Spend Time with God By Andrew White www.andrewwhitelit.blogspot.com www.aseasonofhope.

org

Psalm 37:7 Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him One of the most powerful things we can do is spend time in the presence of God (Psalm 16:11). Although God is omnipresent, that doesnt mean we are spending time with God. Showing up for a church service and singing several songs and following along in your Bible may be a good start, but there is so much more to spending time with God. This ought to be a daily practice. God didnt intend for us to have a one day a week relationship. In Exodus 3: 1-4 Moses discovers the power of spending time with God. Moses was tending the flock when he saw an angel appear unto him in flames of fire within a bush. Moses decided to go over to the bush and see what was going on. I think I would have backed away. When God saw Moses walking toward the bush, God said, Moses! Moses! Moses replied, Here I am. 1. God wants to spend time with his people- He is searching throughout the world looking for those whose hearts are fully committed to him (II Chronicles 16:9). 2. We can know Gods Voice- Moses knew Gods voice because he didnt ask, Whos talking? The only way we are going to know Gods voice (most likely figuratively speaking) is to spend time with him in his word, in songs and in prayer. In verses 5-14 we read that God instructed Moses to remove his sandals because where he was standing was holy ground. After removing his sandals, Moses hides his face from God because Moses was afraid to look at God. Afraid in this context doesnt imply or denote Moses felt guilty about something and thought God was going to punish him. It is a healthy and reverential fear out of respect and honor for the sovereign God. When we are with God, our focus, priorities and faith will be affected. Our inadequacies and carnal motives come crashing down. What happens to Moses as a result of meeting with God? 1. God reminds Moses of his heritage and Gods promises (vs.6). 2. God tells Moses he has seen the suffering of his people and he wants to use Moses to deliver his people from the Egyptians (vs.7-8).

3. God has a plan and future for his people (vs.8). 4. God encourages Moses by saying, Ill be with you (vs.12). 5. After Moses fears people may not listen to him, God says to tell them I AM has sent me to you. We are programmed to interact with each other and herein lies one of the greatest challenges. We are to talk to God, yet we cant see him face to face, nor can we hear His voice. Unfortunately, there is no application on any device that beams us into a live conference room with God. Our natural tendency is to say a few things while we have our eyes closed and our heads bowed, but after thrity seconds we move on like nothings happened. Spending time with God may sound trivial and like a normal traditional routine, but it goes far beyond that. Although there is a time and place for this sort of prayer, we need to learn how to develop our relationship with God. To gain some understanding in this matter, I want to focus on a couple of passages from scripture. So how do we interact with God? 1. Acknowledge his Presence: Understanding that God is everywhere allows us to communicate with him at any moment. When you are in your car listening to a worship CD, just tell God how great he is and express your gratitude toward him for all hes done. Take advantage of every moment you can and realize God is right there with you. 2. Share your true thoughts and frustrations: God already knows what we are going through and struggling with, so why do we keep it all inside as though God will be offended if we share it with him? Yes, God is sovereign and we should reverence him when we approach him, but even a good earthly father doesnt take offense when his child is open and honest. Likewise, we should be open and honest with God and develop a relationship that is genuine. By sharing our life experiences with God, we allow him opportunities to speak to us and to work on our behalf. One of the areas I have had to continue to grow in is the area of realizing an all-powerful allknowing God really wants to be with me. In the natural it doesnt make sense, nor does it seem possible. But God desires to share his love and reveal himself to his children. There are several major reasons why we should strive to spend more time with our Father: Reason #1: Our Faith is Strengthened First, lets look at Enoch. In Genesis 5:21-24 we read that Enoch walked with God and then God took him away. The writer of Hebrews states, By faith Enoch was taken from this life so that he did not experience death; he could not be found, because God had taken him away. For before he was taken, he was commended as one who pleased God. And without faith it is impossible to please God for God will reward those who seek him continually (11:5-6).

When we specifically choose to set aside time to spend with God, we are saying, God, you are more important than these other things I could be doing. Sure, we know its true, but theres something that happens spiritually and mentally when we purposely allow ourselves to focus on God. While there is no description of how Enoch lived his life or spent time with God, it is clear that he had Gods attention. When we choose not to allow ourselves time to spend with God, what are we saying? Are we too busy? Is it really not a big deal? Or do we really think God doesnt want to spend time with us? I cant count the number of times when I left a service, prayer meeting or my quiet time with the Lord feeling refreshed, excited, and more confident in my relationship with God. We need to be strengthened daily. What will you do to spend time with your Heavenly Father?

Reason #2: We are Reminded of His Sovereignty Imagine the relationship between Moses and God. God could have easily just called Moses name to get his attention. He didnt, though. God wanted this to be a moment forever seared in Moses conscious, one that would stay with him forever. Who could ever forget this event? God chose to use an extraordinary means of communication for an ordinary guy. He wants to reveal himself to his people and the cool thing about it is that we never know how hell do it. Thats our Father! He is an incredible God who desires to spend his time with each of us.

What if Moses would have ignored Gods voice? How would his life been different? When God speaks to us, why do we ignore or run from his direction if we know He wants the best for us? Application: What challenge or obstacle am I currently facing? What have I missed out on that God had for me? What am I willing to risk or sacrifice to get closer to God? Make a list of goals to help you deal with or overcome this challenge (you may wish to get counsel from others you trust).

Prayer: God, help me to hear Your voice and teach me through Your Word, Spirit and Your people.