Tuesday, August 7, 2012

How Is It With You And The Lord

My Utmost For His Highest

‘Think about your own circumstances. Are you so closely identified with the Lord’s life that you are simply a child of God, continually talking to Him and realizing that everything comes from His hands? Is the eternal Child in you living in His Father’s house? Is the grace of His ministering life being worked out through you in your home, your business, and in your circle of friends? Have you been wondering why you are going through certain circumstances? In fact, it is not that you have to go through them. It is because of your relationship with the Son of God who comes, through the providential will of His Father, into your life. You must allow Him to have His way with you, staying in perfect oneness with Him.’ CHAMBERS

When my mom was living, especially during the years after my step-dad passed, she would start up a conversation with the Lord as if He were in the room standing next to her.  I marveled at the closeness she had with Him.  That didn’t mean that she lived a perfect life.  Like all of us, she contended with her flesh.  But the fact that the Lord was present in her life was clear.  There was a man that I met a number of years ago that would ask this question when he met you, “How is it with you and the Lord?” Not how are you doing, personally, with respect to your health, with your family .. but with your relationship with Jesus. (He is supposed to hold first place in our lives, right?)  When he asked that of me, frankly, it caught me off guard.  At that moment  I knew that things could be better … but the thought raced quickly through my mind .. “I can’t say that! I am supposed to be super spiritual .. in tune with God, all the time .. what will people think?”

How would you answer that question today?  Not verbally but in your heart?  Developing that level of relationship with the Lord .. where you are practicing His presence in your life … talking to Him conversationally … takes time and must be intentional ....... Imagine that the only time you talk to your kids is when they do something wrong … they would not be very anxious to have a conversation with you would they?  God doesn’t want to talk with us only when we need something or have done something we need to confess … although those times are necessary … We need to build our relationship with Him.. to the point that it is as natural to talk with Him as it is with anyone we meet … as intimate a conversation as we would have with our spouse .. as loving a conversation as we would have with our children …

You have got to work at relationships .. no less with God.  Draw near to God and He will draw near to you.” (James 4:8)

“What a friend we have in Jesus. All our sins and griefs to bear.  What a privilege to carry, everything to God in prayer.”

So, how is it with you and the Lord?

Bondye Beni Ou (God Bless You)

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