Wednesday, March 16, 2011

Creative Arts & Media - Email #7 (March)

Where is God calling you?

Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed. (Mark 1:35)

For some reason, this is a verse I keep coming back to constantly. Years ago, I still remember hearing some speaker mention this verse, and all they said were the words, "Jesus had a quiet time." I don't remember much else about what she said, because at that point, suddenly, the light bulbs went on for me!

There are so many principles contained in this verse, and the context you find it in. Basically, Jesus was in the middle of one of his busiest seasons ever in His life/ministry, and he did what he had to do, to get away from everything, to spend time with His Father. Boy there's a lot in that verse... and I constantly have to find a way back to what this verse is saying to me. God has used this verse so much with me to draw me back to one thing... It's all about relationship with God.

Yes, you do need time with Him, but really, it's what you want! There is NOTHING like the sheer thrill and joy of knowing Him, and being with Him in His presence! There is nothing like having a relationship... with... GOD!!!!!

Yet how easy do I drift from that simple truth? How easy does my heart go astray? I might not even necessarily get led astray by things that are sinful, but just by normal aspects of life itself!

I need time with God. It refuels me. It re-centers me. It sustains me.

But more than that, I want it. Even when I don't sense that "longing", or I'm not aware of the desire to spend time with God, it's there, it's just not fully tapped into yet.

But it will be.

"Do not arouse or awaken love until it so desires." (Song of Solomon 8:6)

This is a verse written in Song of Solomon, which talking about waiting. The daughters are told not to "arouse" sexual desires until the right time. There's a time and a place for everything...

Whether you're married or not though, you can have a close and personal relationship with God, right now! All you need to do is:


"Draw near to God, and He will draw near to you." (James 4:8)

It's a sure promise of Scripture! He will not impose Himself relationally on you, if you do not want Him! The truth is, He wants to draw near to you all the time, and if you will allow your heart to take a step towards Him, He will take a step towards you!

"Hope deferred makes the heart sick,
   but a longing fulfilled is a tree of life." (Prov 13:12)

"Seek and you will find" (Matthew 7:7)


As you seek God, and find His presence, the desire is tapped into, fulfilled, and becomes a "tree of life" to you. If you long for God, and you meet with Him constantly, then it adds an incredible element of "life" to you. It changes your posture, your countenance, it puts a "swing in your step!"

It changes your perception, and your outlook on life! Instead of seeing the negative in everything, you'll be looking for the good that can come out of it! Instead of seeing the way things have gone wrong in the past, and the ways things could go wrong in the future, you'll be looking for the potential in every situation to learn something from it, and to grow through it.

Walking with God will do all of these things to you, and more. It will set you up for the future, but more than that, it will allow you to trust Him for the future. If you simply seek Him for who He is, rewards will follow (Genisis 15:1), but He is the ultimate reward.

Walking with God is for you. But where do you start? Let's just follow in the footsteps of Jesus...

"Very early in the morning while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed." (Mark 1:35)