other unrelated things to do. Then I’m off to whatever appointment or meeting I have and I feel that same sense of having left something very important out of my morning as I did in the loss of my phone. Partway through the day God reminds me of the missed appointment with Him and I have to apologize and ask His forgiveness. But I also have to wonder why on earth I am leaving the most important being in my life waiting for my fellowship.

Colossians 2:6-7 tells us, “As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him: Rooted and built up in him, and stablished in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving.” The only way to be rooted and built up in Him is to learn from His Word and in prayer. And that takes time studying the Bible, talking to God, seeking His face and His will in all that you do.

In her book, “Having a Mary Heart in a Martha World: Finding Intimacy with God in the Busyness of Life” (Crown Publishing Group, July, 2000), Joanna Weaver presents the picture of God waiting in the Living Room to spend time with us. As with Martha we so often are so busy in the kitchen, we forget that our Savior waits in the other room, desiring above anything else to commune with us. Intimacy with God requires alone-time with Him. That is how we become His faithful followers lead by Him in all aspects of our lives. And it is in the strength of the Lord, developed in our alone-time with Him, that we can abound in thanksgiving.