Spirit Matters:
The Heart of God
by Joshua Nicholson

"God is great. God is good. Let us thank You for our food. By His hands, we all are fed. Thank You for our daily bread."

Ever pray this blessing? For some, this might be the only kind of conversation they have with God. Although we should thank God for everything that we eat, whether it be a meal or a snack, and everything else he gives us, there is a whole world of other things that we should talk with Him about. I'm not talking about praying to God about one's needs, although that is also good to do. I'm talking about just communing with God.

In today's fast-paced world, we seem to have lost a lot in our respective relationships with God. Many feel that they don't have time to just sit down and talk with God, and some put it off until the time just before they go to bed, by which time many are too tired and weary of mind to give God the proper attention that he deserves. It's sad, really, that we deny God the very purpose of our creation. That's right; we were created so that God would have someone to talk to, to commune with.

Whether we like it or not, we are all God's children, and whether we believe it or not, God does exist. And, he wants to talk to us, to talk with us.

Although we might not realize it, many of us cut God off when we pray. "It is likened unto" a friend calling, talking non-stop the entire time and then, "Bye!" ::click::. We must give God the chance to respond, or else it becomes monologue rather than dialogue.

Coming back to the time aspect of things, one doesn't have to take a single large chunk out of the day to commune with God, although it's both good for you and pleasing to Him. There are times in the day when one's brain isn't occupied with anything in particular. That's the perfect time to give Jesus a little "how's your father" (heh heh…get it?). No matter what thought process your mind might be going through, always keep at least a little God in your thoughts.

And, speaking of thoughts, don't just give God a mental hello all of the time. There is something to be said about vocalizing your conversations with God. So what if people think you're a little weird for seeming as though you're talk to yourself or to someone who isn't there. Christians are supposed to be different and seem a little alien-we are not supposed to be of this world, just in it. But, that's another sermon.

Getting back to the heart of God…

There have been occasions where God has truly let me feel His heart, and I don't mind telling you that it made me weep. The Creator of all of the universe was saddened and weeping-that's right, God was weeping-because His own creation has turned its back on Him and denied Him the very thing He created them for. What many people don't realize is that although we need God every second of every day, He also needs us. The heart of God is to commune with His people, to show them love.

There are some who believe that God is just one to be revered and feared, one to only be given respect, and that He's too "high and mighty" to just talk to, and must only be addressed through ritualistic prayer. There is some truth in that, but there is also some "dead religion" in that, too. Yes, we must give God respect and be a God-fearing people. Yes, God is high and mighty (I mean, come on…He's God!). And, yes, there are rituals which God has created for us to follow. But, God is also love. He is a friend through good times and bad-we'll get to that soon. Take a good look at the way God is portrayed in the Old Testament. God was feared and revered, yet the same people who feared Him also communed with him daily (i.e. Moses, David, Elijah, etc.). And, because Jesus made his ultimate sacrifice, we can "come boldly to the throne of God" and just speak with Him. God doesn't want there to be any barriers blocking you. He wants you to have the sort of relationship where you can get up in the morning and just say, "Good morning, Lord."

This is the heart of God. This is what His love is all about. If we bless God, God will bless us. He'll give us the world if we just give Him the chance.

Now, about the whole "friend through good times and bad"…

God doesn't want you to wait until you're in trouble to talk with him. He wants your fellowship all of time. When you're feeling good, God wants to hear you say, "Hey, God! Wazzup?" (Although you might not talk in that fashion, you get the drift.) Just talk with God. And, just as he rewards you for being faithful, he'll reward you for your fellowship. If fellowship with God is something that you've been in lack of recently, try it. You'll see a change in your life. You'll feel more and more at ease with life, even though your life might be really complicated, because you'll be reminded more and more of who's in control and who's always watching your back and behind you every step of the way. You'll become more like Paul when he said, "None of these things move me." He'd lived the high life and he'd been at rock bottom, but throughout it all, he remembered who was in charge and who held his future. All things will work toward good.

So, the bottom line here is to keep in touch with God. When we show up, God shows out. Go with God, be a blessing, and be blessed! Amen!

 

NEED PRAYER? Send me an eMail (prayer@actortoactor.com), and I'll be sure to pray about it and possibly respond back.