In the stillness of the morning, there is peace, love, guidance and wisdom. Not because all are asleep, or the business of the day has not begun, although that helps, but because that is when I go into the secret place and sit with my Maker, my Savior, my Lord and my God. There is nothing like it on this side of heaven. It truly is heaven on earth. He speaks through His Word, or a whisper in my heart. He speaks with a sudden sense of peace or unexplainable joy or a revelation. He speaks all the time. But are we listening? Do we take the time to listen? Or are we too busy doing life our way, with our priorities, living life on our timetable to realize that the very one that created us might have some words of wisdom just for us before we start our day, and throughout our day? Maybe the one who put the sun in the sky could shed some light into our hearts and into our circumstances? Or that the one who keeps this planet spinning in perfect order could guide us into bringing a sense of order into our lives?
There is so much we could gain if we stop trying to drive our lives, fix all our problems with our own understanding, conjure up our own methods and simply stop to read THE manual we were given and speak to the mastermind behind it all. All we need to know to live this life as well as our human selves can and as abundantly as He meant us to, He has left for us in His Word. But how often do we actually go to it? Or have we replaced God with Google?
What about simply talking to Jesus? Conversation, real conversation. Soul bearing, heart wrenching, sin sharing, false face off, no pretenses conversation. The kind of conversation where you let your guard down and expose all of you. The kind of deep conversation you probably couldn’t have with anyone other than the One that already knows exactly what you are going to say but desperately wants to be the one you say it to. Have you had that kind of talk with God yet? Or do you numb or avoid things with social media, television, constant activity, etc. in order not to have to deal with all that you have bottled up inside?
Why struggle through life aimlessly unnecessarily? Please don’t misunderstand me. A relationship with God is not going to eliminate heartache and pain or all the obstacles in life, the hills and mountains you will have to climb or the losses or diagnosis you will or may have to face. Some believe their lives are easier without Him. But I can tell you this, if you try to live without God, and do it your way, that hill you need to climb will be steeper, that mountain you have to climb will be rockier, that loss you will have to endure will take longer to heal from or that diagnosis you receive could end your life before the illness ever does. Without the Giver of Life what life is there? And without Jesus, the true abundant life will always be out of reach.
In my life I have seen that the bridge from an aimless, pleasure centered life to a purpose filled, fulfilling life is the Cross. The bridge from hopeless to hope eternal is the Cross. It is in the One who stretched out His arms with nails in His hands and feet and said to us, my life for yours!
In Matthew 10:39, Jesus says it like this, “If you cling to your life, you will lose it; but if you give up your life for me, you will find it. (NLT)”
Friend, what are you clinging to? Who or what do you rely on to give you purpose and meaning? Have you been living life your way, without Jesus? Can I ask, how’s that working for you? Is there still a whole in your heart and in your soul? Do you feel like you are running and running but never truly getting anywhere?
Are you ready? Ready to do life God’s way? Ready to let go and let God? To let go of this world and swim against the tide of this world’s culture? Ready to put Him first in all things? First in your heart, in your thinking, in your planning, in how you live, and who you love yourself and others? His Word says that those who make Him first get a prize this world can never take away? Seek first the Kingdom of God. A prize no moth or rust can destroy. A prize worth everything you will probably have to give up to pick up your cross and follow Him. A prize worth more than all the riches this world can hold and a prize that will last you through all eternity. A prize saved for you in heaven. A room made ready just for you in His house, His Kingdom, in His presence forevermore.
Are you ready to go into your own secret place where He waits for you? Where He speaks to you and listens to you? I mean really listens to you. We all long to be truly seen, heard and loved. That longing and that hole that can never be permanently filled by anything or one on this earth, God embedded in you. It is by design. To act as a compelling force causing you to seek Him. A beacon calling you back to your Creator, Maker, and Father. A beacon that becomes still, at peace and fulfilled when you come into His presence, His will and His love.
Are you ready to lay it all down, pick up your Bible, get on your knees, palms up and say to Him, “I want to live your way Father, I want to be all you call me to be, I don’t want my will anymore, my way does not work. Father, Your will not mine, I surrender!”
He is waiting. Waiting for you to ask Him to lead the way. He’s waiting for you to finally invite Him into your life, every part of it and give up the reigns. He’s waiting for you in the secret place… His door is always open…
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