MEETING WITH GOD

by Maggie Escoto

Many of us have been blessed with close friends. If we never spent any time with them and instead just thought and talked about how wonderful these special people are, wouldn’t this behavior be foolish? Yet some Christians do exactly that.

In the face of acquiring a wide range of  knowledge about God and the Bible, they miss out on highly favored and prosperous companionship with the Father, the best friend anyone could ever have.

It is possible to occupy our lives with spiritual information and activities, which is all good, but fails to develop a close relationship with the Lord. Here is a quick account to see if this may be true of you: Do you attend church only out of a sense of duty? Do you pray with haughty or repetitive words rather than speaking to God from the heart? Do you serve solely out of obligation?

We read in Scripture about many people whose personal encounter with the Lord was empowering and life-changing. Abraham, Gideon, Moses, and Paul were just a few who spoke with Him one-on-one (Genesis 7:4; Judges 6:12, 14; Exodus 3:2; Acts 9:3-6).  Today, we don’t expect theatrical or melodramatic“burning bush” experiences, but every believer should still have cherished, intimate times with God. Whenever we open His Word and invite the Holy Spirit to enliven its meaning, we can directly hear from the heavenly Father.

The Bible tells us, “Draw near to God and He will draw near to you” (James 4:8). Walking closely with the Lord takes commitment and time. Start now by dedicating a portion of your day to meeting with your best Friend and experience a life of transformation!

Lessons in Hovering: The Nearness of the Spirit

By John C. Richards, Jr.
        

Having five siblings can teach you a lot of life lessons. Among those lessons is the practice of hovering. At this point in my life I consider myself a professional “hoverer". I can hover with the best of them. Let me explain the nature of a hoverer. A hoverer is one who waits in anticipation to take advantage of a great opportunity. All they need to proceed? They just need to hear a word. Friday nights in my household I became that person. Reluctant to cook after a long week, my mother would bring home take-out. As soon as she walked in the house, my hands were washed and I was ready. I was so close to the food I could breathe in its fresh aroma. I stood near her, just hovering, until I heard the word: "Go ahead. Dig in."

The Bible makes mention of another Hoverer. He might be considered the greatest Hoverer ever. One whose proverbial sandal I am not able to strap. He didn't hover over food. He wasn't trying to satisfy His appetite, just the unfolding plan of the Creator. And His situation wasn't as highly aromatic as mine. In fact, here are a few phrases that describe His environment. Disorderly. Chaotic. Hopeless. Three excellent descriptions of the early appearance of the land mass we have come to know as Earth. There were no awe-inspiring mountains yet. There were no rushing rivers. More importantly, there was no ability to sustain human life. The Earth didn't have a chance. Yet the Spirit of God was present. Hovering. He was merely waiting for the go-ahead from the Father. There's a sense of anticipation as He waits to hear those words: "Let there be light" (see Genesis 1:3). It's like God says, "Go ahead. Dig in." That was His cue. It was time to turn this chaos into order. It was time to replace darkness with light. It was time to turn an abyss into a place of bliss. Six days later the results are awe-inspiring. So beautiful that the Father sits back and declares it all "very good"  (see Genesis 1:31).

Ultimately this story finds its way into our own hearts. Although formed and not created, humankind can be described in the same way. Disorderly. Chaotic. Hopeless. At one point in my life, those terms described me with succinct accuracy. But there was a Hoverer present. The Spirit of God was waiting to hear those words from the Father: "Go ahead. Dig in." And did He ever! He breathed on me. I was like the Earth. A life seemingly devoid of the presence of God, yet the Spirit was hovering. And something amazing happened. Minerals began to appear, creating salt (see Matthew 5:13). Darkness began to fade, disseminating light (see Matthew 5:16). Rivers of living water began to flow out of my life (see John 7:38). And my heart began to change.

 

Paul reminds us all of that day in a letter to the Church at Corinth: "For God, who said 'Let light shine out of darkness’ has shone in our hearts to give the light of knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ" (2 Corinthians 4:6 ESV). Not only are the opening verses of Genesis about the Earth's creation, but also your heart's re-creation…through grace. Today, be grateful for God invading your world and "digging in". Be grateful for the Great Hoverer, the Spirit of God. Continue to allow Him to breathe on you. And as you do, trust me, the Father sits back and declares those timeless words: "Very good!"

 

Scripture of the Day: "Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters." - Genesis 1:2 (NKJV)