I grew up with the
concept that God wants me to give Him a certain amount of my time each day. His
blessings would come from my investment of that time. This time with God has
been frequently called "quiet time" in many Christian circles. I
tried over and over to interact with God through a quiet time that involved prayer,
Bible study, scripture memorization and journaling. I failed over and over. My
failure seemed to define me as a messed up Christian. Instead of feeling closer
to God, I felt like He was a million miles away. That feeling seemed to say
that God is distant because of me.
I have since learned
that God is not distant, nor has ever been. He has always been close. The
question is, then, “How close is God?” He is in me. Having a quiet time does
not bring God any closer than He already is. Having a quiet time with God is
simply shoving the world aside for a moment and enjoying the intimacy I share
with Him 24/7.
God showed me
that He does everything with me - everything from the mundane to the exciting.
He is not distant from me waiting for me to come spend time with Him; He is
always spending time with me in everything I do. He counsels with me. He loves
on my wife, children, and grandchildren with me. He is writing with me at this
very moment. I don't have to do anything for God. I get to do everything with
God!
God even
showed me that He enjoys drinking coffee with me and reading a good book
together. He also enjoys watching a good sci-fi show with me! You may have
heard the expression, “Pete and re-Pete.” Well, I’m re-Pete. God and I are
always together enjoying each other’s company.
Since I have
given up the old concept of giving God a portion of my time each day as a means
of growing spiritually, I have discovered more peace and joy coming from the
depths of my “inner man.” I have also noticed a greater understanding and
memory of scripture. This was not something I pursued; it was a bi-product of
hanging out with God and listening to Him as He constantly shares His heart
with me.
I hear God
speak to me through music, through a good sermon, a good book, a tv show, a
conversation with a friend, a counseling session, etc. But most of all, I hear
Him speak to me directly when it is just the two us. No, I don’t hear an
audible voice. I don’t have to. When He speaks to me He puts His thoughts in my
mind and I know those thoughts are His words because I’m not smart enough or
wise enough to come up with what I am hearing.
If you haven’t
figured it out yet, yes, I have a special relationship with God. Here is the
good news – if you are a believer, you do too! God wants you to know that He is
always with you and He is pleased with you because you belong to Him. Your
value doesn’t come from how much time you spend with Him reading your Bible,
memorizing scripture, etc. The time you spend with Him will only reveal how much
value you truly possess.
If you haven't yet
received God's gift of life, He wants you to accept His gift of life so that
you too can experience the joy of a relationship with Him.
If you have already
received God's gift of life, relax and enjoy your time with Him. Discover the
depths of your worth in Him! Listen to Him tell you how much He loves you.
