How often do you spend time alone with God? How often have you made time to spend in God’s presence recently? Let’s use the image of drawing water from a well to drink, or to water a garden. It requires an effort to lower the bucket deep enough to reach the fresh, life-giving water. Using water helps to sustain life, health, and promotes growth. Our personal relationship with God is similar. We need to make an effort to acquire the spiritual nourishment we can only access when we are in His presence.
In His presence, we can hear His voice, listen to His heart, and the Holy Spirit tends to our needs. It can definitely begin with praise and worship, but it requires further action. We need to shut the world out, become quiet, and focus on God so we can experience that deep connection with Him. It calls for vulnerability and transparency towards God. Not that God does not know everything already, but it requires total surrender.
Jeremiah 29:13 AMP “Then [with a deep longing] you will seek Me and require Me [as a vital necessity] and [you will] find Me when you search for Me with all your heart.”
Drawing from the well is when we seek God’s face and not His hand. It is that place of intimacy between the Heavenly Father and His child. It is not a place where we remind God of all we need and want. Though you can, it is more than that. It is spending quality time with the Lord. In essence, it is a place of just being you and God together. All the distractions are forgotten. It is where we can drink the spiritual nourishment of all God is. In His presence, we are surrounded by love, grace, peace, joy, and enveloped by his radiant glory. It is where we come boldly to God’s throne and are confronted with His holiness. It is were we repent, worship in awe, delight in His splendor, open our hearts and minds, to hear Him speak. It is were we honestly open ourselves up for spiritual growth. It is where the world and all struggles fade away, as we draw close to the One Who was, and is, and is to come.
Hebrews 4:16 AMP “Therefore let us [with privilege] approach the throne of grace [that is, the throne of God’s gracious favor] with confidence and without fear, so that we may receive mercy [for our failures] and find [His amazing] grace to help in time of need [an appropriate blessing, coming just at the right moment].”
I remember the one time I was attending a woman’s conference. I will never forget the image God gave me to illustrate what it meant to spend time in His presence. It was an image I needed at the time, as I was very busy with work and other commitments. Jesus invited me, as a little girl, to come and sit on His lap, and He would whisper in my ear, secrets, and treasures of His heart. He prompted me that day to seek those moments more frequently, so I would be able to hear His heart, thoughts, and requests for myself as well as for others. He specifically made me aware of the fact that He whispers those things. Meaning that I need to get quiet and still with Him, as the busyness and noise of this world could make me miss out on those divine moments.
We can do so much talking from our side when we pray and spend time with God, that we do not stop to listen, really listen. I am reminded again of 1 Kings 19, where Elijah flees to Mount Horeb.
1 Kings 19:11-13 AMP “So He said, “Go out and stand on the mountain before the LORD.” And behold, the LORD was passing by, and a great and powerful wind was tearing out the mountains and breaking the rocks in pieces before the LORD; but the LORD was not in the wind. And after the wind, [there was] an earthquake, but the LORD was not in the earthquake. After the earthquake, [there was] a fire, but the LORD was not in the fire; and after the fire, [there was] the sound of a gentle blowing. When Elijah heard the sound, he wrapped his face in his mantle (cloak) and went out and stood in the entrance of the cave. And behold, a voice came to him and said, “What are you doing here, Elijah?”
The world is so full of noise, distractions, busyness, tasks to complete, and challenges to face. Why not make more time to come to the quiet, secure, fulfilling, glorious place of God’s presence. Spend time on your Father’s lap and wait for those sweet whispers of love, encouragement, direction, empowerment, restoration, affirmation, grace, forgiveness, peace, awakening, and assurance. He refreshes your soul, and He never disappoints. His presence is better than any drug, relaxing spa treatment, movie, good book, music, swim in the ocean, hike in the mountains, workout in the gym, meal, or coffee date with a loved one. When we spend time with Him, especially during this challenging season in 2020, we are restored with a new resolve and faith to continue on this journey.
How often will you draw from the well?
Find that secluded place in your house or outside, today and every day. Sing songs of praise and worship, but go deeper and draw near to your Father. Focus on the Lord and seek His face. Go deep, my friend, and take your time. Approach His throne with boldness. Let all the world drift away. Wait for the Lord to whisper in your heart. It is always worth it. When He fills you with Himself, it satisfies like nothing else on earth.
Stay resolute my friend.
Talita
VERSE IMAGE OF THE WEEK
RESOLUTE WOMAN 