We were talking about that just last night at Bible study.
How when you're friends with someone, you just want to spend time with them. You aren't trying to get something out of them or about how you can use them. You just want to be with them because of who they are and you enjoy their company and value them as they are.
We need to see our relationship with God that way. Jesus did say He was our friend. When He was talking to people about what wanted, how often did He ask them for details? He IS interested in us.
It occurred to me one day that we have it all backwards (in typical human fashion).
He is really interested in what we are doing and what affects us. All the running the universe stuff that we think is so important, is nothing to Him. It is just the backdrop against which the really important stuff is being played out.
He has put His life into us. We are the pinnacle of His creation. So although the heavens declare or speak of the glory of God, they are just stuff, things, *WE* are created in His image. We can reflect His glory in a whole different way and He does care about us, what we want, what we like and dislike, how we feel about things.
I think it actually pleases Him when we WANT to spend time with Him without all the other distractions. So that takes devotions from a legalistic, gotta do it works kind of activity, to a time of intimacy that we can have of spending time with the light of our lives. Wow! What motivation to grab a Bible and sit down and read it and pray.
Just like when we met that person we were smitten with and wanted to spend the rest of our lives with. So it should be with God.
God, let me be smitten with You!
I get where you're coming from, but God is not my prom date. He's my Savior and Lord. As a spirit-filled Christian myself, my desire to study Scripture and become closer to God isn't based on emotion. It's based on the fact that this is what God wants for me and He has laid down clear guidelines for what His children are to do to gain Salvation. Along the way, listening for the "still, small voice" and seeing His goodness first hand is more than sufficient for me.
Bless your day.
So true and a great excuse for me to post a favourite scripture!
"Then they that feared the Lord spake often one to another: and the Lord hearkened, and heard it, and a book of remembrance was written before him for them that feared the Lord, and that thought upon his name.And they shall be mine, saith the Lord of hosts, in that day when I make up my jewels; and I will spare them, as a man spareth his own son that serveth him." (Malachi 3:16,17)